Bob Daniels (ice hockey)

Bob Daniels is an American ice hockey coach, currently in charge at Ferris State, a position he has held since 1992.

Bob Daniels
Current position
TitleHead coach
TeamFerris State
ConferenceCCHA
Biographical details
Born (1959-03-13) March 13, 1959 (age 65)
Livonia, Michigan
Playing career
1979–1980Michigan State
Position(s)Forward
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1983–1986Hennessey Engineers
1986–1987Miami (graduate assistant)
1987–1989Illinois-Chicago (assistant)
1989–1992Ferris State (assistant)
1992–PresentFerris State
Head coaching record
Overall497–605–114 (.456)
Tournaments6–4 (.600)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
CCHA regular season champion (2003, 2012)
WCHA regular season champion (2014)
WCHA tournament champion (2016)
Awards
2003 CCHA Coach of the Year
2003 Spencer Penrose Award
2012 CCHA Coach of the Year
2012 Spencer Penrose Award
2014 WCHA Coach of the Year

Career

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Daniels began his coaching career shortly after graduating from Michigan State with a BA in accounting,[1] becoming the head coach for the Hennessey Engineers of the Great Lakes Junior Hockey League. After three seasons in Plymouth, Michigan, Daniels returned to college, this time attending Miami University and earning a Master's in sports organization while serving as a graduate assistant for the RedHawks in 1986–87. The next season saw Daniels as a full-time college assistant for Illinois-Chicago and in his second season the Flames saw their best performance, finishing 3rd in the CCHA and advancing out of the first round in the conference tournament for the first time.[2] After the two-year stint Daniels moved back to Michigan, becoming an assistant at Ferris State under John Perpich.

After a disappointing season in 1989–90 Bob Mancini replaced Perpich but Daniels was retained as an assistant. The first season under the new coach saw the Bulldogs post their first 20-win season in a decade[3] but then slipped back under .500 in 1991–92. Mancini left to take over at Michigan Tech,[4] leaving the door open for Daniels to take the reins.

In his first season leading the team Daniels got the Bulldogs to another 20-win campaign, but it would be six more years before he could provide the Ferris State faithful win another winning season. Daniels' continued on in his position despite the lack of consistent success and rewarded the Bulldogs with their first 30-win season in 2002–03. Ferris State won its first regular season conference title that year and fell one game short of its first conference tournament championship, falling to Michigan 5–3 in the final. With their superb record, Ferris State received an at-large bid to the 2003 NCAA Tournament, their first appearance in the championship, and downed perennial power North Dakota in the regional semifinal before being eliminated. Daniels coached his first Hobey Baker Award finalist in 2003[5] and while Chris Kunitz failed to capture the award, Daniels himself received both the CCHA Coach of the Year and Spencer Penrose Award.[6][7]

Over the course of the next decade the Bulldogs hovered around the .500 mark until 2011–12 when Daniels got Ferris State its second regular season title, and NCAA Tournament appearance. The 2012 Tournament saw a better result for the team as they won each of their first three games while allowing only 1 goal in each game. They could not stop the #1 overall seed Boston College Eagles from taking the crown, losing 4–1 in the championship game. The season did finish with a silver lining as Daniels received his second CCHA Coach of the Year and Spencer Penrose Awards.

The following season was Ferris State's last in the CCHA when the conference dissolved after the realignment resulting from the formation of the Big Ten.[8] They joined the WCHA beginning in 2013–14 and got off to a fast start, winning the regular season title with a 29-win year and making their third NCAA berth, losing a double overtime game to North Dakota in the regional finals.[9] For his efforts Daniels was awarded the WCHA Coach of the Year Award.[10]

Head coaching record

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Statistics overview
Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
Ferris State Bulldogs (CCHA) (1992–2013)
1992–93 Ferris State 21–16–4 13–13–4 6th CCHA Semifinals
1993–94 Ferris State 14–23–1 12–17–1 7th CCHA first round
1994–95 Ferris State 12–20–4 9–14–4 T–6th CCHA first round
1995–96 Ferris State 13–22–3 10–17–3 6th CCHA Quarterfinals
1996–97 Ferris State 11–23–3 7–18–2 9th
1997–98 Ferris State 15–21–3 12–15–3 8th CCHA Quarterfinals
1998–99 Ferris State 14–16–6 13–12–5 6th CCHA Quarterfinals
1999–00 Ferris State 21–16–2 13–13–2 6th CCHA first round
2000–01 Ferris State 13–20–5 9–15–4 8th CCHA first round
2001–02 Ferris State 15–20–1 12–15–1 9th CCHA first round
2002–03 Ferris State 31–10–1 22–5–1 1st NCAA West Regional Final
2003–04 Ferris State 15–20–3 10–17–1 10th CCHA first round
2004–05 Ferris State 13–22–4 7–17–4 T–10th CCHA first round
2005–06 Ferris State 17–15–8 10–11–7 T–6th CCHA Quarterfinals
2006–07 Ferris State 14–22–3 10–16–2 9th CCHA first round
2007–08 Ferris State 18–16–5 12–12–4 5th CCHA Quarterfinals
2008–09 Ferris State 12–19–7 9–14–5–2 9th CCHA first round
2009–10 Ferris State 21–13–6 13–9–6–4 3rd CCHA third-place game (loss)
2010–11 Ferris State 18–16–5 12–12–4–4 5th CCHA Quarterfinals
2011–12 Ferris State 26–12–5 16–7–5–1 1st NCAA runner-up
2012–13 Ferris State 16–16–5 13–12–3–1 5th CCHA Quarterfinals
Ferris State Bulldogs (WCHA) (2013–2021)
2013–14 Ferris State 29–11–3 20–6–2 1st NCAA Midwest Regional Final
2014–15 Ferris State 18–20–2 13–14–1 5th WCHA Semifinal
2015–16 Ferris State 20–15–6 13–11–4 4th NCAA West Regional Final
2016–17 Ferris State 13–19–5 12–12–4 5th WCHA Quarterfinals
2017–18 Ferris State 14–23–1 11–16–1 6th WCHA Quarterfinals
2018–19 Ferris State 10–23–3 7–18–3 6th WCHA Quarterfinals
2019–20 Ferris State 7–26–2 5–21–2 9th
2020–21 Ferris State 1–23–1 0–13–1 8th WCHA Quarterfinals
Ferris State Bulldogs (CCHA) (2021–present)
2021–22 Ferris State 11–24–1 9–16–1 7th CCHA Quarterfinals
2022–23 Ferris State 14–19–4 9–14–3 6th CCHA Semifinals
2023–24 Ferris State 10–24–2 6–17–1 8th CCHA Quarterfinals
Ferris State: 497–605–114 353–439–83
Total: 497–605–114

      National champion         Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

[11]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Bob Daniels". Ferris State Bulldogs. Retrieved 2014-07-07.
  2. ^ "2012–13 CCHA Media Guide". ISSUU.com. Retrieved 2014-07-06.
  3. ^ "Ferris State Men's Hockey Team History". USCHO.com. Retrieved 2014-07-07.
  4. ^ "Bob Mancini Year-by-Year Coaching Record". USCHO.com. Retrieved 2014-07-07.
  5. ^ "Profiles: 2003 Hobey Baker Finalists". USCHO.com. 2014-04-08. Retrieved 2014-07-07.
  6. ^ "CCHA Awards". College Hockey Historical Archive. Retrieved 2014-07-07.
  7. ^ "NCAA Awards". College Hockey Historical Archive. Retrieved 2014-07-07.
  8. ^ "The CCHA is going away, but its history will have a final resting place". USCHO.com. 2013-03-06. Retrieved 2013-07-23.
  9. ^ "Saturday, March 29, 2014 North Dakota (NDK) vs Ferris State (FSU)". collegehockeystats.net. 2014-03-29. Retrieved 2014-07-07.
  10. ^ "WCHA Awards". College Hockey Historical Archive. Retrieved 2014-07-07.
  11. ^ "2008–09 Ferris State Bulldogs Media Guide 71–76" (PDF). Ferris State Bulldogs. Retrieved 2014-07-07.
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Awards and achievements
Preceded by CCHA Coach of the Year
2002–03
2011–12
Succeeded by
Preceded by WCHA Coach of the Year
2013–14
Succeeded by
Preceded by Spencer Penrose Award
2002–03
2011–12
Succeeded by