Shyiak named head hockey coach at Northern Michigan

MARQUETTE, Mich. – Former Northern Michigan University hockey player Dave Shyiak has been named his alma mater's fourth head coach, athletic director Rick Comley announced Wednesday.

“I am thrilled that Dave Shyiak is returning to campus to lead our hockey program,” said Comley. “Dave was part of our National Championship team and, as an assistant coach, kept our program at an extremely high level for many years.”

A 1991 graduate of Northern Michigan University, Shyiak played four seasons with the Wildcats (1987-91), where he helped captain the 1991 National Championship team and was a member of both the 1989 and 1991 WCHA Playoff championship teams. Shyiak returned returned to Northern to begin his coaching career as an assistant (1995-2002) under Comley before being promoted to head coach for three seasons (2002-2005).

Following his time at Northern, Shyiak took over as head coach at Alaska Anchorage for eight years, before enjoying success at Western Michigan and St. Cloud. He has more than 25 years of coaching experience at the collegiate level, having coached more than 1,000 NCAA games, along with an NCAA National Championship game appearance and five NCAA Tournament appearances.

Comley added, “Dave is the right person, at the right time, in the right place to lead Northern Michigan back to a national level of success.”

“This is an incredible opportunity to return to my home away from home,” said Shyiak. “Northern Michigan and Marquette are very special to me and my family. We have remained close to many of our friends and fellow alumni in the Upper Peninsula. To start as a student-athlete in 1987 and come full circle to the hockey program as head coach is something I will forever be grateful to President Tessman and Rick Comley for believing in me, and I will do everything I can to make this university and community proud .”

Shyiak spent the past four seasons as head coach at St. Cloud State. With the Huskies, he helped lead the program to new heights with three consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances, including an NCAA runner-up finish in 2020-2021.

Under Shyiak's leadership, six SCSU defensemen have earned All-NCHC honors. This past season, blueliner Dylan Anhorn was named an AHCA/CCM Hockey Men's Second Team West All-American.

Shyiak joined the SCSU staff after serving as associate head coach at Western Michigan University from 2014 to 2020. In Kalamazoo, Shyiak helped the Broncos to an NCAA Tournament berth in 2017, and earned home ice in the NCHC playoffs in 2017, 2019 and 2020. Prior to his tenure at WMU, Shyiak worked as an amateur hockey scout for the Toronto Maple Leafs. organization from 2013-2014.

His first collegiate head coaching position was at the University of Alaska Anchorage from 2005 to 2013. He ranks as the Seawolves' all-time coaching leader during the WCHA era with 80 wins and helped the UAA advance to the WCHA Final Five.

In 1994-95, Shyiak was the general manager and head coach of the Merritt Centennials of the BCJHL and his junior hockey resume includes one season as head coach of the Kimberley Dynamiters of the RMJHL in 1993-94. Shyiak was a player/coach for one season with the Murrayfield Racers of the Super League-British Ice Hockey in 1991-92.

Shyiak was an evaluator for the USA Hockey selection camps in Michigan from 2015 to 2020 and was a coach at the 2020 USA Hockey national selection camp in Buffalo, NY. He has also served as a guest coach for the Washington Capitals Development Camp in 2010. and the Swedish National U20 Team Camp in 2009.

Dave and his wife, Lucia, a former two-time NMU All-American volleyball standout, have three children, Kristian, Sheldon and Isabela.

Introductory press conference

A public press conference/meet and greet with head coach Dave Shyiak and NMU athletic director Rick Comley will take place on Friday, June 28 at 11 a.m. in the Wildcat Room. The public and local media are invited to attend.

A Zoom option will be available for national media. The press conference will also be streamed live on the NMU Wildcats YouTube pageFor more information, please contact Zach Nicholas ([email protected]).