Western Michigan Broncos men's ice hockey

The Western Michigan Broncos men's ice hockey team is a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I college ice hockey program that represents Western Michigan University. The Broncos are a member of the National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC). They play at Lawson Arena in Kalamazoo, Michigan, United States.
==History==
The Broncos program began in 1973 and joined the Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) for the 1975–76 season. After ten seasons in the league Western Michigan won the 1986 CCHA Playoff Tournament and advanced to the school's first NCAA Division I men's ice hockey tournament in 1986. The 1986 season marked the program's first CCHA Tournament Championship and the program's first bid to the NCAA Tournament.http://www.ccha.com/the_ccha/ccha_history_and_records.aspx The Broncos entered the tournament in the West Regional against Harvard and lost the two-game aggregate series, being outscored 11–4 by the Crimson. 
Western Michigan's next post season appearance came in 1994. Western Michigan received an at-large bid to the 1994 NCAA Division I Tournament and again fell in the first round with a 6–3 loss to Wisconsin.
The Broncos rebounded in the 1995–96 season after a sub-.500 season in 1994–95. Western Michigan received the program's second at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament. Western Michigan lost again in the first round to Clarkson 6–1.
Under first-year coach Jeff Blashill, Western Michigan received an at-large bid to the 2011 NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey Tournament, where they would lose their opening game 3–2 in double overtime to Denver. Denver scored two goals in the last 4:29 of the third period to force overtime.
In 2011–12, for the second consecutive season, Western Michigan had a new head coach and reached the NCAA tournament. Longtime National Hockey League (NHL) coach Andy Murray was named as coach of the Broncos after Blashill left for the Detroit Red Wings. WMU finished tied for second in the CCHA and won the CCHA tournament, thereby receiving an automatic bid into the NCAA tournament. Western Michigan lost in the first round of the tournament 3–1 to No. 1 seed North Dakota.
The Broncos joined the National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) starting in the 2013–14 season. The CCHA disbanded after the 2012–13 season, in part due to the addition of men's ice hockey to the Big Ten Conference.
Western Michigan won the 2013 four-team Great Lakes Invitational which was played outdoors at Comerica Park in Detroit. The Broncos defeated No. 3 Michigan 3-2 in overtime in the semifinals, and then claimed the championship by beating Michigan Tech 1-0, also in overtime. WMU won the 2014 Shillelagh Tournament with an 8–2 victory over No. 17 Union. The Broncos also defeated Ohio State in the first round of the tournament, 6–2.
In 2016-17, the Broncos followed up a disappointing 8-25-3 season with an impressive 22-13-5 and a 3rd place finish in the NCHC. Western Michigan was invited to the final Great Lakes Invitational at Joe Louis Arena, where they defeated Michigan Tech in the championship. WMU has been invited to the GLI 5 times dating back to 1977, winning it 3 of those times. The Broncos were defeated in the first round of the 2017 NCAA Division I tournament by Air Force.
==Season-by-season results==
==Coaching==
The Broncos are coached by former Los Angeles Kings and St. Louis Blues head coach Andy Murray. In his first season, he coached the Broncos to their second CCHA Tournament Championship in school history, as well as the school's fifth NCAA Tournament Bid.
===All-time coaching records===
As of the completion of 2019–20 season
Tenure 	Coach 	Years 	Record 	Pct.
2011–present	Andy Murray 	9 	157–144–40 	
2010–2011 	Jeff Blashill 	1 	19–13–10 	
1999–2010 	Jim Culhane 	11† 	158–222–48 	
1982–1999 	Bill Wilkinson	17† 	313–301–53 	
1978–1982 	Glen Weller 	4 	64–73–5 	
1973–1978 	Bill Neal 	5 	91–65–5 	
Totals 	6 coaches 	47 seasons	802–818–161	
† The 1998–99 season was coached by both Wilkinson and Culhane.
==Statistical Leaders==
===Career points leaders===
Player	Years 	GP 	G 	A 	Pts	PIM
 	1982–1986	157	115	178	293	
 	1986–1990	165	82 	189	271	
 	1983–1987	162	42 	199	241	
 	1986–1990	159	109	125	234	
 	1978–1982	138	100	125	225	
 	1974–1978	129	92 	106	198	
 	1983–1987	162	104	91 	195	
 	1992–1996	147	57 	127	184	
 	1983–1986	122	81 	102	183	
 	1978–1981	130	82 	95 	177	
===Career Goaltending Leaders===
GP = Games played; Min = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; GA = Goals against; SO = Shutouts; SV% = Save percentage; GAA = Goals against average
Minimum 30 games played
Player	Years 	GP	Min 	W 	L 	T 	GA 	SO	SV% 	GAA
 	2011–2015 	94	6021	49	38	15	235	7 	.909	2.34
 	1995–1996 	36	2110	23	11	2 	91 	5 	.910	2.59
 	2019–Present	34	1921	18	12	4 	85 	0 	.910	2.65
 	2007–2011 	63	3528	16	27	3 	158	2 	.912	2.69
 	2012–2016 	86	4396	25	37	10	202	4 	.909	2.76
Statistics current through the start of the 2020-21 season.
==Current roster==
As of September 2, 2020.
==Awards and honors==
=== All-Americans ===
AHCA First Team All-Americans
*1985-86: Wayne Gagné, D; Dan Dorion, F
*1986-87: Wayne Gagné, F
*2019-20: Hugh McGing, F
AHCA Second Team All-Americans
*1983-84: Dan Dorion, F
*1984-85: Glenn Healy, G
*1985-86: Bill Horn, G
*1995-96: Marc Magliarditi, G
*2000-01: Mike Bishai, F
*2011-12: Danny DeKeyser, D
*2012-13: Danny DeKeyser, D
===CCHA===
====Individual Awards====
Player of the Year
*Dan Dorion: 1986
*Wayne Gagné: 1987
Best Defensive Forward
*Pat Ferschweiler: 1992
*Dane Walters: 2013
Best Defensive Defenseman
*Brent Brekke: 1994
*Danny DeKeyser: 2012, 2013
Rookie of the Year
*Chris Brooks: 1993
*Marc Magliarditi: 1996
*Daryl Andrews: 1997
*Patrick Dwyer: 2002
*Mark Letestu: 2007
Coach of the Year
*Bill Wilkinson: 1984, 1986, 1996
Ilitch Humanitarian Award
*Brett Beebe: 2013
Most Valuable Player in Tournament
*Glenn Healy: 1984
*Bill Horn: 1986
*Frank Slubowski: 2012
====All-Conference Teams====
First Team All-CCHA
*1976-77: Tim Dunlop, F
*1980-81: Ross Fitzpatrick, F
*1983-84: Dan Dorion, F
*1985-86: Wayne Gagné, D; Dan Dorion, F
*1986-87: Wayne Gagné, D
*1987-88: Paul Polillo, F
*1991-92: Keith Jones, G
*1995-96: Marc Magliarditi, G
*2012–13: Danny DeKeyser, D
Second Team All-CCHA
*1977-78: Bernie Saunders, F; Paul Cappuccio, F
*1979-80: Bob Scurfield, F
*1984-85: Glenn Healy, G
*1985-86: Chris MacDonald, F; Stu Burnie, F
*1986-87: Bill Horn, G; Rob Brynden, F
*1987-88: Mike Posma, D; Ron Hoover, F
*1990-91: Mike Eastwood, F
*1995-96: Jeremy Brown, F
*1996-97: Joe Corvo, D
*1999–00: David Gove, F
*2000–01: Mike Bishai, F; David Gove, F
*2004–05: Brent Walton, F
*2008–09: Patrick Galivan, F
*2012–13: Danny DeKeyser, D; Matt Tennyson, D
*2012–13: Frank Slubowski, G; Luke Witkowski, D
CCHA All-Rookie Team
*1991-92: Chris Belanger, D
*1992-93: Scott Chartier, D; Chris Brooks, F
*1994-95: Steve Duke, D
*1995-96: Marc Magliarditi, G; Joe Corvo, D
*1996-97: Daryl Andrews, D
*2001–02: Patrick Dwyer, F
*2002–03: Vince Bellissimo, F
*2006–07: Mark Letestu, F
*2010–11: Danny DeKeyser, D; Chase Balisy, F
*2011–12: Frank Slubowski, G; Garrett Haar, D
*2012–13: Kenney Morrison, D
===NCHC===
====Individual Awards====
Herb Brooks Coach of the Year
*Andy Murray: 2017
====All-Conference Teams====
First Team All-NCHC
Second Team All-NCHC
*2013–14: Chase Balisy, F
*2016–17: Sheldon Dries, F
*2018–19: Hugh McGing, F
NCHC All-Rookie Team
*2016–17: Ben Blacker, G
==Western Michigan Broncos Hall of Fame==
The following is a list of people associated with the Western Michigan men's ice hockey program who were elected into the Western Michigan University Athletic Hall of Fame.
*Dan Dorion (1998)
*Ross Fitzpatrick (2004)
*Wayne Gagné (2001)
*Glenn Healy (1996)
*Rob Hodge (2008)
*Harry Lawson (1990)
*Jamal Mayers (2014)
*Bernie Saunders (1994)
*Neil Smith (1991)
==Broncos in the NHL==
	= NHL All-Star Team		= NHL All-StarPlayers are identified as an All-Star if they were selected for the All-Star game at any time in their career.			= NHL All-Star and NHL All-Star Team		= Hall of Famers
Player 	Position 	Team(s) 	Years 	
Bill Armstrong 	Left Wing 	PHI 	1990–1991 	0
Chase Balisy 	Center 	FLA 	2017–2018 	0
Mike Bishai 	Center 	EDM 	2003–2004 	0
Kevin Connauton 	Defenseman	DAL, CBJ, ARI, COL 	2013–Present	0
Joe Corvo 	Defenseman	LAK, OTT, CAR, WSH, BOS 	2002–2014 	0
Jim Culhane 	Defenseman	HFD 	1989–1990 	0
Danny DeKeyser 	Defenseman	DET 	2012–Present	0
Dan Dorion 	Left Wing 	NJD 	1985–1988 	0
Sheldon Dries 	Center 	COL 	2018–Present	0
Patrick Dwyer 	Right Wing	CAR 	2008–2015 	0
Mike Eastwood 	Center 	TOR, WPG, PHO, NYR, STL, CHI, PIT	1991–2004 	0
Ross Fitzpatrick	Center 	PHI 	1982–1986 	0
Scott Foster‡ 	Goaltender	CHI 	2017–2018 	0
David Gove 	Center 	CAR 	2005–2007 	0
Player 	Position 	Team(s) 	Years 	
Glenn Healy 	Goaltender	LAK, NYI, , TOR 	1985–2001 	1
Ron Hoover 	Left Wing 	BOS, STL 	1989–1992 	0
Glenn Johannesen	Left Wing 	NYI 	1985–1986 	0
Keith Jones 	Right Wing	WSH, COL, PHI 	1992–2001 	0
Mark Letestu 	Center 	PIT, CBJ, EDM, WIN 	2009–Present	0
Jamal Mayers 	Right Wing	STL, TOR, CGY, SJS,	1996–2013 	1
Griffen Molino 	Forward 	VAN 	2016–2017 	0
Jordan Oesterle 	Center 	EDM, CHI, ARI 	2014–Present	0
Andy Rymsha 	Right Wing	QUE 	1991–1992 	0
Bernie Saunders 	Right Wing	QUE 	1979–1981 	0
Paul Szczechura 	Center 	TBL, BUF 	2008–2012 	0
Matt Tennyson 	Defenseman	SJS, CAR, BUF, NJD 	2012–Present	0
Luke Witkowski 	Right Wing	TBL, DET 	2014–Present	0
‡Scott Foster played 14 minutes for the Blackhawks after being signed to a 1-day contract as an emergency backup due to injury.
File:Kevin Connauton 2014-12-13 2.JPG|Kevin Connauton
File:Joe Corvo of the Boston Bruins at TD Garden, Boston, Massachusetts - 20120204.jpg|Joe Corvo
File:Patrick Dwyer 2013-2.jpg|Patrick Dwyer
File:Mark Letestu 1 2012-02-26.JPG|Mark Letestu
File:Jamal Mayers Flames.png|Jamal Mayers
File:Jordan Oesterle 2014.jpg|Jordan Oesterle
File:Luke Witkowski 2015-04-11.jpg|Luke Witkowski
==See also==
*Western Michigan Broncos
==References==
==External links==
*Western Michigan Broncos men's ice hockey
 
Category:Ice hockey teams in Michigan