# Don Lucia

Don Lucia (born August 20, 1958) is an American former ice hockey head coach, who was named as inaugural commissioner of the second Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) on June 17, 2020. The CCHA, which began play in the 2021–22 season, is a revival of an NCAA Division I men's hockey conference whose original version operated from 1971 to 2013 before folding in the wake of massive conference realignment in the sport.

## Coaching career

Lucia is best known for his 19-season tenure as head coach of the Minnesota Golden Gophers men's hockey team (1999–2018). He twice led the Golden Gophers to the NCAA national championship title, in 2002 and 2003. Under Lucia, the Golden Gophers won four MacNaughton Cups (awarded to the WCHA's regular season champion), the Broadmoor Trophy three times (awarded to the WCHA playoff champion), and the Big Ten regular season championship in each of that league's first four seasons. He coached one Hobey Baker Award winner, Jordan Leopold. He is one of 10 coaches to record more than 600 NCAA men's ice hockey wins, and one of four to win national titles in consecutive years. Lucia graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 1981, where he played defense for the school's hockey team.
During the 2008–2009 season, Lucia was diagnosed with sarcoidosis, but only missed four games while battling the autoimmune disease. This illness, combined with a growing number of college hockey players taking their talents to the NHL, led Lucia's Gophers to a 17–18–2 record during the 2009–2010 season. That season was Lucia's only year with a losing record with the Gophers, and his first since coaching Alaska-Fairbanks in the 1991–1992 season.
The Gophers eventually returned to the top of the WCHA, winning back-to-back conference titles in 2012 and 2013. In the summer of 2013 Minnesota joined with 5 other schools to form the Big Ten's ice hockey division. The Gophers won the inaugural regular season title and advanced all the way to the National Championship game where they fell to Union. Lucia won the first 4 Big Ten titles, but could only garner 1 conference tournament championship (2015) and despite the success in the Big Ten, Minnesota was not considered a contender for the NCAA title most years.
Minnesota finished 5th in 2018 and with many of the fans unhappy with the direction of the program, Lucia resigned after 19 years behind the bench.

## Personal life

Lucia and his wife Joyce have four children.
Both his sons were drafted in the NHL Entry Draft. Tony was selected in the 6th round of the 2005 NHL Entry Draft by the San Jose Sharks and Mario was selected in the 2nd round of the 2011 NHL Entry Draft by the Minnesota Wild.

## Head coaching record

Statistics overview :
| Season | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Postseason |
| Alaska–Fairbanks Nanooks (GWHC) (1987–1988) ||||||
| 1987-88 | Alaska–Fairbanks | 21–10–2 | 5–3–0 | 1st | |
| Alaska–Fairbanks Nanooks Independent (1988–1993) ||||||
| 1988-89 | Alaska–Fairbanks | 21–12–3 | | | |
| 1989-90 | Alaska–Fairbanks | 10–20–9 | | | |
| 1990-91 | Alaska–Fairbanks | 17–16–2 | | | |
| 1991-92 | Alaska–Fairbanks | 7–27–1 | | | |
| 1992-93 | Alaska–Fairbanks | 23–12–2 | | | |
| Alaska–Fairbanks: | Alaska–Fairbanks: | 99–97–19 | | | |
| Colorado College Tigers (WCHA) (1993–1999) ||||||
| 1993-94 | Colorado College | 23–11–5 | 18–9–5 | 1st | WCHA first round |
| 1994-95 | Colorado College | 30–12–1 | 22–9–1 | 1st | NCAA West Regional semifinals |
| 1995-96 | Colorado College | 33–5–4 | 26–2–4 | 1st | NCAA runner-up |
| 1996-97 | Colorado College | 25–15–4 | 17–11–4 | T-4th | NCAA Frozen Four |
| 1997-98 | Colorado College | 26–13–3 | 16–10–2 | 3rd | NCAA East Regional semifinals |
| 1998-99 | Colorado College | 29–12–1 | 20–8–0 | 2nd | NCAA East Regional semifinals |
| Colorado College: | Colorado College: | 166–68–18 | 119–49–16 | | |
| Minnesota Golden Gophers (WCHA) (1999–2013) ||||||
| 1999-00 | Minnesota | 20–19–2 | 13–13–2 | 6th | WCHA third-place game (loss) |
| 2000-01 | Minnesota | 27–13–2 | 18–8–2 | 3rd | NCAA East Regional Quarterfinals |
| 2001-02 | Minnesota | 32–8–4 | 18–7–3 | 3rd | NCAA national champion |
| 2002-03 | Minnesota | 28–8–9 | 15–6–7 | T-2nd | NCAA national champion |
| 2003-04 | Minnesota | 27–14–3 | 15–12–1 | T-4th | NCAA Midwest Regional Final |
| 2004-05 | Minnesota | 28–15–1 | 17–10–1 | T-3rd | NCAA Frozen Four |
| 2005-06 | Minnesota | 27–9–5 | 20–5–3 | 1st | NCAA West Regional semifinals |
| 2006-07 | Minnesota | 31–10–3 | 18–7–3 | 1st | NCAA West Regional Final |
| 2007-08 | Minnesota | 19–17–9 | 9–12–7 | 7th | NCAA Northeast Regional semifinals |
| 2008-09 | Minnesota | 17–13–7 | 12–11–5 | 5th | WCHA Quarterfinal |
| 2009-10 | Minnesota | 18–19–2 | 12–14–2 | 7th | WCHA first round |
| 2010-11 | Minnesota | 16–14–6 | 13–10–5 | 5th | WCHA first round |
| 2011-12 | Minnesota | 28–14–1 | 20–8–0 | 1st | NCAA Frozen Four |
| 2012-13 | Minnesota | 26–9–5 | 16–7–5 | T-1st | NCAA West Regional semifinals |
| Minnesota: | Minnesota: | 344–182–59 | 206–118–39 | | |
| Minnesota Golden Gophers (Big Ten) (2013–2018) ||||||
| 2013-14 | Minnesota | 28–7–6 | 14–3–3 | 1st | NCAA runner-up |
| 2014-15 | Minnesota | 23–13–3 | 12–5–3 | 1st | NCAA Northeast Regional semifinals |
| 2015-16 | Minnesota | 20–17–0 | 14–6–0 | 1st | Big Ten Runner-Up |
| 2016-17 | Minnesota | 23–12–3 | 14–5–1 | 1st | NCAA Northeast Regional semifinals |
| 2017-18 | Minnesota | 19–17–2 | 10–12–2 | 5th | |
| Minnesota: | Minnesota: | 113–66–14 | 64–31–9 | | |
| Total: | Total: | 722–413–110 (.624) | | | |
| 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 ||||||