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Gary Heenan

Men's Ice Hockey

Head Coach Gary Heenan

Phone: 315-792-3726
Email: gheenan@utica.edu

Gary Heenan was hired as head coach of the Utica College men's ice hockey program in August 2000. Since that time, Heenan has led the team to six consecutive ECAC playoff appearances (2003-2009), two appearances in the ECAC championship game and one ECAC West regular-season championship.

The Pioneers finished the 2007-08 season with a 15-10-1 overall record and an 8-6-1 record in the ECAC Men’s West Conference. The season came to an end after a semi-final round loss to second-seeded and eventual conference tournament champion, Manhattanville College by a score of 6-2 on Mar. 1, 2008 at the Playland Ice Casino in Rye, NY. UC set an NCAA Division II/III record after averaging a home attendance of 2,781 fans per contest in 13 homes dates this past season at the Utica Memorial Auditorium. The NCAA men’s hockey records book has been keeping track of home attendance figures since 1996 and the Pioneers eclipsed Elmira College’s previous record of 2,495 fans per home contest set by the Soaring Eagles in 1997.

In his 2006-2007 campaign, Heenan led the Pioneers to a 13-9-3 record. UC ranked #1 in the nation for home attendance as they packed in 2,108 fans per game into the Utica Memorial Auditorium.

Heenan has had the privilege of coaching two ECAC West Rookies of the Year, Goalie of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year and Player of the Year. In 2005 he was named the conference's coach of the year.

A four-year letter winner and all-star defenseman at Hamilton College (1994-1997), Canadian-born Heenan also played overseas in both Germany and Austria before jumping into the coaching profession.

Prior to joining Utica College, Heenan was the assistant men's coach at Hamilton College (1999-2000) and an assistant coach at SUNY Brockport (1998-99).

Coach Heenan has started his own Hockey School Company called "Heenan's Hockey Systems" based in Central New York but has expanded most recently to Ireland and Italy.

Gary currently resides in Westmoreland with his wife, Jodi and daughter, Riley.