SUNY - Geneseo Men's Ice Hockey

Schultz enters his 11th season leading the Geneseo men's ice hockey program in 2016-17. The 2014 and 2016 Edward Jeremiah Award Winner as the Division III National Coach of the Year, the 1997 Geneseo graduate was hired as only the fourth head coach in the programs 40-year history in 2006. In 10 seasons leading his alma mater, he has compiled a 152-98-17 record while guiding the Knights to the postseason on nine occasions, including a home playoff game each time. Named the State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) Coach of the Year four of the last six seasons (2011, 2013, 2014, 2016), Schultz was also a finalist for the Jeremiah Award in 2011 and 2013. Last season, Schultz oversaw Geneseo's run to its second NCAA Division III Frozen Four appearance in three years as well as the program's first SUNYAC Championship in 10 seasons. The Knights finished the regular season with a 9-2-5 record in the SUNYAC, clinching the third-seed for the postseason tournament. Geneseo defeated sixth-seeded Potsdam, 4-1, in a home first-round game, before moving past second-seeded Buffalo State, 6-1, on the road to avenge a pair of regular-season losses to the Bengals. The Knights finished off the conference playoffs with a 7-1 win at top-seeded Plattsburgh to win their first title since back-to-back championships in 2005 and 2006 and also account for the 150th victory of Schultz's coaching career. Geneseo defeated Salve Regina (R.I.), 7-1, and Williams (Mass.), 2-1, in a pair of home NCAA Tournament games to punch its ticket to historic Lake Placid, N.Y. for a date with UW-Stevens Point in the national semifinals. Succumbing, 5-1, to the eventual national champion Pointers, the Knights finished with a 20-5-6 record becoming only the sixth 20-win team in the 41-year history of the program while landing fifth in the final USCHO.com national poll.  Schultz guided the program to its first-ever appearance in the NCAA Tournament Semifinals in 2013-14, finishing the season with a school record-tying 23-7 mark. Playing to their best SUNYAC record ever, the Knights compiled a 14-2 record, including six-straight wins to close the regular season that clinched the SUNYAC regular-season championship and home-ice advantage throughout the conference tournament. Following a first-round bye, Geneseo shutout fourth-seeded Buffalo State, 2-0, in the semifinals to earn its first championship appearance since back-to-back showings in 2005 and 2006. In a wild shootout against defending champion Oswego in front of a sold-out Wilson Ice Arena crowd, Geneseo clawed its way back from a 5-1 late second-period deficit before succumbing on a Laker goal with 29 seconds remaining in regulation for the 7-6 final. Receiving one of four at-large bids to the NCAA Tournament, Geneseo picked up its first-ever NCAA victories by defeating visiting Nichols (Mass.), 3-2, and Norwich (Vt.), 3-2, to earn one of four spots in the semis. The Knights run ended with a 6-2 loss to eventual national champion St. Norbert (Wisc.) in a game played at Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston, Maine. Geneseo finished the year with its highest national ranking ever, standing fourth the final national poll. The teams 23 victories tied the 1989-90 and 1990-91 squads for the most wins in a season. Schultz was credited with his 100th career win following a 4-1 victory at Potsdam, becoming only the seventh coach in SUNYAC history to eclipse the plateau. During Schultzs 10 years as head coach, the Knights have the accumulated the third-highest number of wins in the conference, while his squads have appeared in the national rankings during eight of his seasons behind the bench. In 2012-13, Schultz led the Knights to their highest win total in seven years, finishing with 17-9-1 record that included an 11-4-1 league mark and the third seed for the SUNYAC Tournament. The 2010-11 campaign saw the Knights climb as high as No. 6 in the national rankings en route to a 16-8-2 record and the second seed for the SUNYAC Tournament with a 10-5-1 league finish. In his inaugural season in 2006-07, Schultz led the Knights to a 16-10 record and a 10-4 SUNYAC mark that was only four points behind eventual national champion Oswego.  It was only the third time in the previous 16 season that Geneseo has won more than 15 games.  Under Schultzs watch, six Knights have earned All-America honors, including three first-team honorees. The 2015-16 season saw Stephen Collins '17 garner SUNYAC Player of the Year and First-Team All-American recognition while also being listed as a finalist for the Sid Watson National Player of the Year Award. He also joined Trevor Hills '17 (2nd Team All-America) and Pat Condon '18 (3rd) add their names to the Knights' All-America list. Zachary Vit 14 copped 2014 SUNYAC Player of the Year plaudits and was a finalist for the Sid Watson Award before receiving a first-team All-America nod. Schultz also guided Mitch Stephens 07 to SUNYAC Player of the Year and First-Team All-America honors during his senior campaign, while defenseman Danny Scagnelli 11 landed a third-team certificate to punctuate his final season in Blue and White. A native of Chili, N.Y., Schultz was an assistant coach at Geneseo under current RIT associate coach Brian Hills for three seasons (2000-2003) before serving three seasons as the head coach at his high school alma mater, Aquinas Institute (2003-2006). A Catholic private school located in nearby Rochester, N.Y., Schultz led the Little Irish to a 54-14-3 record, including a runner-up finish for the 2006 New York State Class A Championship after winning the Section V Class A title. Schultz graduated from Geneseo with a dual degree in special education and history before going on to complete a masters degree in education in 2002 at SUNY Brockport. As a student-athlete, Schultz was a two-time captain for the Knights while finishing with 55 points (26 goals, 29 assists) during in his career.  A member of the SUNYAC Commissioners List and All-Academic Team, he was awarded ECAC East Region USAir Rookie of the Week on one occasion. Prior to his collegiate career, Schultz played one season with the Rochester Monarchs junior hockey team, serving as team captain and setting a team record with seven short-handed goals in 1993, after leaving Aquinas as the eighth-highest scorer in school history 38th all-time in Section V.   A resident of Livonia, N.Y., Schultz and his wife, Christy, have two sons -- Will and Drew.

Heeres returns for a 11th season as assistant coach for the 2016-2017 campaign.  Heeres, an Abbotsford, British Columbia native, is a 2006 graduate of Geneseo where he received his undergraduate degree in childhood education and special education.  Heeres played four seasons at Geneseo scoring 26 goals and 29 assists. Voted the 2002 Co-SUNYAC Rookie of the Year after recording 11 goals, 14 assists and a team leading six power play goals, he was also a part  two-consecutive SUNYAC Championships in 2005 and 2006.  Prior to his arrival at Geneseo, Heeres had an excellent career in the British Columbia Junior Hockey League where he spent time with the Merritt Centennials and Burnaby Express.  A full-time advisor in the Geneseo Office of Admissions, Heeres is involved with all facets of the hockey program with primary emphasis on recruiting coordination.     Kris and his wife, Meredith, a 2006 Geneseo graduate, live in nearby Livonia, N.Y. with their sons, Ethan and A.J.