Head Coach Jeff Vizenor
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Vizenor's third campaign could be described as nothing short of a benchmark season. The Mavericks posted the first winning season in school history with a 16-14-4 overall record, including wins over top-ranked Minnesota and Minnesota Duluth, and made their first-ever appearance in the women's WCHA playoff championship and NCAA Division I national rankings. Vizenor also mentored the program's first Jofa Division I All-American and Patty Kazmaier finalist in goaltender Shari Vogt. Following the season, he was honored by his peers with WCHA Coach of the Year distinction.
Last season, the Mavericks posted a 11-21-2 overall record, while going 10-16-2 in conference play, finishing sixth. MSU inherited a nine game home winning streak and extended it to a program-best 12 straight home game wins. The highlight of the season was a home series sweep of Ohio State - the first time the Mavericks swept the Buckeyes. MSU defeated OSU 8-3 Nov. 9 and followed it with a thrilling 3-2 victory Nov. 10. The Mavericks continued their tradition of being true student-athletes with nine players receiving the WCHA Scholar-Athlete award and 13 Mavericks earning a spot on the 2007-08 All-WCHA Academic Team. Heading into the 2008-09 season, Vizenor holds an overall record of 111-153-28 (.428) and 77-140-23 (.369) at MSU.
Vizenor came to Minnesota State following a one-year assignment as an assistant coach at the University of Wisconsin. The Badgers posted a 21-9-5 record and finished third in the WCHA that season. Prior to his stint in Madison, Vizenor served as the head coach at St. Mary's University on Winona, Minn., for two seasons. In that time, the Cardinals compiled a 34-13-5 mark and captured co-Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference regular-season titles both years. The 1998-99 MIAC Coach of the Year, Vizenor tutored nine All-MIAC players and took his 1999-00 team as high as second in the NCAA Division III national rankings.
The Rogers, Minn., native began his coaching career in 1990 as an assistant coach at St. Cloud Apollo High School in St. Cloud, Minn., serving in that capacity until 1993. From there, Vizenor completed a three-year stint as the assistant coach at Mora High School in Mora, Minn., earning Section 2 Assistant Coach of the Year honors in 1996. He would return to St. Cloud to coach one season at St. Cloud Tech High School and another season as the head coach of the St. Cloud Icebreakers Girl's team before tackling his first collegiate assignment.
In addition to his hockey coaching experience, Vizenor helped coach girls fastpitch softball at both Mora and Apollo High Schools as well as teaching secondary social studies courses at both South Junior High in St. Cloud and at Mora.
Vizenor is very active in the national hockey community as well. He is currently serving as president of the American Women's Hockey Association and is a member of the NCAA rules committee. Vizenor has also had coaching stints with USA Hockey, including coaching the Red Team at the 2004 USA Hockey Women's National Festival in Lake Placid, N.Y, and Burlington, Vt.
Vizenor earned his bachelor of science degree in social studies education from St. Cloud State in 1992. He and his wife, Amy, reside in Eagle Lake with their daughter, Abby.
