# Ernest Christensen

Ernest Waldemar "Chris" Christensen was an American athlete and coach and businessman. He both attended and coached at the University of New Hampshire for nearly two decades before running an insurance business for 24 years. He was induced into the New Hampshire Wildcats Athletic Hall of Fame in 1982.

## Career

Christensen began attending New Hampshire College in the fall of 1916 after graduating from Gloucester High School. He was class vice president in his freshman year and pursuing a degree in agriculture. However, after just a year of studies he withdrew from college to join the Army after the United States had entered World War I. He served in the bicycle infantry with distinction, rising up to the rank of first sergeant by war's end. Afterwards, he resumed his studies at NHC, this time as a member of the Engineering department. Upon his return, Christensen joined the football team and eventually became a starter on the offensive line.
After graduating in 1922, Christensen spent two years away before returning to the college as an instructor of physical education. He was an assistant coach with the football team and the freshman baseball coach for several years. During that time he also accepted the role of head coach of the nascent ice hockey team in 1925. In 1932, when the school began sponsoring Lacrosse, Christensen became the program's first head coach. He was forced to take a leave of absence from his duties in 1937 while recovering from an attack of sinusitis.
In 1938, then an assistant professor, Christensen resigned from the university to pursue a career in business. He set up an insurance practice in Dover and worked there until his retirement in 1962. During that time, he served as a trustee for the university for 21 years, receiving an honorary doctorate in 1962. In 1970, one of the new residence halls was dedicated in his honor. Christensen Hall is a 10-story on-campus residence that remains in use by the school (as of 2024).
After his death in 1977, Christensen was inducted into the university athletic hall of fame.

## Head coaching record
### Ice Hockey

Statistics overview :
| Season | Team | Overall |
| New Hampshire Bulls Independent (1925–1926) ||||||
| 1925–26 | New Hampshire | 1–6–0 |
| New Hampshire Wildcats Independent (1926–1936) ||||||
| 1926–27 | New Hampshire | 6–0–0 |
| 1927–28 | New Hampshire | 7–1–1 |
| 1928–29 | New Hampshire | 6–4–1 |
| 1929–30 | New Hampshire | 3–8–2 |
| 1930–31 | New Hampshire | 7–5–0 |
| 1931–32 | New Hampshire | 0–8–0 |
| 1932–33 | New Hampshire | 1–6–0 |
| 1933–34 | New Hampshire | 5–6–1 |
| 1934–35 | New Hampshire | 6–4–2 |
| 1935–36 | New Hampshire | 7–6–0 |
| New Hampshire Wildcats Independent (1937–1938) ||||||
| 1937–38 | New Hampshire | 6–3–1 |
| New Hampshire: | New Hampshire: | 55–57–8 |
| Total: | Total: | 55–57–8 |
| National champion   Postseason invitational champion   Conference regular season champion   Conference regular season and conference tournament champion  Division regular season champion  Division regular season and conference tournament champion  Conference tournament champion ||||||

### Lacrosse

Statistics overview :
| Season | Team | Overall |
| New Hampshire Wildcats Independent (1932–1936) ||||||
| 1932 | New Hampshire | 2–5 |
| 1933 | New Hampshire | 5–3 |
| 1934 | New Hampshire | 7–2 |
| 1935 | New Hampshire | 5–2 |
| 1936 | New Hampshire | 5–2 |
| New Hampshire Wildcats Independent (1938–1938) ||||||
| 1938 | New Hampshire | 6–1 |
| New Hampshire: | New Hampshire: | 30–15 |
| Total: | Total: | 30–15 |
| National champion   Postseason invitational champion   Conference regular season champion   Conference regular season and conference tournament champion  Division regular season champion  Division regular season and conference tournament champion  Conference tournament champion ||||||