Mike Schafer retiring 2025

[billhoward]

Mike Schafer retiring at the end of 2024-25 season. Hiring Casey Jones to be associate HC, and future head coach. AD Nicki Moore says "We will have one head coach this year." Still, an unusual, probably good, model, transitioning to a new HC over the course of the year.  
-- 6/13/2024 via Zoom meeting with friends, sponsors, hockey boosters.

Schafer's record:

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Overall 542–289–111 (.634)
ECAC    337–174–83  (.637)
6 ECAC championships (96 97 03 05 10 24)
1 NCAA Frozen Four, no title games

In his 28 seasons behind the Big Red bench, Schafer has led the program to 14 NCAA Tournament appearances, including a trip to the 2003 Frozen Four – its first appearance in the NCAA semifinals since 1980. The 2002-03 Big Red established a school record for wins (30), one more than the 1969-70 national championship squad (29-0-0), which remains the lone Division I men's program to win a national title while finishing undefeated and untied.

14 seasons with 20 wins
17 with at least a .600 winning percentage
13 Ivy League titles
 6 ECAC tournament championships (Whitelaw Cup)
 6 Cleary Cups (best ECAC RS record) (established 2001)

 1 Spencer Penrose Award, top coach, 2019-20
 5 ECAC Hockey Coach of the Year five 5X (2002, 2003, 2005, 2018, 2020)
 4 Ivy League Coach of the Year (2018, 2019, 2020, 2024) out of 9 tries (award began 2016)

Under Schafer, Cornell has claimed six Whitelaw Cups (ECAC Hockey tournament titles), surpassing the legendary Ned Harkness for most in Big Red history. He has also guided Cornell to six Cleary Cups as the conference's regular-season champion, including three over the past seven years, and 13 Ivy League titles.


Casey Jones:
1991–1993 Cornell (assistant)
1993–1995 Clarkson (assistant)
1995–2008 Ohio State (assistant)
2008–2011 Cornell (assistant)
2011–present Clarkson
Head coaching record:
Overall 234–185–56 (.552)
ECAC    116– 88–35 (.559)

[chimpfood]

Wow, comes as a surprise but I'm glad to know before the season so we can really appreciate him. Let's make this a special one.

[Scersk '97]

Schafer's record:

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3 ECAC championships


Ummmmm, 6 ECAC Championships.

[billhoward]

"I wanted you to be among the first to know of Head Men's Ice Hockey Coach Mike Schafer's planned retirement following the 2024-2025 season.  Simultaneously, we are excited to announce the hiring of Casey Jones, '90 as Associate Head Coach and the new Jay R. Bloom '77 Head Coach of Cornell Men's Ice Hockey following the 2024-25 season.  

Since taking over as head coach at his alma mater during the summer of 1995, Schafer has led Cornell to great heights. His career record of 542-229-111 ranks in the top 25 in college hockey history and top six among active head coaches entering the 2024-25 campaign in both victories and winning percentage. His teams have collected 14 NCAA Tournament appearances, including advancing to the 2003 Frozen Four — the program's first appearance in the national semifinals since the 1979-80 campaign. Schafer's teams have won six ECAC Hockey regu"lar season and tournament titles and have been crowned Ivy League champions on 13 occasions.

As both Coach Schafer and Coach Jones, along with the staff, are fully focused on coaching and supporting the 2024-25 team and recruiting future Cornellians, there will be no immediate public recognition of Coach Schafer's planned May 2025 retirement, or of Coach Jones' projected succession. At the appropriate times, both of these momentous events will be aptly celebrated with Lynah Faithful and all who love Big Red Hockey.

The return of Coach Jones after a successful 13-year run as head coach at Clarkson is a unique opportunity to pair two of the nation's top collegiate coaches for the upcoming season. The two coaches have worked together on the bench, are friends going back more than three decades and are philosophically aligned about running a hockey program and how to treat student-athletes in their care. We couldn't be more excited for the upcoming season!"

[Swampy]

Schafer's record:

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3 ECAC championships


Ummmmm, 6 ECAC Championships.

The database isn't working, so I can't check which one of you is right. But I suspect Scersk is. So, I'll add this:

And we're returning a team that's loaded, with two coaches that have both proven they can coach at the highest level. Let's hope 7 is a lucky number for us, which will translate into #3.

BTW, if any potential recruits need convincing about Cornell, consider that both the Head and Associate Head coaches had many other opportunities, but both chose to come back to Cornell to coach because the love the school.

I'll also add that this situation has a family resemblance to our current men's lacrosse coaching situation. And that's working out pretty well.

[kingpin248]

Schafer's record:

Code Select Expand


3 ECAC championships


Ummmmm, 6 ECAC Championships.

The database isn't working, so I can't check which one of you is right. But I suspect Scersk is.

1996, 1997, 2003, 2005, 2010, 2024.

[Swampy]

CHN: "Clarkson Head Coach Casey Jones Moving to Cornell as Head Coach in Waiting."

P.S. If Mike was going to retire, it's hard to think of a better scenario.

[BearLover]

I'm not sure what to make of this situation. Casey is only 5 years younger than Mike, so it's not like this change is infusing the program with young blood. Casey was successful at Clarkson with few resources. But not wildly successful. I think the most important thing at this point is retaining our excellent rising sophomore class and recruits through Mike's retirement and beyond. From that perspective, the one-year succession plan is very welcome news. Though, the alternative of promoting Syer would have likely ensured nobody leaves after next year, or at any point before graduating/turning pro.

I guess Syer understood he wasn't going to be the next head coach, and so he left? I still think he's the most likely next-next head coach (after Jones, who, again, is 56).

At the end of the day, this is Cornell we're talking about. They weren't going to make a flashy hire. It was always going to be an alum or an internal promotion. From that perspective, Casey and Syer were the two best options. And Casey comes with 13 years of head coaching experience. So I think this is the best we could have hoped for.

[BearLover]

Mike Schafer retiring at the end of 2024-25 season. Hiring Casey Jones to be associate HC, and future head coach. AD Nicki Moore says "We will have one head coach this year." Still, an unusual, probably good, model, transitioning to a new HC over the course of the year.  
-- 6/13/2024 via Zoom meeting with friends, sponsors, hockey boosters.

Schafer's record:

Code Select Expand


Overall 542–289–111 (.634)
ECAC    337–174–83  (.637)
3 ECAC championships
1 NCAA Frozen Four

Casey Jones:
1991–1993 Cornell (assistant)
1993–1995 Clarkson (assistant)
1995–2008 Ohio State (assistant)
2008–2011 Cornell (assistant)
2011–present Clarkson
Head coaching record:
Overall 234–185–56 (.552)
ECAC    116– 88–35 (.559)

C'mon, man. 3 ECAC titles?

[Ben Rocky '04]

So I think this is the best we could have hoped for.

Absolutely correct.  This seems very cautious, well-considered and yet again I continue to be optimistic about our new AD.

[BearLover]

So I think this is the best we could have hoped for.

Absolutely correct.  This seems very cautious, well-considered and yet again I continue to be optimistic about our new AD.

To clarify one thing—this is the best we could have hoped for *given Mike retiring*. The true best we could have hoped for was Mike not retiring. But I'm still content with this, overall. It is what it is. And like you, I'm pleased with the money and effort the new AD committed here.

[Ben Rocky '04]

Yea absolutely with you.  Beyond sad that he's retiring.  I am really trying to be as optimistic as I can be, and this is the best we could have asked for.

[ugarte]

I'm not sure what to make of this situation. Casey is only 5 years younger than Mike, so it's not like this change is infusing the program with young blood...

It's not like either of them are all the old! Schafer is barely in his 60's, but he's had health problems and has been at the helm for decades of success. Good combination of reasons to hang it up. Jones hasn't had the same success but then again he wasn't recruiting for us! And as far as I know, he's had none of the health problems.

I guess Syer understood he wasn't going to be the next head coach, and so he left?

He wasn't the only one who understood this!

[Swampy]

...

I guess Syer understood he wasn't going to be the next head coach, and so he left? I still think he's the most likely next-next head coach (after Jones, who, again, is 56).

I believe Mike is 62 and will be 63 when he retires. He's also had some serious health issues. If Casey coaches until he's 63, he'll be HC for 7 years; 9 if he retires at 65. Regarding recruiting, I think Cornell is far more attractive to prospective recruits than Clarkson, and we have every reason to believe Casey should be very successful here. If so, I'll be very happy with 7-9 more years of the excellence to which we have become accustomed.

I also doubt few, if any, current Cornell players or recruits will defect, given how the transition is being handled. OTOH, there may be some Clarkson players or recruits who decide to jump ship -- maybe to Cornell, if they can get in.

[Iceberg]

You know, this is funny because I was thinking about this the past weekend at reunion. I happened to walk by a restaurant at the Commons and saw him outside at a table with a few other people. Well, now here's the answer