MINNEAPOLIS — University of Minnesota Director of Athletics Mark Coyle announced Tuesday, March 24, that Brett Larson has been named head men’s hockey coach. The university and Larson have agreed to a five-year term, pending the completion of a background check and Board of Regents approval.
Larson has 16 years of collegiate coaching experience, including eight as head coach at St. Cloud State. He guided the Huskies to four NCAA tournament appearances, two conference championships and the program’s first NCAA championship game in 2021. He leaves with 153 career wins, which ranks as the fourth-most in program history.
“I am excited for Brett to lead our men’s hockey program and look forward to welcoming him, his wife Kelly, and their children, Lane and Calla, to Minnesota,” Coyle said in a statement. “Brett brings extensive coaching experience at both the collegiate and international levels, and throughout the process, it became clear that he possesses the leadership, vision, and drive to guide our program. He understands the responsibility that comes with this job and our expectation to compete at the highest level.”
It’s the second time in less than a decade that the University of Minnesota has poached a St. Cloud State head coach to lead the Gophers’ program. Bob Motzko was hired in 2018 but
recently parted ways with the university
after Minnesota posted its worst record in more than 50 years.
Prior to St. Cloud State, Larson served two stints (2008-11, 2015-18) as an assistant coach at Minnesota Duluth, his alma mater in his hometown. He helped lead the Bulldogs to national championships in 2011 and 2018.
In between his stints with the Bulldogs, Larson was head coach and general manager of the Sioux City Musketeers of the United States Hockey League from 2011-12 and was associate head coach at Ohio State from 2013-15.
“It is a tremendous honor to lead this historic program, one that I have great respect for,” Larson said in a statement. “I am grateful to President Rebecca Cunningham, Director of Athletics Mark Coyle, and everyone involved in the search process for entrusting me with the opportunity to serve as head coach.
“I have an incredible amount of respect for everyone who has played, coached, and built this program, and I am both humbled and energized to carry that torch forward. This job comes with great responsibility, and I could not be more excited to get to work.”
St. Cloud State Head Coach Brett Larson shout instructions to players on the ice against Alaska Anchorage in the first period Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025, at the Herb Brooks National Hockey Center in St. Cloud.
Jason Wachter / For St. Cloud LIVE
Larson has a degree in criminology from Minnesota Duluth. He and his wife, Kelly, have two children, a son Lane and a daughter Calla.
St. Cloud State Athletic Director Holly Schreiner did not immediately return a message seeking comment. The
SCSU athletic department acknowledged Tuesday morning that Larson had resigned
to take the Gophers job.
In 2018-19, Larson led the Huskies to the NCHC regular-season championship with a conference record of 19-2-3, 30-6-3 overall. SCSU lost to Minnesota Duluth 3-2 in the NCHC Frozen Faceoff championship and was upset by American International, 2-1, in the opening round of the NCAA tournament. In 2021, the Huskies lost to North Dakota 5-3 in the NCHC Frozen Faceoff championship but advanced through the NCAA Tournament to the national championship, losing to Massachusetts 5-0. In 2022, Quinnipiac defeated the Huskies, 5-4, in the opening round of the NCAA tournament. And in 2023, SCSU defeated Colorado College, 3-0, for the Frozen Faceoff championship and then lost to Minnesota 4-1 in the Fargo Regional championship game.
SCSU has missed the NCAA tournament each of the last three seasons. The Huskies were 93-81-18 in NCHC play and 153-116-23 overall under Larson.
”
has been an exceptional leader at St. Cloud University, both on and off the ice,”
said in a statement. “His commitment to our student-athletes, our campus, and our community has elevated our program in so many ways. We are grateful for the passion and integrity he brought to this role and wish him nothing but continued success in his next chapter.”
“While we are sad to see Coach Larson leave SCSU, it is an honor to our program to know that our coaches are in high demand,” St. Cloud State President Dr. Gregory Tomso said in a statement. “We are grateful for the great work that Coach Larson has done and wish him the best.”
Larson was the third head coach of the Division I era at St. Cloud State. Craig Dahl succeeded the legendary Herb Brooks in 1987, the first year the Huskies were a D-I program. Motzko applied for an opening to become an assistant at SCSU in May of 2005, about the time speculation peaked that Dahl might be let go after several lackluster seasons. Soon after, Motzko was hired as associate coach at SCSU. Then, on Aug. 31, 2005, Dahl resigned and Motzko was given the acting head coach’s job, which ultimately became permanent.
In late March 2018, just as the Huskies were competing in the NCAA Tournament, Motzko accepted the same position at Minnesota. On April 13, 2018, Larson was introduced as head coach of the Huskies.
In 18 seasons with SCSU, Dahl posted a 338-309-52 record. He led the team to five NCAA appearances and won one Broadmoor Trophy as postseason champion of the WCHA in 2001. Motzko coached the Huskies for 13 seasons and went 276-192-49 with eight NCAA appearances, three regular-season conference championships and the 2016 NCHC playoff title.
Between St. Cloud State and Minnesota Duluth, Larson has coached or recruited more than 30 future NHL players, numerous All-Americans, Olympians and a Hobey Baker Award Memorial Award winner. He also has extensive international experience with Team USA. Most recently, he was an assistant coach on the team that won gold at the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championships. He served in the same role in 2024 (gold medal) and 2020. He was an assistant coach for Team USA at the 2022 Winter Olympics and was head coach of the U.S. Junior Select Team that won the 2012 World Junior A Challenge.
Larson was a defenseman for UMD from 1991-95. He was named a captain for his senior year and ended his college career with 67 points in 133 career games. Selected in the 11th round of the 1990 NHL Draft by the Detroit Red Wings, Larson played 12 years of professional hockey, mostly in the minor leagues in the United States, but also in Germany, Denmark and England. He also skated for the U.S. National Inline team.
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