Alex Gettens has been appointed head coach of the University of Maine women's hockey team, inheriting a program that has known only modest success over three decades.
A Bold Vision for the Program
Drawing on his stint as an assistant at Colgate, where he helped guide the Raiders to the 2025 NCAA tournament, and his prior year on the Maine staff, Gettens brings a blend of tactical aggression and deep familiarity with the program.
He insists that the team will play with an attacking mindset, believing that the talent is there to compete at the highest level of Division I.
The program's recent growth is evident in attendance figures: last season the squad drew an average of 556 fans per game, a nearly 70 percent jump from two years earlier, though still far from the thousand‑plus numbers that only four teams in the nation achieved.
Athletic director Jude Killy has set an ambitious target, hoping the university will rise to become one of the top five Division I athletic programs in New England, a goal that aligns with the men's hockey team's historic championship pedigree.
Returning captain Mikayla Boarder sees Gettens as the catalyst needed to translate potential into consistent wins, noting that patience will be essential as the culture is rebuilt class by class.
With a new aggressive style, a growing fan base, and a clear strategic direction, the program aims to transform from a footnote into a contender on the national stage.