Max Gavin, after two successful years as an assistant coach at Boston College, has been appointed head coach of Lindenwood’s women’s hockey team. The program announced the hire on Tuesday, positioning Gavin to replace Taylor Wasylk, who guided the team to its most successful season in more than a decade.
A career built on championship pedigree
Gavin’s coaching journey spans a variety of programs and levels. At Adrian College he led a men’s club side and served as an assistant for the ACHA Division I team, a stint that culminated in a national championship in 2018. The following year he took the reins of the Powassan Voodoos in the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League, capturing the regular‑season title in 2018‑19. His early NCAA experience began at the University of Vermont, where he oversaw hockey operations before moving to Dartmouth, where he made his first foray into women’s coaching as an assistant.
Wasylk’s departure marks the end of a tenure that saw the Lions climb to new heights. The former Boston College standout had helped the program reach three consecutive Frozen Fours as a player and later steer the team to its best season in recent memory. Gavin’s hiring comes as the university seeks to build on that momentum.
A shifting landscape for former BC assistants
The appointment follows the recent hiring of Courtney Kennedy at Merrimack College, another former Boston College assistant who has ascended to a head‑coaching role. The moves underscore a broader trend of experienced BC staffers taking the reins of other programs, suggesting a network of mentorship and shared success spreading across the collegiate hockey circuit.
Gavin will now look to translate his diverse background into a competitive edge for Lindenwood. With a résumé that includes championship experience at the club level, a track record of developing talent in the NOJHL, and recent exposure to women’s coaching at Dartmouth, he enters the position with a clear vision for growth. The university’s athletic department expressed confidence that his blend of operational acumen and on‑ice expertise will propel the program forward.