Minnesota State’s Hastings wins Spencer Penrose Award as top Division I men’s coach

Mike Hastings led Minnesota State to the WCHA regular season and postseason titles (photo: Jim Rosvold).

Minnesota State coach Mike Hastings has been named the winner of the Spencer Penrose Award as the top coach in Division I men’s hockey, the American Hockey Coaches Association announced Wednesday.

Hastings led the Mavericks to the No. 1 overall seed for the 2015 NCAA tournament after claiming the WCHA regular season and playoff championships.

The Mavericks were 29-8-3 and lost to Rochester Institute of Technology in the first round of the NCAA tournament.

Minnesota State has made the NCAA tournament all three years that Hastings has been head coach.

Hastings is the first Minnesota State coach to win the Spencer Penrose Award.

Boston University’s David Quinn was the runner-up.

Hastings and assistant coaches Darren Blue and Todd Knott will be honored at the AHCA convention in Naples, Fla., on May 2.