Wisconsin-River Falls’ Joe Cranston Honored As 2025-26 CCM/AHCA Division III Women’s Coach of the Year
For leading his team to a phenomenal 28-1-0 record
heading into the semifinals of the NCAA Division III Ice
Hockey Championships, Joe Cranston of the University
of Wisconsin-River Falls has been chosen by his peers
as the 2026 CCM/AHCA Women’s Division III Coach of
the Year. It is the second time that Cranston has been so
honored (2024).
UWRF, the Frozen Four host, plays Amherst College at 7:00 pm CT on Friday evening. The Falcons advanced to the Frozen Four by virtue of a 1-0 win in the quarterfinals against Williams College. The 3:00 semifinal features Nazareth and Norwich.
Cranston has led the Falcons to their eighth NCAA Tournament “Frozen Four” berth in program history. In his 26th season leading the Falcons, Cranston is the first and only head women’s hockey coach in UWRF history and has 546 career wins, third most in NCAA Division III women’s hockey history. His overall record is 546-161-48.
The Falcons enter the Frozen Four on a 24-game win streak, having lost their only game, a 4-1 loss to UW-Eau Claire, on November 22. UWRF avenged that loss by defeating UWEC, 4-0, in the WIAC championship game. Now Cranston and the Falcons are seeking their third consecutive NCAA title.
A 1990 graduate of UW-River Falls, Cranston began his coaching career in his hometown of Fergus Falls, MN, and then coached the boys’ high school team in Somerset, WI, for over a decade before starting the UWRF women’s hockey varsity program in 1999. He will receive his award at the AHCA Convention on Thursday, April 30, in Bonita Springs, FL.
Cranston was assisted this year by Jim Walsh, Amanda Ryder and Jeremy Weiss. The runner-up for this year's award was Justin Simpson of Norwich University.
The CCM AHCA COACH of the YEAR AWARDS are sponsored by CCM HOCKEY and chosen by members of the AMERICAN
HOCKEY COACHES ASSOCIATION. CCM is the legendary hockey brand dedicated to the endless pursuit of performance by
delivering game-changing, head-to-toe innovative hockey equipment to players worldwide.
| Winners of the CCM/AHCA Women’s Division III Coach of the Year Award | |
| 2000 | Ted Wisner, Colgate |
| 2001 | Bill Mandigo, Middlebury |
| 2002 | Jamie Wood, Elmira |
| 2003 | Michele Amidon, Bowdoin |
| 2004 | Bill Mandigo, Middlebury |
| 2005 | Bill Mandigo, Middlebury |
| 2006 | Kevin Houle, Plattsburgh State |
| 2007 | Kevin Houle, Plattsburgh State |
| 2008 | Kevin Houle, Plattsburgh State |
| 2009 | Jim Plumer. Amherst College |
| 2010 | Mark Bolding, Norwich |
| 2011 | Mark Bolding, Norwich |
| 2012 | Mark Bolding, Norwich |
| 2013 | Kevin Houle, Plattsburgh State |
| 2014 | Kevin Houle, Plattsburgh State |
| 2015 | Dean Jackson, Elmira |
| 2016 | Kevin Houle, Plattsburgh State |
| 2017 | Chad Davis, Adrian College |
| 2018 | Mark Bolding, Norwich |
| 2019 | Tom Palkowski, St. Thomas |
| 2020 | Kevin Houle, Plattsburgh State |
| 2021 | Not Awarded |
| 2022 | Bill Mandigo, Middlebury |
| 2023 | Emily McNamara, Hamilton |
| 2024 | Joe Cranston, Wisconsin-River Falls |
| 2025 | Elizabeth Bauer, Augsburg |
| 2026 | Joe Cranston, Wisconsin-River Falls |
