MINOT STATE UNIVERSITY’S WYATT WASELENCHUK NAMED AMERICAN COLLEGIATE HOCKEY ASSOCIATION MEN’S DIVISION I COACH OF THE YEAR
Waselenchuk is Second Beavers Head Coach to Win Award
UNION LAKE, Mich. – (April 8, 2024) – The American Collegiate Hockey Association announced today that Minot State University Head Coach Wyatt Waselenchuk has been named the 2024 Men’s Division I Coach of the Year, as selected by ACHA Men’s Division I head coaches. Waselenchuk is the second Minot State University coach to win the award, joining two-time recipient Wade Regier, who was named ACHA Men’s Division I Coach of the Year in both 2013 and 2017. Wyatt becomes the 9th former ACHA player to win the award, joining the likes of Chad Cassel, Dan Morris, Jeremy Goltz, Dan Phelps, Wade Regier, Greg Powers, Gary Astalos, and Kirk Handy.
Waselenchuk was chosen from a group of finalists that included Gary Astalos of Adrian College, Carl Trosien of Purdue University Northwest, and Mike Rivera of University of Central Oklahoma.
The Beavers finished the 2023-2024 season with a 34-8-2 overall record and qualified for the ACHA Men’s Division I National Championships for the 15th consecutive season and 20th overall. The Beavers held the No. 1 position for 15 of the 18 rankings during the 2023-2024 season and have held the top spot for 21 of the last 24 rankings, dating back to November 16, 2022. At the recently concluded 2024 ACHA Men’s Division I National Championships, the top seeded Beavers fell in the quarterfinals to Ohio University in overtime, 2-1. Minot State had non-conference NCAA Division I away games at both No. 3 University of Denver, a Frozen Four participant, and No. 15 Colorado College. As well, the Beavers played and defeated both Canadian schools University of Regina and Briercrest College. The Beavers will join the Midwest College Hockey (MCH) conference beginning with the 2024-2025 season.
Coach Waselenchuk was introduced as the head men’s hockey coach in the spring of 2021 and just finished his third year as the Beavers head coach in 2023-24.
In his second season as the head coach for Minot State he led the program to its third ACHA Men’s Division I National Championship and a 36-3-1 overall record. Team captain Davis Sheldon was named Tournament Most Valuable Player after Minot State’s 1-0 win over Adrian College in the title game. Minot State also beat University of Michigan-Dearborn 8-0, then twice advanced in overtime with a 4-3 win over Indiana Tech in the quarterfinals, and a 3-2 victory over Liberty University in the semifinals.
Waselenchuk has been part of all three of the team’s ACHA National Championships: as goalie for the 2012-2013 National Championship team, as assistant coach for the 2018-2019 National Championship team, and as head coach for the 2022-2023 National Championship team.
In his first year as the Beavers head coach in 2021-22, he led the team to a 31-3-0 record, to a No. 1 ACHA Men’s Division I national ranking during the season, and to another appearance in the ACHA Men’s Division National Tournament.
A former Minot State assistant coach and player, Wyatt Waselenchuk took over a Beaver men’s hockey program that has been one of the most prolific ACHA Division I teams in the country over the last eleven years – including winning three national championships, nine straight quarterfinal appearances, and 5 final fours prior to Waselenchuk being named head coach.
Previously, Waselenchuk served as an assistant coach for five seasons. He is a native of Port Moody, British Columbia, and grew up playing his minor hockey in the Greater Vancouver area before moving on to play in the BCHL with the Langley Chiefs and the SJHL with the Nipawin Hawks.
Coach Waselenchuk played for the Beavers from 2010-2014, which included being a part of the 2013 Men’s Division I National Championship team. He became the first and only player in the team’s history to be named ACHA Men’s Division I Player of the Year following the Beavers title run in 2012-2013. Wyatt was also named a First-Team All-Athletic in 2013 and a Second-Team All- Athletic in 2014. Holding dual citizenship, he was chosen in his final season to represent the United States Men’s National University Team at the Winter World University Games in Trentino, Italy.
Wyatt also was an assistant coach with the Minot Minotauros (NAHL) for 5 seasons (2016-2021) prior to taking over leadership of the Minot State Beavers program, and still works as the Minotauros’ goalie coach, and is the head goalie coach for the Minot Hockey Boosters youth hockey association.
Upon the end of Wyatt’s playing career in 2014, he immediately jumped into coaching, and specifically goalie development. He is the owner and co-founder of Goalie Coaches and spends his off-season running goalie camps throughout the midwestern part of the United States and Canada.
Wyatt resides in Minot with his son Jett.
WYATT WASELENCHUK’S CAREER COLLEGIATE COACHING RECORD
| SEASON | W | L | T/OL/SL | WIN % |
| 2023-2024 MINOT STATE * | 34 | 8 | 2 | 79.5% |
| 2022-2023 MINOT STATE * & | 36 | 3 | 1 | 91.3% |
| 2021-2022 MINOT STATE * | 31 | 3 | 0 | 91.2% |
| TOTALS | 101 | 14 | 3 | 86.9% |
& = National Champions
* = National Championships Participant
Recipients of the ACHA Men’s Division I Coach of the Year Award
1998 Craig McCarthy Ohio University
2000 Joe Battista Penn State University
2001* Josh Brandwene University of Delaware
2001* Bob Zion Eastern Michigan University
2002 Joe Battista Penn State University
2003 Chad Cassel University of Illinois
2004 Dan Morris Ohio University
2005 Joe Augustine University of Rhode Island
2006 Joe Augustine University of Rhode Island
2007 Scott Balboni Penn State University
2008 Chad Cassel University of Illinois
2009 Craig McAlister University of Central Oklahoma
2010 Jeremy Goltz Arizona State University
2011 Dan Phelps Adrian College
2012 M.F. Schurman University of Delaware
2013 Wade Regier Minot State University
2014 Greg Powers Arizona State University
2015 Craig McAlister University of Central Oklahoma
2016 Rick Zombo Lindenwood University
2017 Wade Regier Minot State University
2018 Gary Astalos Adrian College
2019 Chris Haltinner University of Michigan-Dearborn
2020 Kirk Handy Liberty University
2021 Rick Zombo Lindenwood University
2022 Rick Zombo Lindenwood University
2023 Lionel Mauron Ohio University
2024 Wyatt Waselenchuk Minot State University
* Co-recipients
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About American Collegiate Hockey Association
The American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA) was founded in 1991 and is the national association for Non-NCAA Collegiate Hockey throughout the United States. Our organization of more than 450 colleges and university-affiliated teams representing 48 states provides structure, regulates operations, and promotes the sport of Hockey nationwide. With approximately 13,000 players and coaches as well as countless volunteers and game officials, the ACHA has experienced tremendous growth over the past decade and continues to be a viable option for college bound student-athletes to continue playing competitive hockey nationwide. Headquartered in Troy, Michigan, the ACHA’s primary mission is to support the growth of Collegiate Hockey while emphasizing academic performance, personal development, and opportunities for regional, national, and international competition. The ACHA identifies standards which serve to unite and regulate teams at the collegiate level and finished its 33rd season in March 2024. For more information, visit achahockey.org.
