Syracuse Hockey Coach Brian Idalski Made School History This Weekend

September weekends in Central New York typically have Syracuse Orange fans focused on the football team. However, this weekend, the 1-2 Orange were on an early season bye week. 

While the football team resting until next weekend, another team on campus made history over the weekend thanks to the team's head coach.

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History of Syracuse women's ice hockey program

The Syracuse women's hockey program began playing during the 2008-09 season. 

Over the past 18 years, the program has only recorded six winning seasons. In two of those six winning seasons, the team was selected for the NCAA tournament. 

In 2018-19, the team lost in the quarterfinals round to Wisconsin

In 2021-22, the team lost in the opening round to Quinnipiac.

The Brian Idalski file

The 55-year-old Idalski has been coaching for over two decades in both the professional and collegiate career ranks. He took over the program at Syracuse this summer after previous head coach Britni Smith left.

As a player, Idalski helped UW-Stevens win the NCAA Division III Championship in 1993. Following his college career, Idalski played professionally in the CHL and United Hockey League.

Idalski, as Division I coach, led the North Dakota program from 2007-17 and St. Cloud State program from 2022-25. 

He started his coaching career at Division III Wisconsin Stevens-Point, advancing to the national championship game in 2003-04. He went 144-89-25 at North Dakota, making the NCAA Tournament twice. He was the USCHO National Coach of the Year in 2022-23 at St. Cloud State.

The coaching veteran left St. Cloud to serve as the head coach of the Vancouver Goldeneyes of the Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL). 

After two seasons in the PWHL, Idalski and Vancouver parted ways and Idalski was hired as the new head coach at SU.

Idalski is just the third head coach in the history of the program, 

How Idalski re-wrote the record books

The women's ice hockey program won two games over Stonehill, winning by scores of 3-0 and 4-1.

The two wins for Syracuse give the Orange coach his first wins serving as the leader of the program. 

Idalski is the first coach ever in Syracuse women's ice hockey history to win two games to open a season.

What's next for Syracuse women's hockey?

The Orange will look to add to their win total next weekend when they return to the ice on Oct. 2. Syracuse will head to Erie, Penn., to take on Mercyhurst for two games in two days. The weekend series begins on Friday night with puck drop set for 6:00 p.m. ET

The next home game for Syracuse is scheduled for Oct. 9. Puck drop is set for 6:00 p.m. ET. 

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