Heather Linstad Explained

Heather Lindstad
Birth Date:26 February 1967
Birth Place:Chelmsford, Massachusetts, US
Player Years1:1985–1989
Player Team1:Providence
Player Positions:Center
Coach Years1:1992–2000
Coach Team1:Northeastern (ECAC)
Coach Years2:2000–2013
Coach Team2:Connecticut (Hockey East)
Coach Years3:2011–2012
Coach Years4:2016–2017
Coach Team4:Connecticut Whale (PHF)
Overall Record:322–289–81 (college)[1]
7–15–1 (pro)
Championships:1982 Hockey East
Awards:ECAC Player of the Year (1989)[2]
Chelmsford High School Hall of Fame (2009)
Coaching Records:300 wins[3]

Heather Linstad (born February 26, 1963) is an American ice hockey coach, best known for coaching the UConn Huskies women's ice hockey program during 2000 to 2013 and the Connecticut Whale of the Premier Hockey Federation (PHF) during the 2015–16 and 2016–17 seasons.[4]

Coaching career

Prior to beginning her coaching career, she was a college ice hockey player for the Providence Friars women's ice hockey team and was honored as the ECAC Player of the Year in 1989.[5] She was then head coach for eight seasons at Northeastern Huskies from 1992 to 2000, winning the ECAC coach of the year 1994. In 2000, Linstad became the women's ice hockey coach at the University of Connecticut, coaching the Connecticut Huskies for thirteen seasons. On February 13, 2010, Linstad obtained her 300th win as a head coach, with a 4–1 over her alma mater, the Providence Friars. Linstad abruptly resigned from her coaching position at the University of Connecticut on March 13, 2013, after two poor seasons.[6] In 2016, she would be awarded the Women's Hockey Founders Award by the American Hockey Coaches Association for her contributions to the growth and development of women's ice hockey in the United States.[5]

Linstad was the head coach of the United States U-18 women's ice hockey team through the 2011–12 season, coaching the team to a silver medal finish at the 2012 IIHF World Women's U18 Championship.[7]

On January 29, 2016, Lindstad was named as head coach of the Connecticut Whale of the National Women's Hockey League. She left the team after the 2016–17 season.[8]

Controversy

A lawsuit filed against the University of Connecticut alleges Linstad dismissed a female hockey player from the team for not being stable enough following an alleged on-campus sexual assault by a male hockey player in 2011.[9] [10]

Coaching statistics

Team Season W L T/OTL Postseason
1992–93 14 7 3
Northeastern Huskies 1993–94 19 6 3
Northeastern Huskies 1994–95 14 12 5
Northeastern Huskies 1995–96 14 5 5
Northeastern Huskies 1996–97 27 9 0
Northeastern Huskies 1997–98 26 6 5
Northeastern Huskies 1998–99 25 7 3
Northeastern Huskies 1999–00 22 9 3
2000–01 3 10 0
Connecticut Huskies 2001–02 11 21 3
Connecticut Huskies 2002–03 11 20 4
Connecticut Huskies 2003–04 9 19 6
Connecticut Huskies 2004–05 16 12 8
Connecticut Huskies 2005–06 12 21 1
Connecticut Huskies 2006–07 17 15 3
Connecticut Huskies 2007–08 22 8 5
Connecticut Huskies 2008–09 19 12 4
Connecticut Huskies 2009–10 21 9 7 Lost Hockey East final
Connecticut Huskies 2010–11 13 19 3
Connecticut Huskies 2011–12 4 23 7
Connecticut Huskies 2012–13 3 29 3
2 3 0 Lost Semifinals, 1–2 vs. Buffalo Beauts
Connecticut Whale 5 12 1 Lost Semifinal game, 2–8 vs. Boston Pride

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Coaching Records Year by Year Heather Linstad - Statistics - USCHO.com - U.S. College Hockey Online. USCHO. February 10, 2016.
  2. Web site: Annual Awards/All-League. ECAC Hockey. February 10, 2016.
  3. Web site: Heather Linstad Acknowledged for 300th Win. September 24, 2011.
  4. Web site: Whale Coach Resigns. NWHL. January 29, 2016.
  5. Web site: FORMER NU COACH HEATHER LINSTAD HONORED BY AHCA . . January 15, 2016.
  6. Web site: Heather Linstad Resigns As Women's Ice Hockey Coach. December 23, 2013.
  7. Web site: Linstad Named U.S. Women's. September 24, 2011. September 23, 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20110923132912/http://www.uconnhuskies.com/sports/w-hockey/spec-rel/060911aaa.html. dead.
  8. Web site: Connecticut Whale Name Ryan Equale Head Coach . Double G Sports . June 27, 2017.
  9. News: Rape Victim Was Kicked Off UConn Hockey Team For Not Being 'Stable Enough': Lawsuit . https://web.archive.org/web/20160309063148/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/12/20/rape-uconn-hockey-lawsuit_n_4483611.html. March 9, 2016 . December 23, 2013 . Huffington Post. December 20, 2013.
  10. Web site: Former Hockey Player Joins Federal Sexual Assault Suit Against UConn. https://web.archive.org/web/20131224005315/http://www.courant.com/news/connecticut/hc-uconn-rape-allegation-lawsuit-1221-20131220,0,2541878.story. December 24, 2013. December 23, 2013.