Hastings Steps Down at MSU; Headed to Wisconsin

Minnesota State men's hockey coach Mike Hastings has resigned as the head coach of the Mavericks and has accepted the same position at the University of Wisconsin.

This past season, Hastings led Minnesota State to a 25-13-1 record en route to its fifth straight MacNaughton Cup championship and second straight Mason Cup championship.

During his tenure at Minnesota State, Hastings successfully positioned the MSU program as a conference and national power, as the Mavericks participated in eight NCAA tournaments, including unforgettable runs to the Frozen Four in 2021 and 2022.

"Coach Hastings has had a transformational impact and left an indelible mark on our program. His record of success on and off the ice speaks for itself and the goodwill and brand recognition he has created for Maverick hockey is immeasurable," said Minnesota State Director of Athletics, Kevin Buisman. "I am confident he will continue to do great things in Madison and we wish Mike and his family all the best moving forward."

While at Minnesota State, Hastings and his Minnesota State teams won more games over the past 11 years than any other program in the country. During that time, the Mavericks have racked up a record of 299-110-25 for a national-best .719 winning percentage. Inheriting a program that had reached the 20-win mark just twice in its first 16 seasons as a Division I program before his arrival, Hastings truly changed the culture at Minnesota State and turned the Mavericks into a consistent winner. Not only have his Mavericks won no fewer than 21 games in any of his 10 seasons, but they hit the 30-victory plateau three times, including last year where the Mavericks won a school-record 37 games.

During Hastings's time behind the bench at Minnesota State, the Mavericks have hoisted the MacNaughton Cup eight times in the last nine years (2015, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023) and have captured five league postseason tournament titles (2014, 2015, 2019, 2022 and 2023). Additionally, Hastings's teams made eight NCAA tournament appearances (2013, 2014, 2015, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022 and 2023), and would have undoubtedly qualified for a ninth time if not for the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, which prematurely shut down one of the best seasons in team history. Additionally, he was named a three-time Spencer Penrose Award winner as the nation's top hockey coach.

A process to fill the position will begin immediately and University officials will provide an update regarding the future leadership of the men's hockey program when that information is available.