Longtime Minnesota Duluth assistant equipment manager Dale “Hoagie” Haagenson died Tuesday at age 65, the school announced.
Haagenson held the distinction of being the longest-serving volunteer in Duluth athletic history. He joined the men’s hockey staff as a volunteer in 1981 and was a mainstay with the program for 44 years. He had been in a period of declining health following a stroke suffered last December.
According to the school, Haagenson proudly handled the role as the men’s hockey team’s assistant equipment manager and its inspirational leader. He was inducted into the UMD Athletic Hall of Fame in 2017, was the recipient of the 2010 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Noel Olson Volunteer of the Year Award and was also named the 2000 Bruce Bennett Service Award for exceptional service and commitment to UMD Athletics.
Haagenson also volunteered with the Bulldog women’s hockey, football, and baseball programs. In celebration of his 25th anniversary with the Bulldogs, UMD men’s hockey held “Hoagie Appreciation Night” during a home game in 2005, and then-Duluth Mayor Herb Bergson officially proclaimed it “Hoagie Day” in the city.
“‘Hoagie’ taught us invaluable lessons about kindness, humility, loyalty, and what it truly means to be a good teammate and an even better person,” the men’s hockey team said in a statement. “He had an extraordinary ability to connect with people, making everyone feel seen, valued, and welcome. His love for others was unconditional, and he left a lasting impression wherever he went.”
A GoFundMe has been established to support the Haagenson family, with proceeds going toward a funeral and celebration of life, with any remaining funds going directly to the UMD “Hoagie” Men’s Hockey Scholarship, established in 2006 in his honor.
A public memorial service will be held Feb. 24 at noon at AMSOIL Arena.