Rensselaer fired head coach Dave Smith on Monday.
“Dave has dedicated himself to putting our team in a position to compete in the ECAC each year and we appreciate his leadership. As we move forward, we are determined to have our team compete at the highest level of college hockey,” said RPI Director of Athletics, Dr. Kristie Bowers.
Smith finished his eighth season (including the canceled season in 2020-21 due to COVID-19) with the Engineers over the weekend, falling to Harvard in the first round of the ECAC playoffs. He posted an 87-152-19 record after taking over in 2017.
RPI said in a release that a national search is already underway.
Smith is an Ohio State alum. He began coaching in 1998 as an assistant at Miami and was also an assistant at Bowling Green and Mercyhurst before he became the head coach at Canisius in 2005.
He led Canisius to the NCAA Tournament in 2013 and the Griffins won the regular-season championship in 2017 before he took the RPI job.
Mercyhurst head coach Rick Gotkin announced that he will retire at the end of the 2025-26 season.
“I’ve spent 37 years coaching at Mercyhurst, a place that’s always felt like home,” Gotkin said. “I’ll always cherish the countless memories I’ve made with our student-athletes, alumni, members of the Erie community and beyond. I want to thank my family, the administration, faculty, staff and my colleagues for their unwavering support.
“I look forward to what’s ahead for the Mercyhurst hockey program, and am honored to be part of its legacy.”
Gotkin, 65, has been at Mercyhurst since 1988, when the program was in Division III. He oversaw its rise to Division II in 1992 and eventual move to Division I in 1999.
“Rick is truly one of the good guys in college hockey,” said Army head coach Brian Riley. “College hockey is in a better place because of his coaching for the last 37 years.”
Two of Riley’s sons — Jack Riley and Brendan Riley — played for Gotkin at Mercyhurst.
“I don’t think they could have played for a better coach or person,” Riley said. “When Rick retires at the end of next year, it will be a sad day for our sport.”
When Mercyhurst launched its D-I program in 1999 through 2018, the Lakers won 20 games or more in 10 seasons.
Next season will be Gotkin’s 38th year behind the Mercyhurst bench.
Gotkin has 611 career wins. His career record is 611-551-111.
