Western Collegiate Hockey Association

Head Coach Jeff Vizenor

Now in his seventh season at the helm, head coach Jeff Vizenor has made his mark on Maverick women's hockey. When he joined the Maverick staff in 2001, he inherited a team that did not post a WCHA victory the previous season. He led the team to a 4-26-2 mark his first season and a 10-21-3 mark his second.

Vizenor's third campaign could be described as nothing short of a benchmark season. The Mavericks posted the first winning season in school history with a 16-14-4 overall record, including wins over top-ranked Minnesota and Minnesota Duluth, and made their first-ever appearance in the WCHA Playoff Championship and NCAA Div. 1 national rankings. Vizenor also mentored the program's first Jofa Div. 1 All-American and Patty Kazmaier finalist in goaltender Shari Vogt. Following the season, he was honored by his peers with WCHA Coach of the Year distinction.

In 2005-06, the Mavericks finished 8-17-3 in WCHA play to stand fifth, and had an overall record of 9-20-6. MSU was 16-17-2 overall in 2006-07 and ranked fifth in the WCHA with a 12-14-2 mark in conference games. Heading into the season, he holds an overall collegiate coaching record of 84-115-24 and 50-102-19 at MSU.

Vizenor came to Minnesota State following a one-year assignment as an assistant coach at Wisconsin. The Badgers posted a 21-9-5 record and finished third in the WCHA that season. Prior to his stint in Madison, Vizenor served as head coach at St. Mary's University for two seasons. In that time, the Cardinals compiled a 34-13-5 mark and captured co-Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference regular-season titles both years. The 1998-99 MIAC Coach of the Year, Vizenor tutored nine All-MIAC players and took his 1999-00 team as high as second in the NCAA Div. III national rankings.

The Rogers, Minn., native began his coaching career in 1990 as an assistant coach at St. Cloud (MN) Apollo High School, serving in that capacity until 1993. From there, Vizenor completed a three-year stint as the assistant coach at Mora (MN) HS, earning Section 2 Assistant Coach of the Year honors in 1996. He would return to St. Cloud to coach one season at St. Cloud Tech HS and another season as the head coach of the St. Cloud Icebreakers girl's team before tackling his first collegiate assignment.

In addition to his hockey coaching experience, Vizenor helped coach girls' fastpitch softball at both Mora and Apollo High Schools as well as teaching secondary social studies courses at both South Junior High in St. Cloud and at Mora.

Vizenor is very active in the national hockey community as well. He is currently president of the American Women's Hockey Association and is a member of the NCAA rules committee. Vizenor has also had coaching stints with USA Hockey, including coaching the Red Team at the 2004 USA Hockey Women's National Festival this past two summers in Lake Placid, N.Y, and Burlington, Vt.

Vizenor earned his B.S. degree in social studies education from St. Cloud State in 1992. He and his wife, Amy, reside in Eagle Lake with their daughter, Abby.