Mike Schwartz (ice hockey)

Last updated

Mike Schwartz
Biographical details
Born Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
Alma mater University of Wisconsin–River Falls
Augsburg College
Playing career
1981–1983 Augsburg
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1986–1990 Johnson HS
1990–1991 Sioux City Musketeers
1991–1992 San Jose Sharks (scout)
1992–1996 White Bear Lake HS
1996–2006 Augsburg
Head coaching record
Overall124–110–30 (.527) [college]
Tournaments2–2–0 (.500)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
1998 MIAC champion
1998 MIAC tournament champion
Awards
1998 Edward Jeremiah Award

Michael Schwartz is an American former ice hockey player and coach who was the NCAA Division III coach of the year. [1]

Contents

Career

Schwartz began attending college at the University of Wisconsin–River Falls right after graduating from Johnson High School in 1975. After two years, however, he left school. In 1979 he returned to the college ranks, this time at Augsburg College. After settling in, he began to play hockey again and was part of the Auggies 1982 Championship team. [2]

Schwartz graduated with a BA in education in 1983 and embarked on a professional career. In 1986 he returned to ice hockey once more as the head coach for his alma mater, Johnson High School. He helped the team win back-to-back twin cities championships in '89 and '90 and was hired by the Sioux City Musketeers as head coach. [3] Schwartz did not see much success in the USHL and was fired after just one season with the Musketeers finishing last in the league. After working as an NHL scout for a year, Schwartz was back behind the bench, this time for White Bear Lake High School. His second turn in high school just as good as the first and he led the White Bears to three consecutive state tournament appearances.

In 1996, Ed Saugestad retired from coaching after 38 years with Augsburg. Schwartz was chosen as his successor and he got off to a good start with a winning season in his first year. For an encore, He led Augsburg to its first conference title in 16 years and the program's first every MIAC Tournament championship (the tournament began in 1986). [4] Despite the NCAA not using automatic qualifiers at the time, the Auggies were also able to make their second NCAA Tournament appearance (the first in 14 years). Augsburg finished 4th in the tournament after taking down Wisconsin–River Falls in the quarterfinals and Schwartz was named as the Division III coach of the year.

The team declined sharply the following year, but Schwartz was able to rebuild the Auggies into a contender in the MIAC. After 2003, however, the program sank out of the playoff picture. In spite of the diminishing returns on the ice, Schwartz was named as the school's director of athletic facilities and helped with major extensions and renovations to several structures on campus, including the Si Melby Hall and Edor Nelson Field. He remained as the facilities director even after resigning as head coach in 2006. [5] Two years later, however, Schwartz left Augsburg to pursue a career in the financial sector. [6]

Schwartz was inducted into the Minnesota Hockey Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2019.

Statistics

Regular season and playoffs

  Regular Season Playoffs
SeasonTeamLeagueGP G A Pts PIM GPGAPtsPIM
1981–82 Augsburg MIAC
1982–83 Augsburg MIAC
NCAA totals

Head coaching record

USHL

TeamYearRegular seasonPost season
GWLTPtsFinishResult
Sioux City Musketeers 1990–91 469381(20)10thN/A
Totals469381

College

Statistics overview
SeasonTeamOverallConferenceStandingPostseason
Augsburg Auggies (MIAC)(1996–2006)
1996–97 Augsburg 14–10–19–7–05th
1997–98 Augsburg 21–8–412–3–1T–1st NCAA third place game (loss)
1998–99 Augsburg 11–12–48–5–3T–4th MIAC Semifinals
1999–00 Augsburg 10–13–48–5–33rd MIAC Semifinals
2000–01 Augsburg 12–11–29–6–1T–4th
2001–02 Augsburg 14–9–310–5–13rd MIAC Semifinals
2002–03 Augsburg 17–9–010–6–03rd MIAC Semifinals
2003–04 Augsburg 8–13–45–8–36th
2004–05 Augsburg 8–12–55–8–3T–6th
2005–06 Augsburg 9–13–35–8–37th
Augsburg:124–110–3081–61–18
Total:124–110–30

      National champion        Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion        Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion      Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

References

  1. "American Hockey Coaches Association". Archived from the original on January 16, 2010. Retrieved July 11, 2012.
  2. "Mike Schwartz resigns as Augsburg's athletic facilities director". MIAC. July 18, 2008. Archived from the original on February 11, 2022. Retrieved February 10, 2022.
  3. "MHCA Class of 2019". Vintage Minnesota Hockey. Archived from the original on February 11, 2022. Retrieved February 10, 2022.
  4. "Augsburg Men's Hockey History". Augsburg Auggies. Archived from the original on February 11, 2022. Retrieved September 29, 2019.
  5. "Augsburg Coach Mike Schwartz resigns; Assistant Chris Brown named interim Head Coach". MIAC. April 13, 2006. Archived from the original on February 11, 2022. Retrieved February 10, 2022.
  6. "Mike Schwartz". Linked In. Retrieved February 10, 2022.
Awards and achievements
Preceded by Edward Jeremiah Award
1997–98
Succeeded by