University of Wisconsin, Superior Men's Ice Hockey

The 2026-27 season will be the 11th for Richard McKenna as head coach of the Yellowjacket men's hockey program. McKenna was named to the position May 11, 2016, becoming the sixth head coach to lead the Yellowjackets since the program was reinstated in 1965. In McKenna's first eight seasons at UWS, he has had 21 players earn All-WIAC honors and helped 27 sign professional contracts, including seven following the 2021-22 season alone and seven more after the 2022-23 season. He has also coached several current NHL players and draft picks from his time in the USHL and NCAA Division I. McKenna led the 'Jackets to his best season to-date behind the bench, collecting a record of 19-5-3 and the 2025 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) regular season championship. The 19 wins served as the best mark since the 2008-09 season, which was boosted by a 15-game unbeaten streak. The Yellowjackets were recognized nationally throughout the season, ranking as high as seventh in the DIII Hockey News poll and 10th in the USCHO poll before finishing the campaign ranked Nos. 11/12, respectively. UW-Superior claimed the 59th Annual Codfish Bowl Tournament championship after defeating Fitchburg State 2-0 and tournament-host UMass Boston 5-2 before running through the majority of the WIAC opponents. Additionally, Superior's win against the Falcons served as McKenna's 100th win behind the bench. The 2023-24 season saw McKenna's Yellowjackets go 11-15-1 overall. During the Subway Superior Showdown championship game McKenna guided his squad to an overtime victory against No. 2 ranked St. Scholastica, which was their first loss of the campaign. Additionally, this clinched the first tournament win in the tournament's six-year history.  For his work in the 2022-23 season, McKenna was named the WIAC Coach of the Year for the first time in his career after leading the Yellowjackets to a third place finish with a 15-12-2 overall record. Additionally, he was named a finalist for the Edward Jeremiah Award, given annually to the NCAA Division III Men's Ice Hockey Coach of the Year from the American Hockey Coaches Association (AHCA). He was one of 12 NCAA Division III men's hockey coaches up for the award. McKenna led the 'Jackets to the 2021 WIAC Championship with 7-3 overall record and 5-3 mark in the league. Superior won the title, its first since taking the 2011 crown, with a 3-2 come-from-behind victory at UW-Stevens Point March 12.  McKenna came to UW-Superior following a season as the head coach and general manager of the New Jersey Titans of the North American Hockey League (NAHL). He led the Titans to a record of 34-22-4 and a second-place finish in the NAHL's East Division in 2015-16. McKenna began his coaching career as an assistant coach at NCAA Division III Castleton State in Vermont in 2008-09 where he helped the Spartans to a 15-win season and a berth in the ECAC East playoffs. From there, McKenna spent two seasons (2009-11) as an assistant coach at Division III Wesleyan in Middletown, Conn., before moving to the Division I ranks at UConn. While there, McKenna helped guide the Huskies to the Atlantic Hockey quarterfinals in 2011-12 and then the semifinals in 2012-13. He moved into the junior game as the assistant coach and assistant general manager of the Muskegon (Mich.) Lumberjacks of the United States Hockey League (USHL). There McKenna worked under head coach and former NHL player Todd Krygier for two seasons, helping the Lumberjacks reach the Clark Cup finals in 2014-15 where they ultimately lost to the Sioux Falls Stampede. McKenna played his college hockey at Castleton State, graduating in 2007. A native of Greenwood Lake, N.Y., McKenna and his wife Carina reside in Cloquet, Minn. They have three sons -- Declan, Wade and Barrett.   McKenna at UW-Superior Year W L T Pct. 2016-17 8 19 2 .310 2017-18 9 15 3 .333 2018-19 10 14 3 .426 2019-20 16 10 3 .603 2020-21 7 3 0 .700 2021-22 15 12 2 .552 2022-23 15 12 2 .552 2023-24 11 15 1 .552 2024-25 19 5 3 .759 2025-26 13 11 2 .538 Total 123 116 21 .513

Graham enters his 10th season as the top assistant coach with the Yellowjacket men's hockey program in 2016-17. As an assistant Graham will work with the team's forwards as well as with the team's power play and penalty killing units. Graham, who has more than 20 years of hockey coaching experience, joined the Yellowjacket men's hockey staff in the 2007-08 season. Prior to that, Graham was an assistant with the Yellowjacket women's hockey program, a position he held from 2003-2007. As a player Graham played AAA hockey for the Marquette (Michigan) Electricians before enjoying a successful junior career with the Omaha (Nebraska) Lancers of the United States Hockey League. Graham arrived at UW-Superior in 1993 and proceeded to become of the most consistent and durable players in the program's history. Graham appeared in 129 games, the second-most in program history, from 1993-1997, totaling 33 goals and 83 assists for 116 points in the process. He is one of 10 players in the program's history to have appeared in four consecutive NCAA Frozen Four tournaments, finishing fourth twice, and twice being the nation's runner-up. A native of Fairbanks, Alaska, Graham has twice been inducted into the UW-Superior Athletic Hall of Fame, as a member of the 1993-94 and 1996-97 men's hockey teams. Away from the rink Graham Alaska is a port terminal foreman for Calumet Oil. A UW-Superior alumnus, Graham graduated in 1998 with a Bachelor of Science degree in corporate community health. He and his wife Shannon have two daughters - Kayleigh and Maddy.

GarverOnKUWS Jon Garver is in his seventh year overseeing UW-Superior's athletic marketing, fundraising, and sports information efforts. In addition to his department administration duties, Garver also serves as the director of hockey operations for the Yellowjacket men's hockey team. On game days Garver is the play-by-play announcer for the Yellowjacket men's hockey team on 91.3 FM KUWS. Garver came to UW-Superior following three years as the director of communications for the United States Hockey League (2006-2009). There Garver was responsible for designing all of the league's publications and promotional materials, disseminating information, statistical compilation, and representing the league at national trade shows and showcases. Previously, Garver spent three years (2001-2004) as the USHL's assistant commissioner where he oversaw the league marketing committee, organized league events like the entry draft and all-star game, and assisted the commissioner with the daily operation of the league. Previously, Garver worked at UW-Superior as an assistant men's hockey coach during the 2000-01 season. He was also the assistant director of campus recreation in charge of Wessman Arena from 2004 until 2006. During that time he served as assistant men's hockey coach, as well. For four seasons Garver was a forward on the Yellowjacket men's hockey team. From 1994-1998 he appeared in 111 games for the Yellowjackets and played on three teams that reached the NCAA Division III Ice Hockey Championships. He was a team captain as a senior and twice was named to the NCHA All-Academic Team. In 2007 Garver was inducted into the UW-Superior Athletic Hall of Fame as part of the 1996-97 men's hockey team that finished second in the nation. He went in again in 2015 for his role as an assistant coach on the 2000-01 men's hockey team. A native of Chisholm, Minn., Garver earned his Bachelor of Science degree in sports management from UW-Superior in 1998, then completed his Master's Degree in mass communications at UW-Superior in 2000. He and his wife Allison, who works in the office of student involvement on campus, reside in Superior.   Jon Garver Sports Information Manager/Director of Hockey Operations Twitter: GarverOnKUWS Jon Garver is in his seventh year overseeing UW-Superior's athletic marketing, fundraising, and sports information efforts. In addition to his department administration duties, Garver also serves as the director of hockey operations for the Yellowjacket men's hockey team. On game days Garver is the play-by-play announcer for the Yellowjacket men's hockey team on 91.3 FM KUWS. Garver came to UW-Superior following three years as the director of communications for the United States Hockey League (2006-2009). There Garver was responsible for designing all of the league's publications and promotional materials, disseminating information, statistical compilation, and representing the league at national trade shows and showcases. Previously, Garver spent three years (2001-2004) as the USHL's assistant commissioner where he oversaw the league marketing committee, organized league events like the entry draft and all-star game, and assisted the commissioner with the daily operation of the league. Previously, Garver worked at UW-Superior as an assistant men's hockey coach during the 2000-01 season. He was also the assistant director of campus recreation in charge of Wessman Arena from 2004 until 2006. During that time he served as assistant men's hockey coach, as well. For four seasons Garver was a forward on the Yellowjacket men's hockey team. From 1994-1998 he appeared in 111 games for the Yellowjackets and played on three teams that reached the NCAA Division III Ice Hockey Championships. He was a team captain as a senior and twice was named to the NCHA All-Academic Team. In 2007 Garver was inducted into the UW-Superior Athletic Hall of Fame as part of the 1996-97 men's hockey team that finished second in the nation. He went in again in 2015 for his role as an assistant coach on the 2000-01 men's hockey team. A native of Chisholm, Minn., Garver earned his Bachelor of Science degree in sports management from UW-Superior in 1998, then completed his Master's Degree in mass communications at UW-Superior in 2000. He and his wife Allison, who works in the office of student involvement on campus, reside in Superior.