She led her Gophers to a 30-4-2 record, the WCHA Regular Season and Tournament championships, and the 2004 NCAA Division I Women’s Ice Hockey title in Providence, RI. For this, Laura Halldorson is the 2004 AHCA Women’s University Division Coach of the Year.

Halldorson and Minnesota were national champions once before, in 2000, when the event was played under the auspices of the American Women’s College Hockey Alliance. But this time it was an NCAA crown and launched Halldorson to her third Coach of the Year honor (1998 and 2002).

A native of Plymouth, MN, Halldorson was graduated from Princeton University in 1985 where she enjoyed a successful playing career. She was head coach at Colby College from 1989-1996 and then assumed her duties at Minnesota for the 1996- 97 season. Her 15-year record is 249-117-27.

The runner-up for this year’s AHCA Women’s Division I Coach of the Year award was Paul Flanaga of St. Lawrence University. College hockey’s Coach of the Year recipients are chosen by members of the American Hockey Coaches Association (AHCA). Winners will receive their awards at the annual AHCA Coach of the Year Banquet, held in conjunction with the AHCA Convention in Naples, FL. This year’s banquet is scheduled for Saturday, April 24.

Finalists for the 2003-04 AHCA Women’s Ice Hockey Division One Coach of the Year Award: Adam Brinker, University of Findlay; Bob Deraney, Providence; Paul Flanagan, St. Lawrence; Laura Halldorson, Minnesota; Mark Hudak, Dartmouth;Mike Sisti, Mercyhurst College; Katey Stone, Harvard; Jeff Vizenor, Minnesota State; Scott Wiley, Colgate University; Joy Woog, Northeastern.