Tom Osiecki Returns to Gopher Coaching Staff

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Tom Osiecki Returns to Gopher Coaching Staff
Provided by the University of Minnesota

University of Minnesota women’s hockey head coach Brad Frost has announced that Tom Osiecki has been named an assistant coach for the Golden Gopher program. Osiecki will serve as an assistant coach for the 2009-10 season as Natalie Darwitz is training with the United States National Team for the 2010 Winter Olympics. She is planning on returning as a Gopher assistant coach for the 2010-11 season. The appointment marks the second time in three years Osiecki has been with the Gopher women’s hockey program. He was an assistant coach during Frost’s interim season in 2007-08. Osiecki’s responsibilities begin July 20th and he will primarily coach the defensemen.

“I am excited to have Coach Osiecki come back to the Golden Gopher family,” Frost said. “He brings a wealth of experience and knowledge both on and off the ice and we couldn’t be happier that he is rejoining the staff.”

Osiecki’s hockey knowledge comes from all levels of the game. In over 40 years of coaching hockey, Osiecki has coached both boy’s and girl’s hockey as well as holding an NHL scouting position. He started his coaching career in 1964 when he was the head coach of the St. Agnes boy’s team until 1966. Osiecki started the Burnsville High School boy’s program in 1966 and coached at BHS for 24 years, where he led the Braves to two state championships. His high school coaching career ended for a brief time when he took a position with the Minnesota North Stars/Dallas Stars as an NHL scout from 1990 to 1995. From there, he began his experience with girls’ and women’s hockey coaching. Osiecki coached the Burnsville girl’s team from 1996-98 and started the St. Olaf College program, where he coached from 2000-04. He returned to Burnsville to coach the girl’s team from 2004-06. Most recently, Osiecki was the head coach of the USA Hockey Blaine Residency Program from September to April last year. He coached women’s hockey players during on-ice practices as well as games during that span.

A legend within the Minnesota hockey realm, Osiecki was inducted into the Minnesota High School Hockey Coaches’ Hall of Fame in 1995 and also earned the Cliff Thompson Award, given to members of the hockey community who make outstanding contributions to the sport in Minnesota. He was also the Minnesota Hockey Coach of the Year in 1985 and 1986 (at Burnsville) and the MIAC Women’s Hockey Coach of the Year in 2002 (St. Olaf).

Osiecki and his wife Bev, reside in Burnsville and have two sons, Mark and Matt. Mark is currently an assistant coach with the Wisconsin men’s hockey team.

“I am really excited to return to the Gopher hockey program,” Osiecki said. “When Brad and I started talking about the possibility, it just seemed right. Already being familiar with the coaches, the student-athletes and the staff, I am thrilled to return and am looking forward to next season.”