Bison women’s hockey head coach Jon Rempel named 2014-15 Coach of the Year

Bison women’s hockey head coach Jon Rempelwas named 2014-15 Canada West Coach of the Year.

Rempel, in his 11th season at Manitoba, guided the squad to a 14-5-7-2 conference regular season record in 2014-15 and a close third place finish in Canada West despite having ten rookies in the line-up and also being ranked sixth in the conference coaches’ pre-season poll at the beginning of the season.

With 15 rookies or sophomores on the Bisons’ 23-person roster, Manitoba surprised many as they stayed in the hunt for first place throughout the season and being ranked in the CIS Top 10 poll for the final five consecutive weeks and reached as high as number eight. Rempel molded a balanced attack for the 2014-15 season as they boasted the conference scoring leader with rookie Alanna Sharman plus second year goaltender Rachel Dyck was second in Canada West Goals Against Average. They team also had an eight game conference win streak to begin the second half of the season to propel them into hosting a playoff round for the second consecutive season.

Bison Sports athletic director Coleen Dufresne commented, “This is a well-deserved honour for Jon as he has been tirelessly committed and dedicated to the Bison women’s hockey program over the last 11 seasons. He has a great understanding of the game and he his has grown the program tremendously under his leadership as the Bison women’s hockey head coach. I am very pleased that his continued coaching excellence has been duly recognized and rewarded.”

Over his tenure, Rempel, 43, has been named Canada West Coach of the Year three times (2004-2005), (2006-2007) and (2014-15) and has led the Bisons to seven Canada West Finals, and five trips to the National Championships as the Head Coach at Manitoba. In those five trips to the Nationals, the Bisons have won bronze three times and finished fourth once and fifth once.