Mike Schafer, who served as the men's hockey head coach at Cornell University for nearly three decades, has announced that the 2024-25 season will be his final to lead the program.
Schafer, 61, is the longest-tenured head coach in Cornell University history and the 13th-leading men's hockey coach of all time in Division I wins, with a record of 542 wins, 289 losses and 111 ties in 28 seasons since taking over in the summer of 1995.
Cornell athletic director Nikki Moore announced that former Cornell captain and assistant coach Casey Jones will become the program's 13th head coach following Schafer's retirement. Jones will join Cornell's staff as assistant head coach after serving as head coach at Clarkson University for 13 seasons, compiling a record of 234 wins, 185 losses and 56 ties.
The Big Red went 22-7, 7-6 and finished with six ties last season and beat the University of Maine 3-1 in the NCAA Tournament before losing 2-1 to eventual champion University of Denver in the national quarterfinals.
“I have had a 38-year career as a college hockey coach, 33 of which have been spent at Cornell University,” Schafer said in an article published on Cornell's website. “It has been a great experience helping players and teams achieve their goals over the years and helping to build pride and morale for the Big Red through Cornell hockey. I feel now is the perfect time to begin my transition toward retirement.”
Moore described Schafer as a “legend in college hockey.”
“For nearly four decades, as a player, captain, assistant and finally head coach, Mike was totally committed to the success of the program and, more importantly, the individual student-athletes who played for him and thrived on and off the ice thanks to his guidance,” Moore said in an article on Cornell's website.
Schaefer served as an assistant coach at Western Michigan University for five seasons before returning to Cornell as head coach. He played defense for Cornell from 1982-1986, serving as captain for two years and helping the school win three consecutive Ivy League championships. Schaefer served as an assistant coach at Cornell University for four seasons before moving to Western Michigan.
His impact at Cornell reached an even greater level as head coach: During Schaefer's tenure, the Big Red reached the NCAA Tournament 14 times, including a trip to the Frozen Four in 2003, the first time Cornell had reached the NCAA semifinals since 1980.
Schafer was co-recipient of the Spencer Penrose Award as Division I men's hockey coach of the year in 2019-20. Cornell compiled a record of 23 wins, two losses and four ties and was ranked No. 1 in the country when the season was ended early due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which also caused Cornell to miss out on playing any games in the 2020-21 season.
Schafer's other honors include being named ECAC Coach of the Year five times and Ivy League Coach of the Year four times.
Schafer and his wife, Diane, have two sons, Luke and John, and a daughter, Michelle.
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