University of Connecticut Athletics
Women's Ice Hockey
- Title:
- Head Coach
- Email:
- chris.mackenzie@uconn.edu
- Current Head Coach – University of Connecticut
- Former Assistant Coach at The Ohio State University
- Former Head Coach – Niagara University
- Former NCAA D1 Men’s Assistant – UMass Lowell
- 2024 NCAA National Coach of the Year
- 2024 NCAA Tournament Appearance
- 2024 Hockey East Conference and Tournament Champions
- 2025 Hockey East Regular Season Champions
- 2024 & 2025 Hockey East Coach of the Year
- Fosters a culture that excels in academics, athletics, and community.
- Proven ability to recruit successful student athletes.
Chris MacKenzie enters his thirteenth season in charge of the UConn women's ice hockey program in 2025-26. He was named the second head coach in program history in May of 2013. A veteran of the collegiate coaching ranks, MacKenzie has experience in both the women's and men's sides of the sport.
In the 2024-25 season, MacKenize led the Huskies to their second consecutive Hockey East Regular Season Championship, posting a 19-6-2 record in league play. MacKenzie had the Huskies in the national rankings for most of the season, appearing in the national polls in 20 out of the 22 weekly polls, earning a ranking as high as No. 8. The Huskies allowed the fewest goals in Hockey East play for the second year in a row, leading the conference in several statistical categories, including, goals against average (1.40), save percentage (.944), shots on net (840), faceoffs won (762), and faceoff win percentage (56.7%). For the second consecutive season, MacKenzie was recognized as the Hockey East Coach of the Year. MacKenzie coached a program record five Huskies to All-Hockey East All-Star selections including the Hockey East Goaltender of the Year in Tia Chan and the Hockey East Rookie of the Year in Claire Murdoch.
The 2023-24 season was the most successful season in program history. The Huskies earned 25 wins for most in program history and won the Hockey East Regular Season and Conference Championship for the first time. The Huskies also earned their first NCAA tournament bid and a final #9 ranking in the National Polls. MacKenzie was also recognized as Hockey East Coach of the Year, New England, and NCAA National Coach of the Year. He also became the program wins leader this season.
The 2021-22 season was one of the most successful seasons in program history. The Huskies racked up 24 wins for most in program history and advanced to the Hockey East Championship for the third time in 5 years. Earning National Poll honors the entire season.
In the 2017-18 season, MacKenzie led UConn to the most improbable postseason run in program history, taking a team that sat in last place in Hockey East on Jan. 26 all the way to the league championship game on March 4 at Matthews Arena. The Huskies upset No. 3 Boston College in the WHEA semifinals on March 3, finishing the season at 16-14-9 with a 2-1 loss to Northeastern in the title game.
For the 2012-13 season, MacKenzie served as an assistant women's coach at Ohio State. The Buckeyes posted a 19-15-3 and fourth place finish in the WCHA. The 19 wins marked the second-best win total in program history and the team reached as high as number six in the USCHO poll; the highest in program history.
Prior to joining the Ohio State staff, MacKenzie spent a two-year stint as the head coach for his alma mater at Niagara University, a year before the program was discontinued by the university. In two seasons, the Purple Eagles registered a 24-31-10 record, including two second place finishes in the CHA.
MacKenzie coached on the NCAA Division I men's side for his first eight seasons at UMass-Lowell. During those eight seasons, the Riverhawks experienced three 20-win seasons and were the Hockey East Tournament runner ups in 2009.
As a player and 2000 graduate at Niagara, MacKenzie served as a team captain for all four seasons upon the program's inception in 1996. As a senior, he helped the Purple Eagles to a CHA Regular Season and Tournament Championship as well as an appearance in the NCAA Quarterfinals. He set several records at Niagara, including most goals, assists and points in a career and season by a defenseman. MacKenzie received Player of the Year honor in 1998 and was a CHA All-Star 2000.
MacKenzie earned his Bachelor of Arts in Commerce from Niagara in 2000, graduating Cum Laude, and earned a Master of Arts in psychology from UMass-Lowell in 2003.
MacKenzie and his wife Allison who is the program director of Undergraduate Exercise Science at UConn, reside in Storrs, CT and have a daughter Morgan (14), and son, Ren (11).
