The American Hockey Coaches Association has announced the slate of recipients of its most prestigious awards for 2025.
Six of the eight individuals being recognized will be honored at the 2025 AHCA Convention in Naples, Fla., scheduled for May 4-6, 2025. The recipients of the John Mariucci Award, presented to secondary school coaches, and the Jim Fullerton Award, presented to a non-coach, will be presented at separate events to be announced.
JOHN MACINNES AWARD: Established by AHCA in 1982 to honor former MTU coach, John MacInnes. This award recognizes those people who have shown a great concern for amateur hockey. The recipients have had high winning percentages, as well as outstanding graduating percentages among their former players. The winners of this award have helped young men grow not only as hockey players, but also more importantly, as men.
2025 Recipient: Andy Murray, Western Michigan University, Europe, NHL, Team Canada
Andy Murray has enjoyed a unique level of success in amateur and professional hockey in a career that spanned a half century. The Manitoba native began in junior hockey and went on to success in Europe, in the National Hockey League, with Team Canada and at Western Michigan University. His professional career covered two decades in which he was an assistant coach with Philadelphia, Minnesota and Winnipeg before serving as head coach with Los Angeles and St. Louis. When he left the Kings, he was the winningest coach in the team’s history.
He was hired by Western Michigan University in 2011 and had a record of 167-156-34 in 10 seasons, six of them with winning records. His best season came in 2016-17 when he went 22-13-5 and was named the recipient of the NCHC’s Herb Brooks Coach of the Year Award.
His record as a head coach for Team Canada is particularly impressive as he led Canada to World Championship gold three times, the first coach in IIHF history to do so. He also led Canada to six golds in Spengler Cup competition. For his efforts on the international stage, he was inducted into the IIHF Hall of Fame in 2012.
His three children have all excelled in hockey. Sarah played at Minnesota Duluth, coached the Unified Korean squad in the 2018 Olympics and is currently the U19 head coach at Shattuck St. Mary’s (which all three Murray children attended). Jordy played at Wisconsin and after a successful professional career is now on the staff at Michigan Tech. Brady played at North Dakota and in Europe and was drafted by the Los Angeles Kings.
JOHN “SNOOKS” KELLEY FOUNDERS AWARD: Named after the famed Boston College coach, this award honors those people in the coaching profession who have contributed to the overall growth and development of the sport of ice hockey in the United States.
2025 Recipient: Don Lucia, Colorado College, Alaska, Minnesota, CCHA
Don Lucia remains a strong contributor to college hockey, having followed a successful 31-year coaching career into the job of CCHA Commissioner, a post he has held since 2021. Lucia retired from coaching in 2018 with a career record of 736-403-102 (.634). He is the eighth all-time winningest men’s ice hockey coach in NCAA history and ranks sixth among Division I men’s coaches.
At the helm of the University of Minnesota, Lucia won two national championships (2002 and 2003) while appearing in five NCAA Frozen Four tournaments. He also led Colorado College to an NCAA runner-up finish in 1996 and an appearance in the 1997 NCAA Frozen Four semifinals. One of the most successful coaches in college hockey history, Lucia’s head coaching tenure included stints at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, Colorado College, as well as Minnesota, where he was the Golden Gophers’ winningest coach in program history.
Lucia has coached numerous all-conference team members, All-Americans, conference players of the year and a Hobey Baker Award winner. He earned league honors as conference “Coach of the Year” on five occasions. He was also selected as recipient of the Spencer Penrose Award in 1994, awarded annually to the top collegiate coach by the American Hockey Coaches Association.
Prior to his head coaching career, Lucia spent six seasons as an assistant coach at the University of Alaska Fairbanks (1981-85) and the University of Alaska Anchorage (1985-87). A 1981 graduate of the University of Notre Dame, he served as alternate captain for the Fighting Irish during his senior season. Lucia also spent time with USA Hockey, serving most recently as head coach of the U.S. World Junior Championship team in 2013-14.
”Don is highly respected in our game and checks all the boxes with his experience, knowledge and integrity,” said Bemidji State coach Tom Serratore. “There isn’t much that he hasn’t seen in nearly four decades as a college coach. He’s a proven leader and winner in college hockey.
TERRY FLANAGAN AWARD: Named in honor of the former UNH player and Bowling Green Assistant, this award honors an assistant coach’s career body of work.
2025 Recipient: Ron Rolston, Boston College, Providence
Ron Rolston is in his eighth season at Providence College, his seventh as an Associate Head Coach, after being promoted to the position on May 14, 2018. Rolston oversees the Friars’ power play unit, runs skill development with the Friar forwards and assists on the recruiting trail. It is another of many positions for Rolston in his storied career.
Rolston served as an assistant coach for the Team USA at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea. Before coming to Providence, Rolston spent the 2015-16 season as head coach of the Springfield Falcons, the former AHL affiliate of the Arizona Coyotes.
Prior to Springfield, Rolston served as head coach of the Buffalo Sabres of the NHL during the 2012-13 and 2013-14 seasons, after coaching the Sabres’ AHL affiliate, the Rochester Americans, for two seasons (2011-13). Rolston joined the Sabres’ organization in 2011 after spending the previous seven seasons as a head coach with USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program (NTDP), where he led the U.S. Under-18 team to three gold medals and a silver medal in four stints as head coach at the IIHF World Under-18 Championships. He coached several future NHL players including, Patrick Kane, Kevin Shattenkirk, Cam Fowler, Phil Kessel and Seth Jones during his tenure and also captured a bronze medal in the 2007 Under-20 World Junior Championships alongside Nate Leaman.
Rolston also has prior experience in college hockey, serving as an assistant coach for Boston College (2002-04), Harvard (1999-02), Clarkson (1996-99), and Lake Superior State (1990-95), where he captured two national championships with the Lakers in 1992 and 1994. Rolston and Leaman both served as assistant coaches at Harvard under head coach Mark Mazzoleni.
A native of Fenton, Mich., Rolston attended Michigan Tech University and was a three-year hockey letterman with the Huskies from 1986- 89. He resides with his wife, Shannon, his son Ronan, and daughter Maeve.
JIM FULLERTON AWARD: Named in honor of the former Brown University hockey coach and ACHA spiritual leader, this award recognizes an individual who loves the purity of our sport. Whether a coach, administrator, trainer, official, journalist or simply a fan, the recipient exemplifies Jim Fullerton, who gave as much as he received and never stopped caring about the direction in which our game was heading.
2025 Recipient: George Commo, UVM and Norwich broadcaster
After graduating from the University of Vermont in 1972 with a degree in broadcasting, George Commo began his broadcast career as a tape jockey and news reader at an automated FM radio station in Burlington, hoping that would lead him to something better. His hope became a reality in 1974 when he was given the sports anchor job at ABC 22 in Burlington. He was in the right place at the right time. In March of 1975 Vermont, in their first year in Division One Hockey, advanced to the ECAC semi-finals at the Boston Garden. ABC 22 secured the broadcast rights to the games and Commo was given the play-by-play assignment. His first play-by-play job was calling those games in the TV38 booth at the Garden.
Two years later Commo moved to WVMT Radio to serve as the pregame and postgame show host on Catamount Sports Network coverage of UVM Hockey, and when play-by-play man Tom Cheek left later that fall to become the first voice of the MLB Toronto Blue Jays, Commo stepped up to the play-by-play job.
He would hold that position for 18 seasons, working with coaches Jim Cross and Mike Gilligan, and getting to call the on-ice exploits of many Vermont greats including Craig Homola, Louis Cote, Kirk McCaskill, Kyle McDonough, Ian Boyce, Aaron Miller, John LeClair, Martin St. Louis, Eric Perrin and Tim Thomas.
During those years Commo also called many seasons of UVM basketball and baseball and the full gamut of Vermont high school sports, including numerous Vermont Principals Association tournament action in hockey, basketball, football and baseball. He also served as the TV play-by-play voice of ECAC Hockey.
Commo moved on to WDEV Radio in Waterbury, Vermont, in the fall of 1998, where he became the play-by-play voice of Norwich University Hockey. He would continue in that role for 25 seasons, working with coaches Mike McShane and Cam Ellsworth, describing the Cadets’ numerous ECAC and NCAA tournament runs, including four NCAA National Championships. While at WDEV, he also did Norwich football, and served as one of the primary voices of their extensive stock car racing coverage. Commo has also been the primary play-by-play voice for the Vermont Expos and Lake Monsters baseball for more than 20 years.
In 2000 he started his own production company, Vermont Broadcast Sports, to serve as an outlet for the coverage of Burlington area high school sports. In 2008, VBS joined forces with the Northeast Sports Network and Commo has served as a primary play-by-play voice and sales rep for NSN ever since. At NSN, he has called every high school and college sport you can think of, including VPA State tournaments in football, soccer, hockey, basketball, baseball and lacrosse.
An eleven-time Vermont Sportscaster of the Year, Commo has been inducted into the Vermont Sports Hall of Fame, the Vermont Principals Association Hall of Fame, the Vermont Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame, the Norwich University Athletic Hall of Fame, and the Rice Memorial High School Athletic Hall of Fame. He was honored with the Warner Fusselle Award for Excellence in Broadcasting by baseball’s New York Penn League, and the Monahan & Wallace Media Award by the ECAC Sports Information Directors Association.
A father of three sons, Kevin, Anthony, and Jack, he and his wife Dot live in Burlington, Vermont.
JOHN MARIUCCI AWARD: John Mariucci, the former coach of the University of Minnesota, was not only an outstanding college coach, but also a driving force behind the growth of hockey in the United States. In 1987, the AHCA created this award to honor a secondary school association coach who best exemplifies the spirit, dedication and enthusiasm of the “Godfather of U.S. Hockey,” John Mariucci.
2025 Recipient: Lowell MacDonald, University School of Milwaukee
Lowell MacDonald forged two successful hockey careers: one as an NHL player for 13 seasons and the other as the head coach of the University School in Milwaukee, WI. It is for the latter that he is being honored with the 2025 John Mariucci Award. In his 18 seasons as the school’s head coach, MacDonald compiled a record of 263-180-17, winning multiple state championships while also molding young men. He also served as the school’s athletic director and golf coach during his tenure.
Among his former students: sons Lowell and Lane, current ECAC Hockey commissioner Doug Christiansen and Bill Zito, the current general manager of the defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers.
In nominating MacDonald, Zito offered this assessment: “Lowell MacDonald was the embodiment of not only coaching, but instruction, guidance, leadership, empathy, sportsmanship, and kindness. A retired NHL player with means, Lowell moved his family to a hockey wasteland (Milwaukee at the time had 2 rinks) and dedicated himself to any child that wanted to improve. His on-ice instruction was ahead of it’s time with systems and the constant reminder that while we were athletes, ‘remember, it is a game of chess.’ Shinny hockey games at 5:30 a.m. were frequent, with Lowell bringing the donuts. But, only if your schoolwork was completed. Instruction was constant and any tool available was fair game.
“While his teams would go on to win championships, his true legacy is that he brought ice hockey to Milwaukee. Yes, there were teams before. But he taught a community to not only play the game, but to love it. He taught us to play the right way. He instilled discipline, honor and sportsmanship. Players worked for him not because he was tough or demanding (he was) but because we didn’t want to disappoint him. In short, he taught us to love the game of hockey.”
As a player, MacDonald played over 500 games with the Detroit Red Wings, Los Angeles Kings and Pittsburgh Penguins, recording a line of 180-210-390, including scoring 43 goals in the 1973-74 season. He retired in 1978 and began his career as a coach and educator at the University School of Milwaukee in 1979.
THE WOMEN’S ICE HOCKEY FOUNDERS AWARD: This award honors a member of the hockey community or college coaching profession who has contributed to the overall growth and development of the sport of women’s ice hockey in the United States through their enthusiasm, passion and selflessness
2025 Recipient: Sara Martin, WCHA
Sara Martin served as commissioner of the women’s Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) for its first 15 seasons. Sara was the guiding force of the women’s conference from its founding in 1999 until 2014. With a long and successful tenure in collegiate sport administration and management that spans three decades, Martin oversaw the development and day-to-day functions of the women’s WCHA while also playing a key role in national issues involving the growth of women’s hockey.
Under her guidance and leadership, WCHA-member teams captured a record 14 consecutive national championships (2000 AWCHA Div. 1 champions, 2001-2013 NCAA Women’s Frozen Four champions) and six WCHA players earned the Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award as the top player in Division 1 women’s collegiate ice hockey. Hundreds of WCHA players have had extensive experience and success in international competitions such as the Winter Olympics, IIHF World Championships and Four Nations’ Cup.
During Martin’s tenure, WCHA-member teams regularly led the country in attendance and the league’s annual playoff championship, known as the WCHA Final Faceoff, grew and garnered attention each March.
Martin has been extensively involved with college hockey for more than 20 years. She served as tournament director of the WCHA Final Five Playoff Championship in 1994, 1996 and 1998, was the tournament manager for the 1997 NCAA Men’s Frozen Four held at the Bradley Center in Milwaukee and was assistant tournament manager for the 1993 NCAA Men’s Frozen Four, also held in Milwaukee. She was also the tournament manager for the 1995 and 1999 NCAA Division 1 Men’s West Regionals, held in Madison, Wis.
Even in retirement, Sara has acted as an NCAA representative at women’s quarterfinal tournament games. Since retiring as commissioner, Martin has enjoyed family and traveling. She lives in Middleton, WI.
ASSISTANT WOMEN’S COACH AWARD: This award honors an assistant coach’s career body of work.
2025 Recipient: Casey Handrahan, UConn
A veteran of the hockey ranks with head coaching and professional playing experience, Casey Handrahan is in his twelfth season as an assistant coach at UConn and his fourth season as the Associate Head Coach. Under the guidance of Handrahan, UConn has sent over 25 players on to play professional hockey around the world since arriving in Storrs in 2013.
Most recently, in the 2023-24 season, Handrahan helped lead the Huskies to a record breaking season recording 25 wins, the most in program history and taking home the Hockey East Regular Season and Conference Championship for the first time, earning their first ever NCAA tournament bid. The Huskies finished the season number nine in the national polls. Handrahan coached three Huskies to Hockey East All-Star honors and goaltenders Tia Chan and Megan Warrener to the Goalie of the Year Watch List. UConn finished first in the country in scoring defense (1.24) thanks in large part to Handrahan’s efforts.
Handrahan came to UConn to join Chris MacKenzie’s first staff after spending the prior three seasons as the head coach and assistant athletic director at Neumann University. Handrahan compiled a 35-36-7 overall record over three years at the helm of the Neumann Knights. In his inaugural season with the Knights the team achieved its highest overall season winning percentage in program history with a 16-7-4 overall record. Under his tutelage, two student-athletes were placed on All-ECAC teams. Handrahan’s teams were not only successful on the ice but also in the classroom as 25 student-athletes were placed on all-academic teams over his three years.
Prior to Neumann, Handrahan spent five seasons as a professional hockey player. In 2006, he was an integral part of the Kalamazoo K-Wings defense that won the Turner and Colonial Cup Championships in the United Hockey League. In the 2007-08 season, he was named the Defenseman of the Year with the Bloomington Prairie Thunder of the International Hockey League. In that same season, he was called-up to the American Hockey League for a stint with the Peoria Rivermen. In 2009, Handrahan went back to Kalamazoo and played his final season as a player-assistant.
A native of Niagara Falls, Ontario, Handrahan played his collegiate years at Niagara University. In 2004, he made his impact as the team won the CHA Championship and advanced to the NCAA tournament. While a Purple Eagle, Handrahan was named to the CHA All-Academic Team twice and received his bachelor’s degree in business marketing.
Handrahan and his wife, Kelly, have two daughters, Madison and Ryley, and a son, Michael.
JOE BURKE AWARD: The Joe Burke Award was established in 1994 to honor those individuals who have shown great support and dedication to Girls/Women’s hockey. Joe Burke has been an avid fan of Girls/Women’s hockey since the late 70’s. Joe Burke, a Dedham resident is a life-long hockey fan, who never actu- ally played the game himself. He became hooked on the women’s game when he attended the game vs. the University of New Hampshire and Boston College in 1978 at McHugh Forum. Since this game, Joe was seen at every major Girls/Women’s hockey event in the New England area. He is a true friend of the women’s game and the people associated with it.
2025 Recipient: Patsy Odden
Patsy Odden, a pioneer in evolving women’s athletics in the early days of co-education in Independent Schools, established and coached the girls’ hockey program at The Taft School for twenty-five years, winning countless league titles, sending on innumerable players to the collegiate level for nearly 3 decades and mentored two future USA Olympians and one Canadian Olympian.
The first year as a varsity was 1975 and only Choate had a girls’ hockey team, so Taft played town teams and some college teams. It was a learning experience for coach and players. In 1979, Taft took their first trip during spring vacation travelling to Vancouver to play the Canadiens. The Canadian girls had been playing girls hockey for a few years longer and the competition was strong.
In 1983 Taft won the inaugural Taft-St. Paul’s Christmas Tournament, and n 1984, Taft had its first undefeated team with a record of 17-0-1 (with future Harvard coach Katey Stone serving as Captain.
Taft lost the second yearof the tournament but went on to win every year from 1985-1993. In 2002, on occasion of the 20th Anniversary of the tournament, the tournament was named the Patsy K. Odden Girls’ Invitational Hockey Tournament, now known as the PKO and 41 years old. Under her leadership, Taft compiled a 49-game winning streak while winning three New England Championships between 1991 and 1993. For this, Patsy was recognized in a 1993 Issue of Sport’s Illustrated “Faces in the Crowd”.
One of the major things that set the Taft hockey program apart from other schools is that they travelled skate in international tournaments during vacations.
