DULUTH — Nine years after missing out on a coaching job, Laura Schuler is now the head coach of the five-time national champion Minnesota Duluth women's hockey team.
On Wednesday, Schuler's interim head coaching title was rescinded as the school named Schuler just the third head coach in the 25-year history of UMD women's hockey. Schuler assumed the interim head coaching position May 31, when Maura Crowell announced she was leaving the Bulldogs after nine years to become the head coach at Dartmouth College.
“I am excited to continue being a part of this great university,” Schuler said in UMD's announcement. “This program has a proud history in the classroom, on the court and in this great community, and I look forward to continuing to build on the tradition of excellence in UMD women's hockey.”
Schuler, 53, was a finalist for the Bulldogs' second head coaching position in 2015 after spending seven seasons as an assistant coach under Shannon Miller from 2008-15 and helping the Bulldogs win their fifth NCAA title in 2010.
Schuler returned to Duluth to work under Crowell in 2021 and led the Bulldogs to a 74-36-8 record and three NCAA Tournament appearances over the past three seasons, with UMD one win away from winning its sixth national championship in 2022. In his 10 seasons with the Bulldogs, Schuler helped UMD advance to six NCAA Tournaments and three NCAA Frozen Four appearances.
Laura Bellamy, who worked with Schuler on the Bulldogs coaching staff for two seasons before taking over as Harvard's head coach in August 2023, called Schuler a “hockey genius” and “one of the brightest minds in hockey” in a recent Q&A with The News Tribune.
“I give her credit for some of the big wins (at UMD) over the last few years and overcoming some obstacles to get to the NCAA Tournament,” said Bellamy, a Duluth native who was not in the running to replace Crowell. “(Schuler) is a really good recruiter. She was a really good recruiter when she brought players to UMD 10 years ago and has helped continue that since then. She's a big reason why Kaitlyn Kraemer came to UMD. In my opinion, (Kramer) is the talent of this generation.”
“My experience with her, especially with hockey and player recruiting, are two of the most important things we do. I've learned a lot from her and have a lot of respect for her.”
Dan Williamson / File / Duluth News Tribune
When Schuler returns to Duluth in 2021, Crowell said UMD has “gotten great success” by adding a “top-notch hockey mind” and “talented recruiter” to the coaching staff.
Reflecting this week on what Schuler accomplished for the Bulldogs over the past three seasons, Crowell said at the time it was a “grand slam” hire. The former coach said UMD is “very fortunate” to have a coach like Schuler, with his 10 years of experience and dedication to the program, step into the Bulldogs' head coaching position.
“A lot of our success over the last three years is due to her and she will continue to have a lot of success in the future,” Crowell said of Coach Schuler. “I'm excited for Schuler to be the head coach of this program at this point in her career. I think she was born to be a head coach. She'll do a great job and I look forward to watching her journey and supporting her in any way I can.”
Prior to working under Coach Miller, Schuler served as the head coach at Northeastern University from 2004 to 2008. He served as the head coach at Dartmouth College from 2016 to 2020 and also served as head coach of the Canadian Women's National Team and Olympic Team from 2015 to 2018, winning a silver medal at the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics.
A native of Scarborough, Ontario, Canada, Schuler has served as assistant and head coach for Canada at the IIHF Under-18 Women's World Championship and Hockey Canada's Under-22 team.
In the summer of 2022, Shuler was named guest coach at the Washington Capitals development camp as part of the National Hockey League Coaches Association's Women's Coach Development Program, where she coached some of the organization's top prospects.
Bob King / 2015 File / The News Tribune
A former captain at Northeastern University and a member of the university's sports hall of fame, Schuler won a silver medal with Canada at the 1998 Nagano Winter Olympics and won three gold medals at the IIHF World Championships while on the national team.
Schuler will now be tasked with filling out the coaching staff, succeeding himself and Emma Sobiek, who will return to Bemidji State after one season at UMD to work under new head coach Amber Frykland.
