Ric Schafer

Ric Schafer
Sport(s) Ice hockey
Biographical details
Born 1951 (1951)
New Brighton, Minnesota
Alma mater University of Notre Dame
Playing career
1970–1974 Notre Dame
Position(s) Center
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1975–1980 Notre Dame (assistant)
1980–1987 Alaska-Fairbanks
1987–1995 Notre Dame
Head coaching record
Overall 213–237–17 (.474)

Ric Schafer (born 1951) is a retired American ice hockey player and head coach best remembered for his time with the men's program at Notre Dame.

Career

Schafer was one of many Minnesota players brought to South Bend under Lefty Smith. When he started play for the Fighting Irish the NCAA had just removed its restriction on freshman playing for varsity teams which allowed Schafer to earn four letters with the team as well as serve as team captain his senior season.

After graduating Schafer returned to Notre Dame as an assistant in 1975 and worked in that capacity until 1980. At the same time that Notre Dame was experiencing a budgetary issue with its program[1] Alaska-Fairbanks was elevating it's club to Division I status and they chose Schafer to be their new head coach.[2]

At the start Alaska-Fairbanks was a bad team. Schafer was only able to guide them to one win at the top level their first season and four more the following campaign. By the third year, however, the team turned their fortunes around and produced a 19-7 record.[3] The Nanooks posted two consecutive 20+ win seasons in the mid-1980's before the team joined its first conference, the Great West Hockey Conference. Schafer got his team a second place finish the first year of conference play but was unable to improve on that mark before his former coach Lefty Smith retired and he accepted the head coaching post at his alma mater.

When Schafer took over Notre Dame's program in 1987 the team was in turmoil, having drastically slashed its recruiting budget and eliminated all hockey scholarships. While technically a Division I Independent at the time Notre Dame was playing against mostly Division III teams which was the main cause for its 27-4-2 record and ACHA Tournament Championship in Schafer's first year with the team. The team's fortunes declined when the ACHA collapsed the following year but Schafer was able to hold the program together through the rough patch.

By 1992 enough interest in the team had been generated to warrant the administration returning some scholarships to the program and Notre Dame was readmitted to the CCHA.[4] Unfortunately the stigma from downgrading its program stuck with the Fighting Irish and Schafer was unable to bring in many top recruits. Notre Dame finished near the bottom of the league standings for three straight seasons and in 1995 he was relieved of his coaching duties.

Head coaching record

Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
Alaska-Fairbanks Nanooks (Independent) (1980–1985)
1980–81 Alaska-Fairbanks 1–23–0
1981–82 Alaska-Fairbanks 4–19–0
1982–83 Alaska-Fairbanks 19–7–0
1983–84 Alaska-Fairbanks 22–7–0
1984–85 Alaska-Fairbanks 21–12–1
Notre Dame: 67–68–1
Alaska-Fairbanks Nanooks (Great West Hockey Conference) (1985–1987)
1985–86 Alaska-Fairbanks 17–7–16–5–12nd
1986–87 Alaska-Fairbanks 17–10–07–9–03rd
Alaska-Fairbanks: 34–17–113–14–1
Notre Dame Fighting Irish (Independent) (1988–1992)
1987–88 Notre Dame 27–4–2ACHA Champion
1988–89 Notre Dame 10–26–2
1989–90 Notre Dame 18–15–0
1990–91 Notre Dame 16–15–2
1991–92 Notre Dame 12–18–1
Notre Dame: 83–78–7
Notre Dame Fighting Irish (CCHA) (1992–1995)
1992–93 Notre Dame 7–27–25–23–210thCCHA First Round
1993–94 Notre Dame 11–22–59–16–58thCCHA First Round
1994–95 Notre Dame 11–25–17–19–19thCCHA Quarterfinals
Notre Dame: 29–74–821–58–8
Total:213–237–17

      National champion         Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

[5]

References

  1. ↑ "Hockey Program in Peril at Notre Dame". New York Times. 1983-01-23. Retrieved 2017-07-02.
  2. ↑ "Reunion sparks Nanooks hockey memories". New York Times. 2015-06-21. Retrieved 2017-07-03.
  3. ↑ "Ric Schafer Year-by-Year Coaching Record". USCHO.com. Retrieved 2017-07-03.
  4. ↑ "For Former Notre Dame Hockey Coach, a Special Trip Home". New York Times. 2011-04-06. Retrieved 2017-07-03.
  5. ↑ "2015-16 Notre Dame Hockey Media Guide" (PDF). Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Retrieved 2017-07-02.
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