As it opens its 20th season of excitement on the ice, the Sooners are excited to announce that they will be under the direction of a new Head Coach/ Director of Hockey Operations.
Taking the reins back for Sooner Hockey is Coach Peter Arvanitis, a former Canadian and CHL player and coach of OU Hockey from 2011-2018.
Arvanitis, a former Center, played in multiple leagues across Canada, then in 1996 moved to the United States, finishing his playing career with the Nashville Nighthawks and eventually the Oklahoma City Blazers of the CHL. Following his playing career, Arvanitis joined the coaching ranks initially as an assistant with OU Hockey and the OKC Blazers and moved into the Head Coaching slot at the start of the 2011 season.
As OU Hockey’s winningest head coach, Arvanitis amassed a record of 159 wins, 76 losses, and 27 shootout losses with a winning percentage of .658, guiding the Sooners to the ACHA National Tournament 6 of his 7 years at the helm. During the 2013-14 season, the Sooners entered the National Tournament ranked #2, finishing in the final four after a heartbreaking overtime loss. Under Arvanitis’ leadership, the Sooners were ranked in the top 10 ACHA Division 1 teams 6 of his 7 years. Arvanitis also coached Paolo DeSousa who still plays professional hockey in Europe.
Led by Senior Captain, Cameron Bickford, the Sooners will return a strong slate of players from the 2021-22 season and should be strong contenders to qualify for the 2022-23 ACHA Division 1 National Tournament next spring in Boston.
