Dave Clausen recently completed his 22st season as the first and only head coach in the history of the Utica University women's ice hockey program. While building a nationally recognized program at Utica, he has compiled an impressive overall record of 325-210-35. Clausen has guided his squad to a conference playoff berth in 20 of 21 seasons at the helm.
Clausen is also the Co-Head Coach of the Utica University golf programs, and is a two-time winner of the Empire 8 Coaching Staff of the Year award in Men's Golf. His men's squad won the 2019 Empire 8 Fall Championship, the 2021 Empire 8 Spring Championship, and recently attended their first NCAA Championship in Wheeling, West Virginia.
As a two-time ECAC West Coach of the Year selection, and two-time UCHC Coach of the Year selection, he has coached six All-Americans including Deana Wiegand (2006-07), Stephanie Price (2006-07), Megan Myers (2012-13), Jill Nolan (2005-06), Morgan Reed (2015-16), Georgiana Santullo (2021-22), Erica Sloan (2022-23), and Angela Hawthorne (2022-23).
The 2022-23 season finished with a record of 22-3-3 overall and 17-1-2 in the conference. The team held a 13-game win streak mid-season. 10 players received UCHC All-Conference Honors. Clausen won UCHC Coach of the Year after leading the team to back-to-back 20-win seasons. Forward Erica Sloan and Angela Hawthrone were named AHCA All-Americans, Sloan was also a finalist for the Laura Hurd Award. Under Clausen's direction, the Pioneers reached their first-ever UCHC Championship game.
The 2021-22 season was the most successful season yet for the program. The team won a program record 21 games, won their first ten conference games of the season, and took the chase for the conference regular season title down to the final weekend of play. They played host to both of their postseason opponents as the second overall seed in the United Collegiate Hockey Conference tournament. Along the way, the Pioneers held the nation's highest scoring offense in the regular season at 5.84 goals per game. Santullo led the way by shattering two long-standing program records. Her 29 goals and 55 points set new program standards for a single season, and she went on to be selected as an AHCA Division III Second Team All-American and the UCHC Player of the Year. She was third nationally in points per game, with teammate Erica Sloan finishing fourth nationally in that category. Netminder Angela Hawthorne was picked as the United Collegiate Hockey Conference Goaltender of the Year. Six Pioneers were selected to the All-Conference teams.
The 2020-21 season finished at a record of 6-7 overall, and 4-4 in the United Collegiate Hockey Conference. The season was highlighted by a 2-1 win over Elmira, and the opportunity to host a Conference Playoff game. Five Pioneers were named All-Conference, including a first team selection for Carolyn Whitney. Clausen was the league's Coach of the Year.
The 2019-20 season featured a young but promising squad that finished the season 9-16-1, and 9-6-1 in the United Collegiate Hockey Conference. The team had its fifth consecutive winning conference record while qualifying for the UCHC tournament. Freshman Carolyn Whitney was selected to the UCHC's All-Rookie team. Senior goaltender Bria Reilly wrapped up an outstanding career by landing sixth on the college's career list in wins (25), and tied for second in school history in career shutouts (11).
During the 2018-19 season, Coach Clausen guided the Pioneers to a 16-9-1 record and an 11-6-1 mark in the UCHC. 11 conference wins in a season is tied for the second most in program history. Utica also qualified for post season play for the 17th time in the program’s 18-year history. Under Clausen’s guidance, the Pioneers opened the season 9-0, marking the best start in program history. Three players (seniors Kayla Dion and Danielle Haasbeek and sophomore Lexi Stanisewski) were named to UCHC All-Conference teams. Additionally, as a team the Pioneers combined for a 3.35 GPA .
In 2017-18, Clausen led his squad to a 15-10-2 overall record and a 9-5-2 mark in the inaugural season of the UCHC. Utica made its 16th post-season appearance in the program’s 17-year history. The Pioneers also rode a program-best nine-game unbeaten streak into the UCHC semifinals. Freshman Lexi Stanisewski earned All-Conference accolades as she was named to the UCHC All-Rookie team. Clausen’s group also had success off the ice as the Pioneers combined for a 3.36 team GPA and 18 members of the squad were named to the UCHC All-Academic team.
In 2016-17, Utica finished 17-9-1 overall and earned a spot in the ECAC West Conference semifinal. Five players were named to the ECAC West All-Conference teams and a conference-best 19 players were named to the All-Academic squad. Senior Gabrielle Schnepp became just the fifth player in program history to record at least 100 points in her career, racking up 116 points (44 goals, 72 assists) in 109 games played. Clausen also led goalie Keira Goin to break numerous program records including career wins (40), career shutouts (13), and shutouts in a single season (seven).
In 2015-16, Clausen led the Pioneers to a program best 19-8-1 overall record and a 13-4-1 ECAC West record. Utica hosted a first round conference tournament playoff game for the fourth straight season. Utica defeated #2/3 ranked Elmira in the conference tournament semi finals before falling to eventual national champions Plattsburgh in the conference finals. Clausen guided six players to the All-Conference team including Lauren Patterson who won the ECAC West Rookie of the Year title, three players to the All-USCHO teams, two D3hockey.com All-Region players, and one American Hockey Coaches Association CCM Division III Second Team All-American and D3hockey.com All-American. Clausen also had 13 Pioneers earn a spot on the All-Academic squad.
In 2014-15, Clausen led the Pioneers to an 11-11-5 overall record and a 7-7-4 mark in the ECAC West. Utica clinched a spot in the conference tournament and hosted a first round playoff game for the third straight season. Utica lost in the conference semifinals to national runner-up, Elmira College. Clausen also guided freshman defender Samantha Husak to ECAC West All-Rookie team honors and 11 Pioneers earned a spot on the All-Academic squad.
In 2013-14, coach Clausen and the Pioneers enjoyed their most successful season in six years posting a 17-9-1 overall record and a 9-6-1 record in ECAC West play. The Pioneers finished the season ranked just outside of the top-ten as they received two votes in the final D3hockey.com national poll. He also guided the Pioneers to an eight game winning streak in the first half of the season. He brought the Pioneers back to the conference tournament, defeating SUNY Potsdam in the quarterfinals, before losing to the eventual National Champions’ Plattsburgh State.
Senior forward Megan Myers ‘14 made her fourth straight appearance on the ECAC Women’s West All-Conference team and was named to the All-USCHO Division III Women’s Hockey Third team. Myers graduated ranked second on the College's all-time scoring list with 143 points (74 goals, 69 assists) in 104 games. Myers also tied All-American and Pioneer Hall of Famer Deana Wiegand '07 for first on the College's all-time goal scoring list.
In the classroom, his Pioneers set a school-record with 15 players being named to the 2013-14 ECAC West All-Academic Team. The Pioneers had the most representatives out of any of the Conference's nine teams. To be named to the All-Academic squad, a student-athlete must have completed at least one academic year at their current institution and have a cumulative grade-point average of at least 3.00 on a 4.00 scale.
In 2012-2013, Coach Clausen got back to his winning ways as he garnered his second career ECAC West Coach of the Year honor, posting his best season in the last five years. He recorded a 16-9-2 overall mark including a 9-5-2 record in the conference. He helped guide Pioneers to the conference tournament semifinals, only to lose to the eventual national-champion Elmira College. He led the squad to an 11-2-2 ledger to close out the regular season, including a 7-2-1 mark on the road. Clausen guided Myers to CCM All-American Second-Team status, along with her third consecutive ECAC West First Team appearance. She became just the third player in program history to reach 100 points in her career, joining fellow All-American’s Stephanie Price '07 and Deana Wiegand '07. In the classroom, his Pioneers were one of the record-setting 16 teams to earn a combined 3.0 or better grade point average.
In 2011-2012, Clausen recorded his 150th career win on Nov. 11, 2011 as the team defeated conference rival Oswego State, 3-1, on the road.
In 2010-2011, Clausen finished 13-14 overall while posting an 8-11 mark in the ECAC Women's West Conference. He led the squad to a 2-1 victory against host and national-power Elmira College in the opening round of the conference tournament. The Pioneers lost to nationally ranked No. 2 RIT in the semifinals, 2-0.
In 2007-08 Clausen earned ECAC Women’s West Coach of the Year honors after guiding the Pioneers to their third consecutive 18 win season. He was also named a finalist for the American Hockey Coaches Association (AHCA) College Division (NCAA Division II/III) Women’s Ice Hockey Coach of the Year Award. The award is given annually to the top coach in Division II/III women’s hockey.
Clausen led the team to a program best 18-5-3 record in 2006-07. The Pioneers entered the conference tournament semifinals ranked No. 7 in the nation, but fell to Elmira, 1-0.
In his 2005-06 campaign, Clausen led the Pioneers to an appearance in the ECAC championship game. They ended the season ranked No. 9 nationally by USCHO.com, marking the first time ever that the team finished the year ranked in the top 10 nationally.
Clausen came to Utica from Brunswick, Maine where he was the assistant coach with the Bowdoin College Polar Bears. As assistant coach, Clausen helped lead Bowdoin to its fifth consecutive post-season appearance and a Division III women’s hockey Top 10 national ranking. He was also an assistant coach at Hamilton College and for Maine Maritime Academy.
During the three years as an assistant coach at Hamilton, he played a major role in the teams’ transition from a small club to a nationally competitive varsity program.
Clausen has also been a member of the Division III Women’s Ice Hockey NCAA Championship Committee.
In 1998 Clausen earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from nearby Hamilton College and he currently resides in Whitesboro with his wife Amy and three children, Noah, Casey, and Lucas.
