Don Lucia

Birth Date:	12/31/1969
Height:
Weight:	0lbs.
Position:	Head Coach

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Don Lucia was appointed the 13th head coach in Minnesota Golden Gopher men’s hockey history on April 9, 1999. Since that time, Lucia has led the Gophers to two NCAA Championships. He is a 21 year veteran at the head coaching job, and his success with the Gophers has made him a highly regarded coach throughout the nation.

The 49-year-old Lucia has a 220-96-29 overall record with the Gophers during his eight year tenure. Overall, Don Lucia is third in career winning percentages at .654 and seventh in career victories among active NCAA Division I coaches. His overall record is 499-251-58 in 20 seasons at head coach.

At the University of Minnesota, Don Lucia has won two NCAA Championships, two WCHA titles and three WCHA Final Five crowns. With back-to-back NCAA Championships, Don Lucia became one of just four coaches to achieve the feat.

Before coming to the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers men’s hockey team in 1999, Don Lucia led Colorado College to an overall record of 166-68-18 in six seasons with the Tigers. Lucia led the 1993-94 team to a 23-11-5 record when the program had never had a winning season in the last 13 outings.

In college hockey, Don Lucia was a letter winner three times for the University of Notre Dame. He was assistant team captain his senior year. In high school, Don Lucia helped Grand Rapids High School claim two Minnesota State High School Hockey Championships (1975 and 1976) as well as two third-place finishes in 1974 and 1977. He was also an exceptional football linebacker. He was drafted by the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League.

Don Lucia and his wife, Joyce, have two daughters, Alison and Jessica and two sons, Anthony and Mario. The Lucia family lives in Plymouth, Minnesota.