Guy Gadowsky Position: Head Coach Alma Mater: Colorado College '89

Guy Gadowsky, a 12-year collegiate coaching veteran, was named head coach of the Penn State men's hockey team on April 24, 2011.

The 2012-13 season will mark Penn State's first at the varsity level since 1946-47. The Nittany Lions will compete as an independent during their first season before joining the Big Ten in 2013-14.

Gadowsky came to Happy Valley following a successful seven-year stint as Princeton's bench boss. In his first five years as head coach, the Tigers improved their win total in each season. In 2008-09, Princeton captured a program-record 22 victories and earned its second straight NCAA tournament appearance.

During the 2007-08 campaign, Gadowsky, who inherited a program that had a won a combined eight games in the two seasons prior to his arrival, guided Princeton to both the ECAC Hockey tournament and Ivy League crowns. The team earned its first NCAA tournament berth since 1998, and Gadowsky garnered ECAC Hockey Coach of the Year honors and was a finalist for the Spencer Penrose Award, presented to Division I hockey's top coach. He was also named Inside College Hockey National Coach of the Year.

While at Princeton, Gadowsky had more than 20 players go on to sign professional contracts, while three of his players have appeared in the NHL. Gadowsky also coached two ECAC and Ivy League Players of the Year as Lee Jubinville (2008) and Zane Kalemba (2009) each won the award in their junior seasons.

Prior to Princeton, Gadowsky spent five seasons as head coach of Alaska (1999-2004), where he inherited a team that had not won more than 14 games in the previous five seasons since joining the CCHA. After two rebuilding seasons, Gadowsky led the Nanooks to their first 20-win season since 1993-94 as the team finished with a 22-12-3 record and was ranked 11th nationally at the end of the season. He followed that up with 15 wins the following season and 16 his last season.

In addition, Alaska twice hosted the first round of the CCHA playoffs in a three-year span, a feat never accomplished prior to Gadowsky's arrival. During his tenure with the Nanooks, his teams set school records for team grade-point average, wins and game attendance.

Before joining the collegiate ranks, Gadowsky spent three seasons (1996-99) as head coach and director of hockey operations for the Fresno Falcons of the West Coast Hockey League. He led the squad to the playoffs in each season and left the team as the winningest coach in franchise history. In his first season, Gadowsky posted a 38-win campaign as he garnered WCHL Coach of the Year accolades.

Away from the ice, Gadowsky also coached in the now-defunct Roller Hockey International, leading the Oklahoma Coyotes (1996) and San Jose Rhinos (1997-99). In 1997, he earned Coach of the Year recognition after the Rhinos captured the Western Conference title.

The Edmonton, Alta., native played collegiately at Colorado College from 1985-89, serving as team captain as a senior, while also earning the team's Rodman Award, given for outstanding leadership and sportsmanship. The three-time WCHA All-Academic Team member collected 46 points in 134 career games.

Upon graduation, Gadowsky embarked on a seven-year professional career that included stops with the ECHL's Richmond Renegades, the IHL's San Diego Gulls and the AHL's St. John's Maple Leafs and Prince Edward Island Senators. Gadowsky saved his best season for last as he totaled 52 goals and 29 assists for the Fresno Falcons in 1995-96. He earned league MVP and first-team all-star recognition.

In addition, Gadowsky spent a portion of the 1993-94 season competing with the Canadian National Team and also played professionally in Austria, The Netherlands and Sweden.

Gadowsky and his wife, Melissa, have two sons, Mac and Magnus, and a daughter, Mia.