In 1971, the Central Collegiate Hockey Association began play. It thrived until massive realignment throughout college hockey led to its demise in 2013. Now, a new CCHA is set to begin play for the 2021-22 season. Someone needs to run it, and that someone is Don Lucia.
Lucia, a Notre Dame defenseman from 1977 to 1981, has been named commissioner of the new CCHA. As a player, he tabulated 23 of his 30 points for assists while playing under Lefty Smith. Immediately after graduating, he went into a coaching career, starting as an assistant at Alaska-Fairbanks and then Alaska-Anchorage before returning to Fairbanks to serve as head coach from 1987 to 1993. After taking the reins at Colorado College from 1993 to 1999, he went to coach at Minnesota and had his greatest achievements, becoming the winningest coach in program history and leading the Gophers to back-to-back national championships and five Frozen Fours before his retirement from coaching in 2018.
In 31 seasons as a head coach, Lucia went 736-403-102. He was the 1994 national coach of the year, the WCHA Coach of the Year three times and the 2014 Big Ten Coach of the Year. Now, he begins the next chapter of his hockey life. Best wishes to him for continued success.