Today, Jeff Jackson, head coach of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish hockey team, announced he will retire after the 2024-25 season. Jackson arrived at Notre Dame in 2005 and has amassed a record of 407 wins, 264 losses and 73 ties in the nearly two decades since, becoming the only coach in program history to reach 400 wins last season. In a press release from the Irish, Jackson said:
“This season marks my 20th year at Notre Dame and I have decided that it will be my final season,” Jackson said Monday. “I plan to celebrate my final year at Notre Dame doing what I love: being surrounded by a great staff and good friends and thoroughly enjoying one more season coaching this great sport at this great university. Most of all, I am honored to work with some incredible student-athletes as they pursue their dreams.”
In the same announcement, Notre Dame also named current associate head coach Brock Sheehan as its next head coach. Sheehan was a member of Jackson's first team at Notre Dame and participated in the program's first Frozen Four championship game in 2008. Prior to returning to Notre Dame a year ago, Sheehan served as head coach of the Chicago Wolves of the American Hockey League and served on the staff of the Chicago Steel of the United States Hockey League and as associate head coach of the Holy Cross Crusaders. Sheehan had this to say about his upcoming appointment:
“The opportunity to lead the Notre Dame hockey program is a dream come true for me and my family,” Sheehan said. “I will be forever grateful to Father Bob Dowd, John Beimeyer, Jack Brennan, Pete Bevacqua and the University of Notre Dame for giving me this responsibility.”
“I look forward to leading the program with the goal of winning conference and national championships while also developing our student-athletes at the highest level, both as people and hockey players. The guidance, influence and friendship of Jeff Jackson, Paul Pooley and Andy Slaggert have helped make me the person and coach I am today. I am especially grateful for Coach Jackson's support and all of the guidance he has given me over the years. He has helped make Notre Dame hockey what it is today, and I am excited to work with him this season to achieve our goal of winning Notre Dame hockey's first national championship.”
The only thing Jackson has yet to accomplish at Notre Dame is leading the Irish to the team's first national championship, and he has just one more chance to do just that, and we at One Foot Down will be covering what will likely be a year-long celebration for the coach either way.
