From The News Herald
By Alexander Muller
One of the Downriver area’s more prominent ice hockey figures will be taking on a new role.
On Tuesday, the University of Michigan-Dearborn announced that Rick DeSana will be tabbed as the new head coach for the school’s men ice hockey program come next season.
“Rick has been an integral part of our program’s success over the years, and we are excited to elevate him into this role,” UM-Dearborn Director of Athletics & Recreation Bryan Earl said in a statement on Tuesday. “He understands what it takes to compete at a high level in the ACHA, and his commitment to our student-athletes makes him the right choice to lead our program forward.”
The move to the head chair is a promotion fo DeSana, who has been with at UM-Dearborn as an assistant coach for the last decade.
A longtime prep and collegiate ice hockey coach, DeSana has been the head coach for the ice hockey program at Riverview Gabriel Richard Catholic High School since 2006.
A Class of 1989 graduate of Richard, DeSana in two decades has guided his alma mater to nine regional championships, including a run of eight straight from 2018-25. He also has led the Pioneers to four state semifinals appearances — three consecutively from 2018-20 — with the most recent such showing coming in 2023.
Elsewhere on the prep circuit, DeSana also previously served as a coach for Team Michigan at the annual CCM High School National Invitational Tournament, which takes place annually in Minnesota come late April.
During his UMD tenure, the Wolverines have qualified for the American Collegiate Hockey Association national tournament seven different times. They also have claimed a pair of WHAC regular season titles and five conference tournament titles.
(Originally published at https://www.thenewsherald.com/2026/03/25/gabriel-richard-head-coach-rick-desana-tabbed-as-new-hc-for-um-dearborn-mens-ice-hockey-program/)
