Former UMC Coach Oliver Inducted into NJCAA Hockey Coaches Hall of Fame

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Former University of Minnesota Crookston men’s hockey and football coach Scott Oliver was announced as a member of the 2017 National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Hockey Coaches Hall of Fame Thurs., June 8. Oliver is one of six coaches who are part of the 2017 class. Oliver joins another former Minnesota Crookston hockey coach, Gary Warren, as members of the NJCAA Hockey Coaches Hall of Fame. Warren was inducted in 2002 for his job as head coach at then Minot State University-Bottineau (now Dakota College at Bottineau).

Oliver began his tenure as head coach of the men’s hockey program at U of M Crookston in 1987 and would serve in the role until 1998 and would continue on staff as head football coach until 2002. He posted a career record of 204-49-4. Oliver led Minnesota Crookston to the top of junior college hockey with consecutive NJCAA National Championships in 1992-93 and 1993-94. The 1993-94 squad had an undefeated mark of 26-0-1 and was led by Nathan Pitt, Bill Trew, Jeff Malawski and Ken Essay all being named All-Americans. His 1992-93 squad was paced by the performances of Ryan Driedger, Scott Elder and Pete Nordell, who were all named All-Americans. Oliver headed the hockey team through their transition from NJCAA to NAIA. Driedger, Pitt, Essay and Malawski are all U of M Crookston Hall of Famers, along with both of his National Championship Hockey teams.

Oliver, a Winnipeg, Manitoba native, has continued his coaching success at the high school level, leading Roseau High School to three State tournament appearances with a state title in 2007. He is currently an assistant with East Grand Forks High School hockey, leading the Green Wave to back-to-back Minnesota Class A Championships. He has also previously been the Head Football Coach at East Grand Forks H.S. Oliver also teaches physical education for the East Grand Forks School District and is involved with the High School Elite League as a coach for the Great Plains team.

His wife Denice is the long-time principal at Washington Elementary in Crookston. Their son Nick Oliver was a WCHA Scholar-Athlete and Team Captain for the St. Cloud State Hockey Team, graduating in 2015.

Oliver is one of 14 members of the NJCAA Coaches Association Hall of Fame. He is joined in the 2017 class by Matt Alvey (Hudson Valley Community College), Craig Chamberlain (Monroe Community College), Steve Mullen (Erie Community College), Gary Rost (Erie Community College)m and Travis Rybchinski (Dakota College at Bottineau).

NJCAA ICE HOCKEY COACHES ASSOCIATION HALL OF FAME MEMBERS

•             Matt Alvey – Hudson Valley Community College (NY) (2017)

•             Frank Catani – Hibbing Community College (MN) (2000)

•             Craig Chamberlain – Monroe Community College (NY) (2017)

•             Ralph Galanti, Jr – Erie Community College (NY) (2002)

•             Tim Gerrish – North Country Community College (NY) (2005)

•             Dan Huntley – Rainy River Community College (MN) (2015)

•             Terry Martin – SUNY Canton (NY) (2000)

•             Scott Oliver – Minnesota Crookston (2017)

•             Gary Rost – Erie Community College (NY) (2017)

•             Travis Rybchinski – Dakota College at Bottineau (ND) (2017)

•             Herb Salberg – College of DuPage (IL) (2000)

•             George Schlieff – Rainy River Community College (MN) (2000)

•             Earl Utter – SUNY Morrisville (NY) (2007)

•             Gary Warren – Minot State University-Bottineau (2002)