Vice President and Director of Athletics Lesley Irvine has announced that Colorado College hockey coach Kris Mayotte has agreed to a 5-year contract extension. The new contract with Mayotte, who has guided CC the past five seasons, extends through the 2030-31 season.
 
"In my role as the Athletic Director, it is my responsibility to provide stability and vision for the hockey program, and Kris is the right leader to instill those things," Irvine said. "We have strong momentum, tremendous talent, and are positioned competitively in this new landscape. Kris and his staff have a clear plan, and we support him fully. Our goal has been - and continues to be - to win championships and compete in the best league in the country. Kris's passion for Colorado College and his knowledge of what it takes to win at the highest level make him the right leader for the Tiger program. We are excited for what's to come."
 
Mayotte brought a wealth of success as one of the top assistant coaches and recruiters in the nation to Colorado College. Throughout his 10 years as a Division I assistant and associate head coach, he helped his teams to a NCAA National Championship with Providence College, two Frozen Fours and seven NCAA Tournament appearances. In addition, Mayotte won two gold medals and a bronze in four stints as an assistant coach with Team USA at the World Junior Championships.
 
Prior to taking over the CC program, Mayotte spent two seasons at the University of Michigan with head coach Mel Pearson after five years under Nate Leaman at Providence. During that time, he recruited six players who became All-Americans and prepared several from both schools for the National Hockey League.
 
In just his second season behind the bench, Mayotte led the Tigers to their first postseason road sweep in program history, defeating 7^th-ranked Western Michigan in the first round of the NCHC playoffs, and CC's first-ever appearance in the NCHC Championship Game after defeating 3^rd-ranked Denver, 1-0, in the semifinal.
 
The next season, in 2023-24, Mayotte guided the Tigers to their best season in over a decade, producing a 21-13-3 record, the most wins in one season since the 2010-11 campaign. CC tied for third place in the NCHC standings, hosted its first playoff series since 2012 and completed a four-game season sweep of North Dakota for the first time in program history.
 
In addition to Mayotte being named the NCHC Coach of the Year and a finalist for the Spencer Penrose National Coach of the Year award, sophomores Kaidan Mbereko and Noah Laba earned first- and second-team All-America honors, respectively, under his leadership.
 
Colorado College finished with an 18-18-1 record in '24-25 and was in the national polls for most of the season, including a season-high ranking of No. 7. The Tigers posted wins over nationally-ranked teams St. Cloud State, Arizona State, Western Michigan, North Dakota and Denver, and the team finished third in the nation in faceoff percentage at 54.5%.  
 
 "I am incredibly grateful to President Manya Whitaker and Lesley Irvine for their unwavering support and belief in me, our staff, and the future of Colorado College Hockey," Mayotte said. "It is a great honor to continue leading such a proud and historic program, and I am fully committed to making it the top college hockey program in the country. My belief in this goal is fueled by the exceptional resources provided by the college and our donors, as well as the commitment and pride of our season ticket holders and alums. I am proud of the foundation we have built on many levels and believe more today than ever in what this program is capable of accomplishing."
 
Mayotte has solidified his reputation as an excellent recruiter, bringing in 16 NHL draft picks to the Tiger program the last two seasons and numerous Top 10 recruiting classes during his tenure.
 
He has also led a team with strong academic success and achievement. The Tigers had a team GPA of 3.70 for the fall semester, while every member of the program was named to the NCHC All-Academic Team each of the last three seasons.
 
The program has also consistently posted near-perfect Academic Progress Rate (APR) scores, the NCAAs measure of student-athlete eligibility and retention. Those results reflect the program's strong commitment to academic success and Progress Toward Degree. That commitment to academics is exemplified by players such as Noah Laba and Gleb Veremyev, both of whom completed their degree requirements while beginning their professional hockey careers in their junior years.
 
This season, with only two seniors and one of the youngest teams in the country, the Tigers finished with a 13-17-6 record, including 13 one-goal games and 13 overtime games, and appeared in the national rankings throughout much of the season. The season included wins over nationally-ranked UConn, Providence, Minnesota Duluth and North Dakota, as well as a victory over Air Force to secure the Pikes Peak Trophy in each of Mayotte's five seasons.
 
Colorado College once again played one of the toughest schedules in the country, with 16 of its 36 games against teams that were ranked in the Top 10 nationally.
 
The Tigers have sold out Robson Arena in every season of Mayotte's tenure, including a current wait list of over 1,000 fans, reflecting the continued excitement around the program.
 
Mayotte has also been instrumental in charting out a path of key alumni and donor engagement as Colorado College prepares for the revenue-sharing era of Division I athletics.
 
"Kris's commitment to community building and creating excitement about our direction and program needs has helped chart an ambitious path moving forward," Irvine said. "This work has been invaluable as we prepare for the new NCAA landscape."
 
The Tigers continue to build momentum both on and off the ice as the program looks toward the future under Coach Mayotte's continued leadership.