News & Announcements, W2 News

Women’s Division II Announces 2025 National Coach of the Year

by cperry

Women’s Division II Announces 2025 National Coach of the Year

 

TROY, Mich. – March 6, 2025 – The American Collegiate Hockey Association’s Women’s Division II (W2) is proud to announce Chris Haney, Head Coach of the Central Michigan University (CMU) Chippewas, as the recipient of National Coach of the Year for the 2024-25 season.

 

Haney began coaching the CMU W2 team, which was founded in 2009, in 2021. In his second season leading the team, the program made its first ever ACHA Nationals appearance in 2023. Now four years in, Haney is about to join the Chippewas at their third straight Nationals appearance.

 

This season, CMU achieved an impressive 17-8-1 record, ultimately finishing in second place in the Central Collegiate Women’s Hockey Association (CCWHA). CMU will enter the 2025 ACHA Women’s Division 2 National Championships as the #4 seed in the Central region.

 

Haney shared that a coaching career highlight so far for him was beating Michigan State University in their 2022-23 season opener, after having gone 0-4 against them his first year coaching CMU. The start to that season was an important milestone for the program, indicating significant improvement and giving them a confidence boost that has continued to positively impact their success.

 

Women’s D2 Coach of the Year candidates are nominated (and voted on) by their coaching peers, with teams not permitted to nominate their own coach for this award. Haney received more individual nominations than any previous Coach of the Year candidate. As shared by his opponents, Haney is a “personable gentleman” and “all-around nice guy”!

 

Haney has not only proven to be a successful coach running a competitive program, but he does so with integrity and a willingness to help other coaches succeed as well. Haney is easy to work with, generously offers guidance to newer coaches, and puts competition aside for the greater good of growing the women’s game in the ACHA. In his four years with the team, Haney has also helped the program build a stronger foundation with the school, such as ensuring team bus rides to all away games when previously, players had to carpool.

 

The ACHA congratulates Coach Haney on this well-deserved recognition and looks forward to his continued success. Thank you for being a shining example for all teams and coaches!

 

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