Jeff Jackson, Head Coach - University of Notre Dame (NCAA-DI)

The 2020-21 season marks University of Notre Dame hockey coach Jeff Jackson’s 16th season behind the Irish bench. During his first 15 seasons, the program has enjoyed a great deal of success, including four trips to the Frozen Four and eight conference championships. The highly regarded Jackson has over 30 years of coaching experience and led Notre Dame to back-to-back Big Ten tournament championship seasons in 2018 and 2019 while also guiding the Irish to the 2018 national title game en route to being named the Spencer Penrose Award winner as the National Coach of the Year. Jackson was also named the Spencer Penrose award winner in 2007 and he is one of just 14 coaches to have earned the honor multiple times (dating back to 1951). Additionally, Jackson is the only coach to have earned the honor multiple times in the last 16 seasons.

Notre Dame’s Jeff Jackson era began in 2005 when the University searched for a coach who could move the program among the elite hockey schools in the country. The veteran coach owned a resume packed with success at the collegiate, junior hockey, professional and international levels. Throughout his coaching career, Jackson’s teams had been successful both on and off the ice and the hope was that he could deliver those same qualities at Notre Dame.

Jackson’s Notre Dame teams have made 10 trips to the NCAA Championship (2007-09, 2011, 2013-14, 2016-19), advancing to the Frozen Four four times and playing in the 2008 and 2018 national title games.

During his 15-year run, Notre Dame has become one of the nation’s top teams while playing in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association, Hockey East and now Big Ten. Under Jackson, the Irish won the CCHA regular-season title twice (2006-07 and 2008-09) while earning three Mason Cup championships (2007, 2009 and the final one in 2013). Then, in the team’s first season in the Big Ten (2017-18), Notre Dame captured both the regular season and conference championships and followed up by once again winning the conference tournament in year two (2018-19). 

Jackson’s success on the ice also has had a major impact off the ice for the Irish. With the wins came a commitment from the University that led to the new home of Irish hockey — The Compton Family Ice Arena — one of the finest college hockey facilities in the nation. The venue opened for business on Oct. 21, 2011.

Since Jackson’s arrival, the Irish have had 35 players selected in the National Hockey League Entry Draft (leading into the 2020 NHL Draft), including three first round selections. In that same span, 26 players from USA Hockey’s National Team Developmental Program have matriculated to Notre Dame.

During Jackson’s tenure, the Irish have had eight players garner All-America honors — Bobby Nardella in 2019, Cale Morris in 2018, Anders Bjork in 2017, Robbie Russo in 2015, Anders Lee in 2013, Ian Cole and Erik Condra in 2009 and David Brown in 2007. In addition, 24 of Jackson’s Notre Dame players have gone on to play in the NHL.

Jackson enters the 2020-21 season with a 20-year collegiate record of 516-258-89 for a .649 winning percentage, the third-highest winning percentage among all active coaches with five years or more in Division I (entering 2020-21). His 516 career wins rank tied for 12th all-time in Division I and second among active coaches (entering 2020-21).