Dave Burkholder (born 1962) is a Canadian college ice hockey coach and former college player. He coached the Niagara University program from 2001 to 2017, taking over from Blaise MacDonald, a former teammate of his with the RIT Tigers. Burkholder also previously served as the assistant general manager and assistant coach of the Niagara Falls Thunder of the Ontario Hockey League.

Dave Burkholder
Burkholder circa 1983
Biographical details
Born1962 (age 61–62)
Welland, Ontario, Canada
Alma materRochester Institute of Technology
Playing career
1980–1984RIT
Position(s)Goaltender
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1994–1996Niagara Falls Thunder (assistant)
1996–2001Niagara (assistant)
2001–2017Niagara
Head coaching record
Overall247–279–68 (.473)
Tournaments0–3 (.000)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
2004 CHA Tournament champion
2006 CHA Champion
2007 CHA Champion
2008 CHA tournament champion
2013 Atlantic Hockey Champion
Awards
2006 CHA Coach of the Year
2007 CHA Coach of the Year
2013 Atlantic Hockey Coach of the Year

Career edit

Burkholder played college ice hockey as a goaltender with the RIT Tigers, winning the 1983 Division II National Championship and being selected tournament MVP. He was a three-time ECAC First-Team All-Star and garnered all-American status in 1984.

Burkholder entered the coaching ranks in 1994 as an assistant coach and assistant GM for the Niagara Falls Thunder. Two years later he accepted an assistant coaching role with the newly created Niagara program.[1] Burkholder remained in that position until he was named as the head coach following Blaise MacDonald leaving to take over at Massachusetts–Lowell.[2]

Burkholder built in the success that his former teammate started, winning two conference tournaments, a pair of league title and consistently finishing near the top of the CHA standings over the next nine seasons.[3] Once the CHA folded Niagara joined Atlantic Hockey in 2010–11.[4] Burkholder's team played well the first several seasons, including a league title in his third year, but afterwards the program fell on hard times. For three straight years the team finished with only single-digit win totals and it was announced in the spring of 2017 that Niagara would not be bringing Burkholder back.[5]

Head coaching record edit

Statistics overview
Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
Niagara Purple Eagles (CHA) (2001–2010)
2001–02 Niagara 17–17–1 8–10–1 4th CHA Quarterfinals
2002–03 Niagara 15–17–5 11–4–5 2nd CHA Semifinals
2003–04 Niagara 21–15–3 14–6–0 2nd NCAA Northeast regional semifinals
2004–05 Niagara 15–19–2 9–9–2 3rd CHA Semifinals
2005–06 Niagara 20–15–1 13–6–1 1st CHA runner-up
2006–07 Niagara 18–13–6 9–5–6 1st CHA Semifinals
2007–08 Niagara 22–11–4 12–6–2 2nd NCAA East regional semifinals
2008–09 Niagara 16–14–6 9–5–4 2nd CHA third-place game (Tie)
2009–10 Niagara 12–20–4 6–10–2 t-3rd CHA runner-up
Niagara: 156–141–32 91–61–23
Niagara Purple Eagles (Atlantic Hockey) (2010–2017)
2010–11 Niagara 18–13–4 15–10–2 4th Atlantic Hockey first round
2011–12 Niagara 17–11–9 14–6–7 2nd Atlantic Hockey Semifinals
2012–13 Niagara 23–10–5 20–5–2 1st NCAA West regional semifinals
2013–14 Niagara 15–20–5 11–11–5 6th Atlantic Hockey Semifinals
2014–15 Niagara 7–28–4 5–19–4 11th Atlantic Hockey Quarterfinals
2015–16 Niagara 6–25–6 5–18–5 t-10th Atlantic Hockey first round
2016–17 Niagara 5–31–3 3–23–2 11th Atlantic Hockey Quarterfinals
Niagara: 91–138–36 73–92–27
Total: 247–279–68

      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

References edit

  1. ^ "2013-14 Men's Ice Hockey Coaching Staff". Niagara Purple Eagles. Retrieved 2017-06-10.[permanent dead link]
  2. ^ "MACDONALD EXITS NIAGARA IN BLAISE OF GLORY". The Buffalo News. 2001-04-07. Retrieved 2017-06-10.
  3. ^ "Dave Burkholder Year-by-Year Coaching Record". USCHO.com. Retrieved 2017-06-10.
  4. ^ "Niagara Men's Hockey Team History". USCHO.com. Retrieved 2017-06-10.
  5. ^ "After 16 seasons, Burkholder out as Niagara head coach". USCHO.com. 2017-03-13. Retrieved 2017-06-10.

External links edit

Awards and achievements
Preceded by NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player
1983
Succeeded by
Preceded by CHA Coach of the Year
2005–06, 2006–07
Succeeded by
Preceded by Atlantic Hockey Coach of the Year
2012–13
Succeeded by