By: Mark Vasey, Assistant Director of Athletic Communications
PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. – Plattsburgh State women’s ice hockey head coach Kevin Houle has been named the 2019-20 CCM/American Hockey Coaches Association (AHCA) Division III Women’s Coach of the Year, as announced by the AHCA on Thursday.
Houle, who earned the honor for the seventh time in his career, previously garnered the award in 2006, 2007, 2008, 2013, 2014 and 2016.
Houle received the honor after guiding Plattsburgh State to a (26-1-0, 18-0-0 Northeast Women’s Hockey League [NEWHL]) record, its eighth consecutive conference tournament title (third consecutive NEWHL Tournament title) and the 16th NCAA Tournament appearance in program history. Plattsburgh State garnered the NEWHL Tournament title and the conference’s automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament with a 6-1 win over Oswego State in the NEWHL Tournament championship game on Saturday, March 7, at the Ronald B. Stafford Ice Arena.
In addition, the Cardinals finished the season on an 18-game winning streak (longest active winning streak in NCAA Division III women’s ice hockey) and ranked No. 1 in both the PairWise Rankings and the USCHO.com Division III Women’s Top-10 Poll. Houle led Plattsburgh State to a 5-1-0 record against teams that finished in the top 10 of the PairWise Rankings. The Cardinals outscored those teams (Norwich University, Middlebury College, University of Wisconsin-River Falls and Elmira College) by a combined score of 20-8.
With Plattsburgh State’s 3-1 home win over Norwich on Wednesday, Nov. 6, Houle recorded his 400th career coaching victory. Houle, who has a 423-51-25 (.873) record over 17 seasons, is one of nine coaches in NCAA women’s ice hockey history to have eclipsed 400 career victories. His winning percentage is the highest in NCAA women’s ice hockey history.
Houle led Plattsburgh state to two NCAA records in 2019-20. The Cardinals recorded the longest overall winning streak in NCAA Division III women’s ice hockey history with their 26th consecutive win over UW-River Falls as part of the Panther/Cardinal Classic on Saturday, Nov. 30, in Middlebury, Vt. Plattsburgh State also set the record for the longest home winning streak in NCAA Division III women’s ice hockey as the Cardinals defeated Oswego State, 3-0, on Saturday, Nov. 9, for their 29th consecutive home win. The Cardinals’ home winning streak is at 40 games after they went undefeated at home (14-0-0) on the season.
This season, Plattsburgh State led NCAA Division III women’s ice hockey in wins, winning percentage (.963), fewest losses and penalty-kill efficiency (98.1 percent), while ranking second in power-play efficiency (28.1 percent), second in combined special teams (60.4), second in scoring offense (4.85), second in scoring margin (3.89) and third in scoring defense (0.96).
Houle, who coached three CCM/AHCA All-Americans, six All-NEWHL selections (five All-NEWHL First-Team honorees), including the NEWHL Player of the Year and NEWHL Goaltender of the Year, and two NEWHL All-Rookie Team selections this season, garnered the 2020 NEWHL Coaching Staff of the Year award along with assistant coach Julia Duquette. It was the eighth time that Houle has earned a conference coach of the year or coaching staff of the year honor.
Prior to 2019-20, Houle had steered the Cardinals to eight consecutive NCAA Division III Tournament semifinal appearances and seven national titles (the most in NCAA Division women’s ice hockey history) including five in the last six full seasons.
Plattsburgh State had its season come to an abrupt end when the NCAA announced on Thursday, March 12, that all of its winter and spring championships would be canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
