Brent Brekke
Current position
TitleHead coach
TeamSt. Lawrence
ConferenceECAC Hockey
Record43–84–16 (.357)
Biographical details
Born (1971-10-16) October 16, 1971
Minot, ND, USA
Alma materWestern Michigan
Playing career
1989–1990Rochester Mustangs
1990–1994Western Michigan
1994–1996Cornwall Aces
1994–1996Dayton Bombers
Position(s)Defenseman
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1997–1999Chicago Freeze (assistant)
1999–2008Cornell (assistant)
2008–2018Miami (associate)
2018–2019Clarkson (assistant)
2019–presentSt. Lawrence
Head coaching record
Overall43–84–16 (.357)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
2021 ECAC Tournament Champion
Awards
Terry Flanagan Award (2015)

Brent Brekke (born August 16, 1971) is an American former ice hockey player who currently the head coach at St. Lawrence.[1]

Career

Playing

Brekke played his college hockey at Western Michigan for Bill Wilkinson. He played for years for the Broncos, serving as an alternate captain in his junior season. After being named team captain for his senior season, Brekke helped Western Michigan to a 24-win season, the third-highest win total in program history (as of 2019), and reach the NCAA Tournament for only the second time.[2] After graduating with a degree in marketing[3] Brekke embarked on a two-year professional career, splitting time between the AHL and ECHL affiliates of the Quebec Nordiques/Colorado Avalanche, the team that had drafted him in 1991.[4]

Coaching

After a year off from hockey, Brekke signed on as the Director of Player Personnel and assistant coach for the Chicago Freeze, a junior team in the NAHL. After two years with the Freeze Brekke returned to the college ranks as an assistant at Cornell for Mike Schafer. In nine years Brekke helped the Big Red reach the NCAA Tournament 4 times, including the Frozen Four in 2003, and helped build one of the toughest defensive corps in college hockey history. Brekke was lured away from Ithaca in 2008 by Miami and the RedHawks promptly reach the Championship Game, falling in overtime to Boston University. After two years he was promoted to associate head coach and continued to serve in that capacity for another 8 seasons.

In 2018, with the team stuck in the mire, Brekke and fellow assistant Nick Petraglia both agreed to part ways with the program.[5] Brekke didn't remain jobless for long, accepting an offer from Clarkson to be an assistant under Casey Jones. In his only season with the Golden Knights Brekke helped Clarkson win its first conference tournament in over a decade.[6]

Less than two months after St. Lawrence fired Mark Morris[7] the Saints named Brekke the 15th head coach in program history.[8]

Head coaching record

Statistics overview
Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
St. Lawrence Saints (ECAC Hockey) (2019–present)
2019–20 St. Lawrence 4–27–52–18–212thECAC First Round
2020–21 St. Lawrence 6–8–34–8–23rdECAC Champion*
2021–22 St. Lawrence 11–19–77–10–58thECAC Quarterfinals
2022–23 St. Lawrence 17–19–012–10–04thECAC Quarterfinals
2023–24 St. Lawrence 5–11–13–3–0
St. Lawrence: 43–84–16 (.357)28–49–10 (.379)
Total:43–84–16 (.357)

      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

* St. Lawrence was forced to withdraw from the NCAA Tournament due to Brekke testing positive for COVID-19.[9]

References

  1. ↑ "Brent Brekke". St. Lawrence Saints. Retrieved November 5, 2019.
  2. ↑ "Western Michigan Men's Hockey Team History". USCHO.com. Retrieved November 5, 2019.
  3. ↑ "Brent Brekke". Clarkson Golden knights. Retrieved November 5, 2019.
  4. ↑ "Brent Brekke". Hockey DB. Retrieved November 5, 2019.
  5. ↑ "Hockey Staff Announces Changes". Miami RedHawks. March 17, 2019. Retrieved November 5, 2019.
  6. ↑ "Clarkson Men's Hockey Team History". USCHO.com. Retrieved November 5, 2019.
  7. ↑ "St. Lawrence Fires Mark Morris". College Hockey news. March 29, 2019. Retrieved November 4, 2019.
  8. ↑ "Brent Brekke Named Head Coach for Men's Ice Hockey". St. Lawrence Saints. May 25, 2019. Retrieved November 5, 2019.
  9. ↑ "St. Lawrence withdraws from NCAA men's hockey tournament after coach tests positive for COVID-19". ESPN. March 21, 2021. Retrieved March 29, 2021.
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