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 14th season at the helm of the UConn women's ice hockey program in 2026-27. He was named the second head coach in program history in May of 2013 and has gone on to become the winningest coach in program history. A veteran of the collegiate coaching ranks, MacKenzie has experience in both the women's and men's sides of the sport.
Under MacKenzie’s guidance, UConn has produced five PWHL draft selections since the league was established in 2023.
MacKenzie’s Huskies delivered one of the greatest seasons in program history in 2025-26, capturing their second Hockey East Tournament Championship in three years and earning their second-ever NCAA Tournament appearance. MacKenzie guided UConn to its first NCAA Tournament victory in school history, defeating Princeton, 4-1 to advance to the regional final. The Huskies finished the season with a 28-9-2 record, setting a program record for single season wins. UConn’s successful season saw them climb as high to No. 5 in the national polls, the highest ranking in program history, before concluding the season at No. 6 in both the USCHO and USA Hockey polls. The Huskies 28-week run in the national rankings marked the longest streak in program history.
For the second straight season, MacKenzie coached five Huskies to Hockey East All-Star honors, including Tia Chan to consecutive Hockey East Goaltender of the Year awards. He also guided Chan to National Goaltender of the Year honors, and a spot on the All-American team. UConn had a record three PWHL draft selections in the 2026 draft.
MacKenzie led the Huskies to back-to-back Hockey East regular season championships from 2024 to 2026, earning consecutive Hockey East Coach of the Year honors in each of those seasons.
In 2024-25, MacKenize led the Huskies to their second consecutive Hockey East Regular Season Championship, posting a 19-6-2 record in league play. MacKenzie had UConn 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%).
MacKenzie coached a program record five Huskies to All-Hockey East All-Star selections in 2024-25, including the Hockey East Goaltender of the Year in Tia Chan and the Hockey East Rookie of the Year in Claire Murdoch. UConn had two PWHL draft selections in Ava Rinker and Jada Habisch.
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 recognized as the Hockey East, New England, and NCAA National Coach of the Year. He also became the program wins leader that season.
Prior to UConn, MacKenzie served as an assistant women's coach at Ohio State in 2012-2013. 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, which was the highest in program history.
MacKenzie began his head coaching career with a two-year stint as the head coach for his alma mater 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 in 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, and son, Ren.
