Mark Ostapina, who played college hockey under legendary coach Bob Johnson at the University of Wisconsin, serves as the MSOE Raiders head ice hockey coach.
In his 11th season as the MSOE head coach, Ostapina has led the Raiders to three Midwest Collegiate Hockey Association (MCHA) Championships and two Harris Cup trophies. Ostapina has also won the MCHA Coach of the Year award and was a semifinalist for the Edward Jeremiah American Hockey Coaches Association Coach of the Year four times in his career including the 2010-11 season in which the Raiders went 21-6-1 overall and 16-3-1 in MCHA play.
Outside of collegiate athletics, Ostapina is a twelve-time selection to serve on the USA Hockey Select team's coaching staff. During the summer of 2009, Ostapina‘s Select 17 team won the program wide championship and he was selected to the first ever Select Camp All-Star game, leading his team to a 3-2 victory. He also lectures throughout the country as part of the USA Hockey Coaches Education program.
Previously as a collegiate head coach, Ostapina led New England College in Henniker, N.H. from 1995 to 2001, advancing them to the NCAA Division III national tournament in 2001. His team finished the season ranked eighth in the nation among NCAA Division III institutions. Ostapina received his start in collegiate coaching serving as an assistant coach at University of Alaska Anchorage (1987-1991) and then filling the same position at the University of Massachusetts Lowell (1991-1995). At both universities, Ostapina was a participant in the NCAA Division I tournament.
As a player, Ostapina played four years for the University of Wisconsin Badgers and played professionally in Sweden for Vasteras AC and the Malung Ishockey club. Prior to heading overseas, he played for the Chicago Cardinals in the Continental Hockey League.
Ostapina has a bachelor's degree in journalism and public communication from the University of Alaska Anchorage and a master's degree in education from the University of Massachusetts Lowell. Ostapina also serves as the Director of Compliance and Ice Arena consultant for the Kern Center.
Ostapina and his wife Teresa have been married for 32 years and they have two children, Krysti and Kyle.
Assistant Coach Josh Nickols
Josh Nickols enters his 13th year of coaching at MSOE. A former on-ice star for the Raiders, he was named first team All-Conference each of his four years, was voted team MVP three times, was captain his senior year and is still in the MSOE record book as the all-time leading scorer. Nickols is also a member of MSOE's 100-point club and is the school's all-time career point leader with 189 points. In January 2006, he was inducted into the MSOE Athletic Hall of Fame.
Outside of MSOE, Nickols works as a project engineer at Ring and DuChateau Inc.
