Former Northern Michigan University hockey coach Grant Potulny addresses his team during a break in the game against Michigan Tech at the Berry Events Center in Marquette on Saturday, Dec. 9, 2023. (Photo courtesy of Northern Michigan University)
MARQUETTE — The Northern Michigan University athletic department announced that head hockey coach Grant Potulny has stepped down to pursue a professional hockey position and that athletic director Rick Comrie will assume the role of interim head coach, effective today.
A national search for a new head coach will begin immediately.
Associate head coach Byron Poole and assistant coach Nick Peruzzi also resigned to take coaching jobs with other teams.
Potulny led the Wildcats to a 12-16-6 record last season and a 10-10-4 ties in conference play and has led the Wildcats to two conference championship games (2020-21 WCHA, 2022-23 CCHA) in the past four seasons. A head coach since 2017-18, he began his NMU career with two consecutive seasons with 20 or more wins. With four seasons of 20 or more wins, he finished his Northern Michigan career with a 128-113-17 record and 95-69-11 ties in conference play.
“Grant is a very good hockey coach and the professional teams recognize that.” Comrie said. “On behalf of Northern, I would like to thank Grant and his staff for the great job they do with the Wildcat hockey program and wish their new team great success.”
“Like Rick, I want to thank Grant for his seven seasons at Northern, and I also want to thank Byron and Nick.” NMU President Brock Tessman added: “Men's ice hockey is one of NMU's premier athletic programs and the only one at the NCAA Division I level, so we are incredibly fortunate to have one of the best coaches in the history of an NCAA Division I hockey team here to help guide our current and recruit players through this transition period and work on planning our preparations for next season while we complete our national player search this summer. Thank you, Rick. Wildcat hockey is in great hands until we select a new coach.”
Comrie, who led both NMU (1991) and Michigan State University (2007) to NCAA Division I national men's hockey championships, served as Northern University's athletic director for 13 years (1987-2000) before returning to the role in August 2022.
Comrie, the first and longest-tenured head coach of the NMU men's hockey program, is the Hobey Baker Memorial Award Foundation's 2020 College Hockey Legends recipient. In 26 years behind the Wildcat bench, he compiled a record of 538 wins, 429 losses and 68 ties while leading the team to the 1991 national championship, four Freeze Four appearances (including a runner-up finish in 1980), seven NCAA Tournament appearances, six conference playoff wins and two regular season championships.
Comley began his coaching career at Lake Superior State University, where he served as head coach for three seasons (1973-76). He then became the first head coach in the history of the NMU hockey program in 1976 and spent 26 seasons as head coach with the Wildcats before taking the head coaching job at Michigan State University (2002-11). Comley recorded a total of 783 wins, 615 losses and 110 ties during his 38-year coaching career, which ranks fifth on the NCAA Division I all-time coaching wins list. He was named NCAA Division I National Coach of the Year in 1980 and 1991 and was the runner-up in 2007. Comley retired from coaching in 2011.
He was inducted into the NMU Sports Hall of Fame in 1998, the Upper Peninsula Sports Hall of Fame in 2013 and the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame in 2023.
Comrie said details about the hiring timeline and the composition of the hiring committee, which will include former players, will be announced soon. He added that Wildcat hockey fans will be given the opportunity to meet with the final candidates and provide their input. Information about the position will be made available shortly through Northern's human resources office. “Career at NMU” The website is nmu.edu/hr.
Comrie press conference
A press conference with NMU President Brock Tessman and interim head coach Rick Comrie will be held on Wednesday, June 12 at 10:30 a.m.
