University of Alaska, Fairbanks Men's Ice Hockey

Head coach Erik Largen enters his seventh year as the Nanook hockey bench boss in 2024-25. The Fairbanks-native and former Alaska goaltender became the program's 10th head coach on April 30, 2018. At the time of his hiring, he was the youngest NCAA Ice Hockey head coach at 31 years of age. He first joined the Nanooks bench in August 2016 when former head coach Dallas Ferguson brought him on as an assistant coach. He served in that same position a year later, 2017-18, under interim head coach Lance West.  With Largen on the bench as an assistant and head coach, the Nanooks made the WCHA playoffs each season (16-20) and captured the coveted Alaska Airlines Governor's Cup each season. He now leads the team into their first independent season since the 1993-94 season. In his first season at the helm, Largen led Alaska to a 12-21-3, 12-14-2 WCHA record that included keeping the Governor's Cup and knocking-off then-ranked #4 Minnesota State 1-0 at home in the Carlson Center. The 'Nooks traveled to Northern Michigan for the first round of the 2019 WCHA Playoffs where they fell in two games. The next season, the Nanooks returned to the Carlson Center and finished above .500 for the first time since 2014-15. With a 16-15-5, 14-9-5 WCHA record, they also hosted the first round of the 2020 WCHA Playoffs, their first time hosting since the 2013-14 season. They fell to Bowling Green in two games.  Largen's second season on top led to the Nanooks first win against Michigan Tech in 16-games, a 4-0 victory over then-ranked #9/8 Penn State and their first victory in program history against Arizona State.  His third season was canceled due to COVID-19. His fourth season, the 2021-22 season, was played as an independent. This was the Nanooks' first season in the independent Division I ranks since the 1993-94 season. Alaska went 14-18-2 in their first year out of a conference, and featured a three-game win streak against RPI to end the 2021 home-schedule before tying #8/8 Denver on the road and defeating #8/8 Minnesota on the road. The 'Nooks went 3-0-1 against independent rival Arizona State. After Dec. 10, 2021, the Nanooks finished their season 12-6-2. On July 28, 2022, Erik Largen signed a four-year extension to remain the head coach of the Nanooks hockey program through the 2025-26 season.  In the 2022-23 season, the Nanooks saw their best season since 2001-02 in terms of victories. Alaska posted a 22-10-2 Independent record and finished 17th in the PairWise rankings, missing out on the NCAA Hockey Tournament by one place. After starting 5-7-2 in the first two months, the Nanooks exploded for a 17-3-0 record from Dec. 9, 2022 on. In that span, the 'Nooks swept UAA 6-0 in the season series to grab their 12th-straight Alaska Airlines Governor's Cup, they grabbed a 3-2 win at #19/17 Notre Dame on Dec. 31, 2022 and picked up a 3-1 win at #1/2 Denver - their first-ever win in Magness Arena. In the final 12 games of the season, the Nanooks posted an 11-1-0 record to finish 22-10-2, their most wins since Guy Gadowsky led the 01-02 Nanooks to a 22-12-3, 15-10-3 CCHA record. Under Largen this season, Matt Radomsky was named the Hockey Commissioners Association December Goaltender of the Month. Largen was also named a Spencer Penrose Award Finalist and was named the 2022-23 Everything College Hockey Coach of the Year. On April 12, 2023 Largen signed a new five-year extension to stay with the Nanooks through the 2027-28 season. In his first season after his new extension, Largen posted the Nanooks' second-consecutive winning season with a 17-14-3 record. Alaska opened the year with six games against nationally-ranked opponents, resulting in wins at No. 9/10 Michigan Tech and No. 20/18 St. Cloud State. Their momentum carried into a sweep of in-state rivals, UAA and Stonehill, upping their win-streak to five, the longest of the season. Coach Largen led Alaska to their 13th-straight Alaska Airlines Governor's Cup with a pair of road wins at UAA. In Dec. 2023, Alaska played in their first-ever Great Lakes Invitational and took home third with a GLI Third-Place Game victory over Ferris State. To end the season, the Nanooks won three-straight with a road win at Augustana and a sweep of Stonehill.  Prior to joining the Alaska Nanooks hockey staff, Largen spent the 2015-16 season as head coach for the Marian University hockey team, an NCAA Division III program located in Fond du lac, Wisconsin. In his inaugural season as bench boss, Largen led the Sabres to an 18-7-3 season overall and a 15-4-1 mark in Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference play. Largen brings a variety of coaching experience to the table, with stints in the United States Hockey League, the North American Hockey League and the Minnesota Junior Hockey League. Largen also served as the assistant coach for the Fairbanks Ice Dogs from 2009-2011. During his tenure, the Ice Dogs were the Robertson Cup runners-up in 2010 and claimed the championship in 2011.   Largen is also featured on the College Hockey Honor Roll in the Fairbanks Hockey Hall of Fame and has been instrumental in organizing many community events that the Alaska Nanook hockey team participates in.  Largen Career Coaching Record: 71-85-18 (.460) Record at Alaska: 53-78-15 (.414) 2015-16* 18-7-3, 15-4-1 NACC 2018-19 0-21-3, 0-14-2 WCHA^ 2019-20 0-15-5, 0-9-5 WCHA^ 2020-21 Canceled due to COVID-19 2021-22 14-18-2 (Independent) 2022-23 22-10-2 (Independent) 2023-24 17-14-3 (Independent) 2024-25 -- *at Marian University ^ wins vacated by Committee on Infractions  

Schmidt is in his second season as assistant coach for the hockey program. Schmidt has most recently been the Director of Training and Recruitment at the Minnesota Advancement Program, the largest hockey training facility in the state, since 2009.   In three years with MAP, Schmidt recruited over 200 players into the program, coached and trained over 400 athletes off the ice and coached over 100 hockey games.   A Nanook from 2001-2005, Schmidt played his first three seasons for Guy Gadowsky, now of Penn State, and his senior year under Tavis MacMillan, a scout for the National Hockey League's Winnipeg Jets.   Schmidt's final season at Alaska was also Ferguson's first as the program's assistant coach. He appeared in 117 career games and scored 23 points, including 19 as a senior when was named the Shawn Chambers Defenseman of the Year.   Schmidt's professional hockey career landed him back in his hometown of Anchorage, where he enjoyed a successful four-year stint playing for the Aces of the ECHL. Schmidt tallied 96 points in 231 pro hockey games and was a part of Aces teams that won the Kelly Cup in 2005-06 and the Western Conference title in 2008-09.    Schmidt graduated from UAF in 2006 with a degree in Psychology and a minor in Education. He and his wife Andrea have one son, Hendrik.

Ferguson enters his sixth season as head coach of the Alaska Hockey program. He was named the eighth head coach of his alma mater on May 15, 2008, following four years of service as an assistant coach for the Blue and Gold. A former Nanook defenseman and team captain, Ferguson guided the program to new heights in his first three seasons at the helm. After leading the team to a fourth place finish in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association and capturing the league's Coach of the Year award in 2008-09, he took the Nanooks to the NCAA tournament for the first time in program history in 2009-10. Under his tutelage, the Nanooks have won four consecutive Alaska Airlines Governor's Cup titles, played host to four CCHA home playoff series (winning three) and claimed five non-conference tournament titles. The Wainwright, Alberta, native has coached over 30 Nanooks who have gone on to professional hockey careers, including rearguard Jordan Hendry of the 2010 National Hockey League Stanley Cup Champion Chicago Blackhawks, 2009 CCHA Player of the Year and All-American Chad Johnson of the Boston Bruins and 2008 CCHA Offensive Defenseman of the year and Alaska's only First Team All-American Tyler Eckford (Ottawa Senators). Through his first four seasons as an assistant coach, Ferguson was part of Nanook squads that defeated four No.1-ranked teams, captured two Alaska Airlines Governor's Cups, finished third at the CCHA Super Six tournament at Joe Louis Arena, won three CCHA first-round playoff series on the road, and set a program record for road wins in a season (10, 2005-06). Since his arrival at Alaska in the summer of 2004, Ferguson has steadily climbed the professional ladder. After serving as the Nanooks' second assistant coach from 2004-07, he was named the first assistant coach in 2007-08. From 2004 to 2007, Ferguson primarily coached the defensemen and was in charge of the defensive special teams. In 2005, Ferguson coached the penalty-killing unit to an impressive 88.0 percent conversion percentage, the third best in the nation. Prior to his tenure at Alaska, Ferguson spent two years as the assistant coach for the Fairbanks Ice Dogs Junior A hockey team of the North American Hockey League. As an athlete, Ferguson enjoyed a four-year professional hockey career following his collegiate playing days in Fairbanks. He was a four-year letterwinner for the Nanooks (1992-96) and ranks 21st on Alaska's career scoring list. He finished his career with 104 points (17g, 87a) and was a three-time recipient of the Shawn Chambers Top Defenseman Award. A proven leader, Ferguson was an alternate captain as a junior and voted the team captain as a senior. Following his college career, he played four years professionally, with stints for the Richmond Renegades of the East Coast Hockey League, and the Alaska Gold Kings and Anchorage Aces of the West Coast Hockey League. Ferguson notched 78 points in 195 pro hockey games, including 61 in 162 games for the Aces. Off the ice, he earned his bachelor's degree in business administration with an emphasis on management and organization. Ferguson and his wife Tara live in Fairbanks with their daughters, Peyton and Kendall.

West served as an assistant coach at his alma mater, the University of Alabama-Huntsville, for seven consecutive seasons (2000-07). As an assistant coach for the Chargers, West shared responsibility for developing and documenting team procedures, recruiting, practices, scheduling non-conference games, fund raising, travel, and video. While at UAH, West was also health and physical education instructor (2002-07). He helped mentor the Chargers squads that won two College Hockey America regular season championships, made four conference tournament appearances and one NCAA tournament appearance during his final season (2006-07). It marked his second stint with the UAH coaching staff as he had previously served as a volunteer assistant for the Chargers from 1995-1998, when the Chargers captured two Division II National Championships (1996 & 1998). Prior to his coaching days, West was a four-year letter winner for the Chargers from 1991-95. The offensive-minded center amassed 43 goals and 65 assists for 108 points in 106 games (1.02 ppg) in his collegiate playing career and currently sits 20th on UAH's All-Time Scoring Leaders list. As a senior, he was voted team captain and received the UAH hockey team's Coaches Award. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree in biology, minor in chemistry and Class B Teaching Certification from UAH.

Dylan Blankenship is in his sixth season with the Alaska Nanooks hockey program and fifth year as the Director of Hockey Operations.  Blankenship first joined Alaska for the 2018-19 season as a Volunteer Assistant Coach. After just one season with the Nanooks, he was elevated to the Director of Hockey Operations and has held that position for the past four years. As the Director of Hockey Ops, Blankenship oversees day-to-day operations including video, pre-scout video for team meetings, special teams, goalies and other game day prep. He records and clips everyday practices and tags clips during games.  He also plans and executes all travel itineraries, flights, hotels and meals while also assisting in press box duties at the Carlson Center for visiting Hockey Operations.  Prior to joining Alaska, he held the Associate Head Coaching position at West Valley High School from 2014-18.  Blankenship graduated from UAF with a B.A. in Business Administration in May 2018.

Curtin is in his 16th season as the head athletic trainer and strength coach for the Nanooks. His background is as varied as his job responsibilities with the Nanooks. After receiving a bachelor's degree in biology from UAF, he returned to school to get a second bachelor's degree from Oregon State in athletic training and exercise science. He then went on for his master's degree in athletic training at the University of Arizona. After graduate school, he returned to Fairbanks where he worked for Sportsmedicine Fairbanks as the director of athletic training for four years prior to coming to work for the athletic department. Curtin lives in North Pole with his wife Beth and daughter Mikayla.