Michigan Tech head coach Bill Muckalt addresses the media during a press conference Tuesday morning at the MacInnes Student Ice Arena in Houghton. (Photo courtesy of Michigan Tech University)

HOUGHTON — Tuesday morning, Michigan Tech University introduced Bill Muckalt as the 23rd head coach in its hockey program’s history. He had previously been at Michigan Tech as an assistant coach under Mel Pearson from 2011-15 before he left the university to become the head coach of the Tri-City Storm in the United States Hockey League from 2015-17, where he won a Clark Cup in his first season with the team.

He went on from there to return to his alma mater, the University of Michigan from 2017-23, where he served as the lead recruiter. He moved on from Michigan to become the head coach of new NCAA program Lindenwood last season.

Muckalt is excited to be back in the Copper Country.

“(I am) extremely excited,” he said. “I mean, it’s such a special place, rich tradition. It’s an honor.”

He has nothing but fond memories of his time here as an assistant coach.

“People in the Copper Country are amazing,” he said. “They’re really down to earth, extremely loyal, and they have a real sense of community up here. So, those are things from a hockey standpoint, just building back up a brand, speaking about the first time when I got here, just rebuilding it and restoring it, how proud that people are of Michigan Tech and how proud they are of the Husky brand.”

When Pearson was hired in 2011, Muckalt was one of the first people he reached out to in the hopes that he wanted to be a part of the process of returning the Huskies to the national tournament, somewhere the school had not been since 1981.

“Obviously, I think the program is in a lot better shape, the locker room, the facilities, everything,” said Muckalt. “It’s truly an honor and privilege to be back here, and I think the expectation doesn’t change. It’s still the same, win a championship, get in the tournament and try and win the last game of the year. That’s the expectation.”

Prior to the 2024-25 season, the Huskies had made the NCAA Tournament three straight seasons under then-coach Joe Shawhan. When asked if he believed he could get the Huskies back to the tournament quickly, he did not hesitate.

“It’s a belief,” he said. “You have to have a belief in them, and they have to have a belief in themselves that they can achieve that. We have to kind of steer that ship for them and keep them on course at times, or when you’re out and if you’re out in a storm, it’s hard, maybe, to see the land, but you got to get back to the land, and that’s what we’re doing.

“In a parallel to hockey, that championship, it’s not going to be easy. There’s going to be ups and downs, and (we’ve) got to steady the course and right the ship, so to speak. But, I think the part is them going through and learning. We’re growing together on a journey. The good news is we need each other, pick each other up along the way, and pat each other on the back when things are going well.”

Muckalt has faith in the team already assembled.

“We haven’t lost a game yet, so everybody likes their chances,” he said. “Right now, I’m positive (and) optimistic, and I’m going to believe in our players and believe in our staff. We’re going to do everything we can to get better every day.There’s no way that I would put a handicap on this group or us. We’re going to go and try to win the race.”

One thing is for certain, Muckalt is excited to be back in the MacInnes Student Ice Arena for game day.

“There’s so many things I should have pointed out for this press conference that I forgot to touch on. The Mitch’s Misfits bring so much energy,” he said. “Specifically I remember playing Wisconsin here the first weekend we were here, and we beat them and how electric that was. Even just traveling with the Misfits down to Duluth, and just how well the GLI is attended by alumni, so the Mac, there’s no better place to be when the Mac is full, and it’s full all the time.”

Why make the change now?

Michigan Tech’s Vice President for Athletics and Recreation Suzanne Sanregret spoke to the timing of the coaching change.

“I think that if anyone read the comments from Coach Shawhan in the TV6 articles, we just couldn’t come to agreement on an extension of a contract,” she said. “With that being said, and having two assistant coaching positions open, it becomes really difficult to make any of those hires. (I am) really pleased with the work that Coach Shawhan did, but I think it’s time for a change and to move into this new direction.

“With a rapidly changing college hockey landscape, it just felt like the right time to do it, to make the switch.”

Sanregret is excited to bring Muckalt back at this point in time.

“There certainly is an intensity about Bill Muckalt, and just a championship pedigree,” she said. “I think all coaches seem to have that, but his relationships, his connections, his relationships with family, advisors, experience in the USHL, and, I think, in the modern era of where the collegiate landscape is going, he has an ability to work with me, to work toward, toward the requirements, I think, of what college hockey is going to look like in the next few years and already is looking like.”

Changing landscape of college sports

With the changing landscape of college hockey, from the transfer portal to Name, Image, Likeness, to the addition of players from the branches of the Canadian Hockey League, timing has become something very important.

“I think that if we aren’t nimble, and don’t respond that way, we fall behind and you lose opportunity,” Sanregret said. “I want to set the bar where we can be in the same conversations as several of the higher end institutions and hockey programs. This gives us a shot at it.”

At the same time, Sanregret is proud of how both Pearson and Shawhan set up the hockey program in the past decade-plus.

“Well, first, I think Coach Pearson and Coach Shawhan did incredible work for us,” she said. “I appreciate everything that they’ve done. I think this is just another evolution of the next steps we can’t sit on. We have to keep moving forward, and it’s with a lot of change.

“Coach Pearson gave us national relevancy, again brought the program back. Coach Shawhan enhanced that, continued with that, and now I think there’s an opportunity for Coach Muckalt to continue to raise that bar and that level. It’s going to require us modernizing with where collegiate athletics is today. I can’t wait.”

Michigan Tech head coach Bill Muckalt stands in the team’s locker room after a press conference Tuesday morning at the MacInnes Student Ice Arena in Houghton. (Photo courtesy of Michigan Tech University)