Former Central Catholic goalie Kris Mayotte named hockey coach at Colorado College

By: Kevin Zielmanski
Monday, April 12, 2021 | 7:24 PM

While the NCAA men’s hockey season concluded Saturday night at PPG Paints Arena with Massachusetts defeating St. Cloud State, some schools started preparations for the 2021-22 season.

The coaching carousel has stopped for Colorado College with the announcement of Pittsburgh native Kris Mayotte as the new head coach of the Tigers’ program in the National Collegiate Hockey Conference.

Mayotte spent the last two seasons as an associate head coach at Michigan.

“I am honored and humbled to become the next head coach at Colorado College and continue the historic tradition of Tiger hockey,” Mayotte said in a news release. “I am energized by all that CC has to offer and the vision for the program and look forward to being a visible leader on the campus and in the community.

“I look forward to continuing the high standard of excellence, on and off the ice, at Colorado College.”

Mayotte, 38, becomes the second native of Pittsburgh to currently lead a NCAA Division I men’s ice hockey team, joining Jason Lammers, who was named coach at Niagara prior to the 2017-18 season.

“We are thrilled to welcome Kris to the Tiger family,” Colorado vice president and athletic director Lesley Irvine said in a news release. “Kris is the right leader at the right time for the Colorado College hockey program. I learned quickly why he was known as a rising star. He is a winner, a relentless recruiter and an exceptional leader.

“Kris is a liberal arts graduate who understands combining academic and athletic excellence. He is positioned to be an outstanding head coach as we plan to move the program forward and open the doors of Robson Arena.”

Mayotte backstopped Central Catholic to the 1998 Class AAA Penguin Cup championship as a freshman, the last Cup won by Central Catholic. He played two more seasons with the Vikings before departing for the Cleveland Barons of the North American Hockey League in the 2000-01 season.

His playing career included stops with the Sioux City Musketeers in the USHL before attending Union College of ECAC Hockey where he played from 2002-06. He earned ECAC All-Rookie team (2003) and ECAC Second Team All-Star (2006) honors while playing in 116 games for the Dutchmen, compiling a 2.69 GAA. Upon graduation, he played four seasons as a professional in the minor leagues, including appearing in nine games in the AHL.

Besides his position at Michigan, Mayotte has been heavily involved with USA Hockey, including being an assistant coach with the U.S. World Junior team in many tournaments. He won the gold medal in 2017, bronze in 2018 and gold again in 2021 when the U.S. defeated Canada. He also coached at Cornell (2011-12), St. Lawrence (2012-14) and Providence (2014-19).

During Central Catholic’s 1997-98 season, Mayotte compiled a record of 21-3-1 with a 1.60 GAA and a .911 save percentage with seven shutouts. Central Catholic and Plum played a thrilling three-game series for the WPIHL championship (prior to the formation of the PIHL), won by Plum when R.J. Umberger scored the series-winning goal in overtime in front of an overflow crowd at then-BladeRunners Ice Complex in Harmarville.

Central defeated Butler, defending champ Bethel Park, and then Meadville to win its second Penguin Cup championship, before losing to LaSalle College High School in the Pennsylvania Cup championship, 3-2.

Tags: Central Catholic