Minnesota hires Motzko to replace Lucia
Minnesota has hired new men's hockey coach Bob Motzko, who returns to his roots after 13 seasons at St. Cloud State.
Motzko was hired Tuesday, one week after predecessor Don Lucia announced he was stepping down after 19 years with the Gophers. Motzko was an assistant under Lucia for four years, and they won national championships in 2002 and 2003.
According to officials at the university, Lucia will stay on as a special assistant to the athletics director through the end of his contract in June of 2019, following approval by Board of Regents.
Motzko led St. Cloud State to eight appearances in the NCAA Tournament, including a trip to the Frozen Four in 2013. The Huskies were the No. 1 overall seed in the 16-team field this year, but they were upset by Air Force in their West Region semifinal.
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