University of Wisconsin, Superior Women's Ice Hockey

Dan Laughlin enters his first season as the head club men's hockey coach in 2026-27. He was named to the position April 9, 2026. Laughlin returns to UW-Superior following a 21-season tenure behind the bench of the Yellowjacket women's hockey team. Laughlin is the all-time leader in wins among UWS women's hockey coaches. Laughlin guided the Yellowjacket women's hockey team to heights never seen by the program, culminating with an appearance in the NCAA Division III Women's Ice Hockey Championships in 2008, where the team finished fourth. It was the second time the Yellowjackets qualified for the NCAA tournament, with the previous entry coming in 2006. Laughlin's teams have won three NCHA regular-season titles (2004, 2007 and 2008) and one NCHA playoff championship (2008). In addition to team success, Laughlin's players have brought home individual accolades. Twelve players have been named All-American by the American Hockey Coaches Association (AHCA), and 41 players have been named all-conference. Laughlin has been named Coach of the Year six times, four in the NCHA (2004, 2007, 2008 and 2012). In 2015 and 2018, he was named WIAC Women's Hockey Coach of the Year. Laughlin's coaching career began as an assistant coach at Superior High School. From there, he cut his teeth in the junior ranks as an assistant coach with the Sioux City Musketeers of the United States Hockey League (USHL). Laughlin also spent time as a coach in the Madison Capitols AAA hockey organization. Laughlin has supplemented his coaching experience working at numerous camps, clinics and hockey schools since his retirement as a player. After a junior hockey career with the USHL's Des Moines Buccaneers, Laughlin was a three-year standout defenseman with the Yellowjackets.  From 1989-92, he appeared in 85 games and was the team captain of the 1992 team that made the school's first-ever appearance in the NCAA Division III Men's Ice Hockey Championships. Following his Yellowjacket career, Laughlin played two years of professional hockey with the Madison Monsters of the disbanded Colonial Hockey League and the St. Petersburg Renegades of the now-defunct Southern Hockey League.  Laughlin also had a stint with the Minnesota Iron Rangers of the short-lived American Hockey Association. Laughlin graduated from UW-Superior in 1994 with a Bachelor's Degree in communications. He furthered his education with a Master's Degree in mass communications, also from UW-Superior in 2011. Laughlin and his wife Jill reside in Solon Springs, Wis. Laughlin at UW-Superior (Women's Hockey Head Coaching Tenure) Year W L T Pct. 2003-04 19 7 1 .722 2004-05 15 8 2 .640 2005-06 22 4 2 .821 2006-07 18 6 3 .722 2007-08 23 6 1 .783 2008-09 17 8 2 .667 2009-10 18 9 2 .655 2010-11 13 8 7 .589 2011-12 17 8 3 .661 2012-13 16 9 2 .630 2013-14 14 7 6 .630 2014-15 15 12 0 .556 2015-16 10 12 5 .463 2016-17 12 15 0 .444 2017-18 14 11 2 .518 2018-19 7 18 2 .296 2019-20 17 8 2 .667 2020-21 4 6 0 .400 2021-22 10 14 1 .420 2022-23 11 15 0 .423 2023-24 8 18 1 .315 Total 300 209 44 .582