The University of Minnesota announced on Tuesday that head coach Brad Frost will not return to lead the Gophers next season. Frost’s contract ran through the 2025-26 season, which ended for Minnesota on Saturday following a 4-2 loss to Northeastern in the NCAA quarterfinal.
Frost was just the second coach in Gopher program history, taking over from Laura Halldorson. He joined the program in 2001 as an assistant coach, was named interim head coach during the 2007-08 season and was officially announced as the new head coach April 16, 2008.
The Gophers were a powerhouse in the first half of Frost’s tenure. In his 19 seasons at the helm, he amassed a 554-133-42 record, winning four national championships (2012, 2013, 2015 and 2016) and making 11 NCAA Frozen Four appearances. Under his leadership, the Gophers won seven WCHA regular season titles (2009, 2010, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2019, 2022) and five WCHA Tournament titles (2012, 2013, 2014, 2018, 2023). He led them to the NCAA’s first-ever perfect season (41-0-0) in 2013.
But the team had not been so prolific in the second half of Frost’s time as bench boss. They last won a national championship ten years ago and last appeared in the championship game in 2019, where they lost to Wisconsin. In the interim, Minnesota had taken a back seat to conference rivals the Badgers and Ohio State, who together have won every national championship since the Gophers’ last title game appearance.
Minnesota finished this year 26-12-1, but the season was not without its challenges. In November, the Gophers were swept by Minnesota State for the first time since 2006. They defeated top-ranked Wisconsin in overtime on Jan. 30 – the first game both teams played without their Olympians – but closed out the season 3-8-1 after that victory. That stretch included a pair of overtime losses to Minnesota Duluth on the final weekend of the regular season, a loss to St. Cloud State in the first game of a best-of-three series to open WCHA, a sloppy and lackluster loss to Ohio State in the WCHA semifinal that left Frost seething in the postgame press conference and ultimately the loss to no. 5 Northeastern in the NCAA quarterfinal.
In a statement announcing the move, University of Minnesota Thomas O. Moe Director of Athletics Mark Coyle said:
“Brad is a great coach and an even better person, which is why today is extremely difficult. This decision was made after a review of the program on and off the ice. We expect to contend at the highest level in every aspect of women’s college hockey, and right now we are not doing that.
“I want to thank Brad for leading our team with class and integrity for 19 years. He has coached some of the best players to ever wear the Maroon and Gold, won numerous WCHA titles and national championships in 2012, 2013, 2015 and 2016. We are grateful for his service and wish Brad all the best in his future endeavors.
“While change like this is never easy, now is the right time for a new voice to lead our program. This is the best coaching job in women’s hockey, and we will immediately begin a nationwide search for our next head coach.”
Coyle is scheduled to meet with press on Monday, March 23.