Steve Miller has joined the Minnesota men’s hockey team as the Gophers’ new associate head coach.
Miller most recently served at Ohio State in the same role for the previous five seasons.
“Steve is one of the most decorated coaches in our sport,” Minnesota head coach Bob Motzko said in a statement. “From the national championships to the gold medals; he’s been a part of everything. He’s just a fantastic person and family man and a very highly respected coach in the business. We’re so fortunate that Gopher hockey is going to have a guy with his background on the coaching staff.”
Miller was honored with the American Hockey Coaches Association’s (AHCA) Terry Flanagan Award in 2009, which recognizes an assistant coach’s career body of work. In all, he has been a part of three NCAA titles, 19 NCAA appearances, five regular-season conference titles and seven playoff championships during his collegiate tenure.
“I want to thank Bob Motzko for this incredible opportunity,” Miller said. “The University of Minnesota is the gold standard in college hockey because of its tremendous history, tradition and success, and I am humbled to join and serve this storied program. I am excited and can’t wait to move to the ‘State of Hockey’ and get started.”
Motzko and Miller have coached together on the international stage guiding Team USA to a gold medal at the 2017 IIHF World Junior Championship with an undefeated 7-0 record. They added a bronze medal leading the team in 2018. Miller has continued to coach at the event, adding a silver medal in 2019 and another gold medal in 2021, and is set to be behind the bench in 2022. They also served on the same coaching staff at Miami from 1991 to 1993.
With the Buckeyes, Miller helped guide the team to an NCAA Frozen Four appearance in 2018, his first campaign with the program.
Prior to joining Ohio State in 2017, Miller enjoyed successful stints with both Air Force (2015-17) and Providence (2014-15). As director of hockey for Air Force, he helped the Falcons capture the 2017 Atlantic Hockey championship and advance to the NCAA quarterfinals. At Providence, he was an assistant coach and helped the Friars claim their first-ever national championship with a 4-3 victory over Boston University in the 2015 title game.
Miller spent 19 and a half years as an assistant and associate head coach with Denver as the team won back-to-back NCAA championships in 2004 and 2005. During his time at DU, the team won three WCHA regular season championships and claimed the WCHA Final Five title four times.
Miller began his coaching career at his alma mater, St. Mary’s. The squad won the 1989 MIAC playoff championship and advanced to the quarterfinals of the NCAA tournament.
He moved from there to Miami, where he spent three seasons under head coach George Gwozdecky. Along with Motzko, an assistant coach, the Redhawks won their first CCHA title in 1993 and made their first-ever appearance in the NCAA tournament.
As a student-athlete at St. Mary’s, Miller played three years of varsity hockey. He was named the team’s most inspirational player as both a sophomore and senior and earned most improved player honors as a sophomore. In 1988, he helped the Cardinals to their first MIAC championship in 23 years and the team set the school record for victories in a season (22), a mark that still stands.
