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In just five seasons at the helm of the Gopher hockey program, head coach Brad Frost has brought the program to the pinnacle of the collegiate hockey world, winning the 2012 NCAA title. After holding an interim head coach title during the 2007-08, Frost was named the Gopher head coach on April 16, 2008. With five years of experience under his belt, Frost, 38, continues to move the program in the right direction. His career record after five seasons stands at 145-36-16 (.777).
In 2011-12, Coach Frost led the Golden Gophers to the NCAA Championship, and the WCHA Final Face-off title. Both were firsts in Frost's career as a head coach, and accomplishments he plans to repeat in coming years. The team finished the season with a 34-5-2 record, finishing second in the regular-season WCHA race with a conference record of 21-5-2.
Frost coached two players to All-America status in 2012, as defenseman Megan Bozek earned first team honors and Amanda Kessel was a second team selection. Five players earned All-WCHA acclaim with defensemen Bozek and Anne Schleper on the first team, forwards Kessel and Jen Schoullis on the second team, and goalie Noora Räty on the third team. Räty also earned Tournament MVP honors in both the WCHA Final Face-off and the NCAA Frozen Four. Fourteen Gophers were named to the WCHA All-Academic Team.
In 2010-11, Frost led Minnesota to a 26-10-2 record and a tie for second place in the WCHA. The team earned a spot in the NCAA Tournament for the fourth consecutive season.
Frost lifted the Gopher program to a WCHA regular season title in both 2008-09 and 2009-10. With a conference mark of 18-6-4, the Golden Gophers were co-WCHA champions with Minnesota Duluth in 2010. With their performance of the regular season, Frost and the Gophers made it to their third-straight NCAA Regional game and hosted Clarkson. With a 3-2 overtime win, Minnesota earned its second-straight trip to the NCAA Frozen Four, which was hosted in Minneapolis and Ridder Arena. Although the Gophers fell to eventual champion, Minnesota Duluth, Minnesota established another 20-win season at 26-9-5 during 2009-10.
Along with the on-ice accomplishments, Frost coached Noora Raty and Anne Schleper to first-team All-America honors. Schleper was named the WCHA Defensive Player of the Year, the second-straight Gopher to earn the award under Frost's tutelage. Raty, Schleper and Emily West were named All-WCHA First Team, while rookie Megan Bozek earned second-team honors. Minnesota had six individuals earn WCHA Player of the Week honors, while eight were named All-WCHA Academic Team selections.
In just his second year as the Gophers' head coach, Frost and his team earned the 2009 WCHA regular season championship, the program's first since 2005. Posting a 23-2-3 conference mark, Frost was named the Co-Coach of the Year, an honor he shared with Wisconsin's Mark Johnson. He coached three Gophers to first-team All-WCHA honors, while the Gophers received WCHA Defensive Player of the Year, Rookie of the Year and WCHA Student-Athlete of the Year awards.
Following the conference season, Frost led the Golden Gophers to their first NCAA Frozen Four appearance since 2006. After guiding the team to a 32-5-3 record, Minnesota finished third overall in the final polls. Under his tutelage, Frost had two Gophers earn All-America honors in Melanie Gagnon and Monique Lamoureux, while Lamoureux and Gigi Marvin were named Patty Kazmaier finalists.
In August of 2007, Brad Frost's coaching career took a new turn. After former Gopher coach Laura Halldorson announced her retirement, Frost was given the task of interim head coach for the 2007-08 season. As interim head coach, Frost led his team on a 21-game unbeaten streak, the second-longest streak in school history. During that time, the Maroon and Gold held a 19-0-2 record, spanning from November 18 - Feb. 23. He went on to guide the Gophers to a 27-7-4 overall record and a 21-5-2 mark within conference play, which ranked second in the WCHA. As head coach, Frost returned the Gophers to a NCAA Regional appearance.
Along with his on-ice accomplishments, Frost coached Gigi Marvin to second-team All-America honors and helped her receive recognition as a top-10 Patty Kazmaier finalist, a Gopher first since the 2004-05 NCAA championship run. On the conference level, Marvin and defenseman Rachael Drazan were named first-team All-WCHA, while the Gophers had two additional honorees on both the second and third team. Frost himself garnered post-season honors when he was named the WCHA Coach of the Year and a finalist for the National Coach of the Year. On April 16, 2008, Frost's interim title was lifted.
Frost has been a member of the Gopher coaching staff since December of 2000 when he started his career as an interim assistant coach. He was later named assistant coach in 2001, a role he held until the end of the 2006 season. From 2001 to 2004, Frost primarily coached the power-play and the forwards, including U.S. Olympians Natalie Darwitz, Kelly Stephens and Krissy Wendell.
In the 2004-05 campaign, Frost switched from coaching the forwards to the defensemen position and the Gopher special teams in the power-play and penalty kill units. In 2005, Frost led the power-play unit to an impressive 31.0 conversion percentage in their national championship season. After losing four Olympians in the 2005-06 season, Frost helped the Gophers to a second-place finish in both the WCHA regular and tournament championships with a 19-8-1 record.
Following the 2005-06 runner-up year, Frost was elevated to an associate head coach in May of 2006. As associate head coach, Frost continued his work with the defensemen, practice planning, video analysis, game planning and working with the Gophers' power-play units. In addition to his coaching responsibilities, Frost founded the Minnesota Girls Hockey Camp in the summer of 2007.
Frost has also gained international coaching experience. Since becoming the Gophers' head coach, Frost has been selected as a U.S. National Team assistant coach for the 2008-09 season when Team USA competed at the Four Nation's Cup. In 2006, Frost was chosen to serve as an assistant coach on the U.S. Under-22 Team, which highlighted five Gopher student-athletes. A coach at the developmental level, Frost has also coached at the 2003 USA Hockey 14/15 girl's development camp, the 16-year old development camp in 2008, and the national team camp in 2011.
Before his tenure at Minnesota, Frost spent a year at his alma mater, Bethel University, as the assistant coach for the men's team. Before his stint at Bethel, Frost served as an assistant coach for the girls' hockey team at Eagan High School for three years and also served as co-head coach of the Eagan volleyball team that placed second in the Minnesota State High School League tournament in 2000. He was an assistant volleyball coach at Mounds View in 1999 and served as the head volleyball coach at New Life Academy from 1996-98. In addition to his coaching duties, Frost taught physical education at Northview Elementary in Eagan and at New Life Academy in Woodbury.
Along with his hockey accomplishments, Frost was a two-year letterwinner on the golf team. He went on to graduate with a bachelor of arts degree in physical education from Bethel in 1996. As an athlete, Frost was a four-year letterwinner and ranks eighth on Bethel's career scoring list. He finished his career with 119 points, and was voted the team's most valuable player and most inspirational in the 1994 and 1995 seasons. Frost was captain of the Royals in both his junior and senior seasons.
Frost, his wife Dayna, and sons, Micah, Jonah and Josiah, reside in Cottage Grove, Minn.
Frost At A Glance
Education
- B.A. Physical & Health Education, Bethel, 1996
Coaching Accomplishments
- Named the Gopher head coach on April 16, 2008
- In five years at the helm of the Gopher program, has led Minnesota to five NCAA Regionals, three Frozen Four appearances and one NCAA Championship
- Led Minnesota to the 2012 NCAA Championship
- Coached Minnesota to the 2012 WCHA Final Face-off title
- Guided the Gophers to back-to-back WCHA regular season titles in 2009-10
- Guided the Gophers to the WCHA Final Face-off title in 2012
- Led the Gophers to their first WCHA regular season championship in just his second season as head coach
- Voted by his peers as the WCHA Coach of the Year in his first two years as the Gopher head coach
- AHCA Coach of the Year finalist in 2008 and 2009
- Assistant coach of the U.S. Select Team in 2008-09
- Took over head coach responsibilities in August of 2007
- Led the Gophers to a 27-7-4 overall record and a 21-5-2 mark in the WCHA as an interim head coach
- Named Associate Head Coach in the 2006-07 season
- Coached Olympians Natalie Darwitz, Kelly Stephens, Lyndsay Wall and Krissy Wendell as a coach of both forwards and defensemen
- Coached the Gophers to 31.0 power-play conversion percentage in 2005
- Coached the 2003 WCHA Rookie of the Year, Natalie Darwitz, and the 2004-05 WCHA Player of the Year, Krissy Wendell
- Served as an assistant coach for the 2006 USA Hockey Under-22 Team
- Coached at the 2003 and 2008 USA Hockey girl's development camp
- Assistant coach of the Eagan High School girl's hockey team that qualified for the state tournament in 1997 and 1999
- Assistant coach of the Eagan volleyball team that placed second in the Minnesota State High School League tournament
Athletic Accomplishments
- Four-year letterwinner for men's hockey
- Ranks eighth on Bethel's career scoring list
- Finished college career with 119 points
- Voted team's Most Valuable Player and Most Inspirational while at Bethel
- Two-year letterwinner on Bethel's golf team
A few words about head coach Brad Frost
"Coach Frost's knowledge of the game and the way he implements and relays this knowledge to his players is what sets him apart from other coaches I have had throughout my career. I have had many high level coaches throughout my career in hockey and Brad Frost is by far one of the best! His practices were always well-planned and he conducted himself professionally on and off the ice. I believe that he had a lot to do with making me the hockey player and person that I am today."
Natalie Darwitz, Gopher All-American, U.S. Olympian and former Minnesota assistant coach
"Brad Frost was a great coach because he took the time to work with me on my individual game and was able to effectively convey systems and game plans to us as players. Brad was always supportive and a great leader for the team."
Kelly Stephens, former Minnesota team captain and U.S. Olympian
"Brad Frost has been a part of this program for many years, and I believe he will continue the strong tradition that has been built at Minnesota. His experience, knowledge, and positive personality give him the tools to be successful, and I wish him all the best."
Former Minnesota women's hockey coach Laura Halldorson
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