Paul Pooley, longtime associate head coach for the hockey program at Notre Dame, was named to the same position at Colorado College on May 9, 2025.
In his 20 seasons (2005-25) as its associate head coach, Pooley helped the Fighting Irish win three regular season titles (two CCHA and one Big Ten) and five conference tournament crowns (CCHA in 2007, 2009, 2013 and Big Ten in 2018 and 2019) while advancing to the NCAA tournament 12 times (2007-09, 2011, 2013-14, 2016-19 and 2021-22), including four trips to the Frozen Four (2008, 2011, 2017 and 2018).
Pooley was involved in all aspects of the Notre Dame program and primarily oversaw the development of the Irish defensemen. He helped run Notre Dame’s special team’s unit with the Fighting Irish finishing the 2021-22 season with the nation’s top-ranked penalty kill (.906), which also marked the top single-season penalty kill percentage in program history.
He joined the Notre Dame staff after spending 11 seasons (1994-2005) as head coach at Providence College. During his tenure at Providence, the Friars won the Hockey East title in 1995-96 and appeared in two NCAA tournaments (1996 and 2001). The 2001 Hockey East and New England Coach of the Year and a two-time finalist for the Spencer Penrose Award as the national coach of the year, Pooley was instrumental in the development of four All-America players during his tenure at Providence. Six players who played for him with the Friars went on to play in the National Hockey League.
As the associate head coach at Lake Superior State from 1992-94, he was instrumental in leading the Lakers to a pair of NCAA Division I National Championships in 1992 and ’94, and a runner-up finish in 1993.
Many of Pooley’s players have gone on to sign professional contracts, while Landon Slaggert, Anders Bjork, Cal Burke, Ian Cole, Jake Evans, Stephen Johns, Wes O’Neill, Robbie Russo, Spencer Stastney, Jordan Gross, TJ Tynan, Anders Lee, Vinnie Hinostroza, Riley Sheahan, Bryan Rust, Eric Condra and Andrew Peeke each reached the NHL.
A 1984 graduate of Ohio State (cum laude in accounting and marketing), Pooley got his start in college coaching at his alma mater, serving as an assistant to Jerry Welsh with the Buckeyes for three seasons (1988-91) following the end of his professional career. No stranger to the CCHA, Pooley was one of the conference’s top players from 1980-84 and was a second-team selection to the conference’s all-decade team of the 1980’s.
A three-time member of the CCHA’s all-academic team, he took Academic All-America honors in 1984. A second-team all-CCHA selection in 1981, he also was selected as the CCHA’s co-Rookie of the Year that season. Pooley capped his collegiate career in 1984 as he was selected as the CCHA Player of the Year and Bauer’s National Player of the Year, leading the nation in scoring with 32 goals and 64 assists for 96 points in 41 games. Selected first-team all-CCHA and first team All-America as a senior, Pooley is Ohio State’s all-time leader in goals (114), assists (156) and points (270) and joined the Ohio State Athletic Hall of Fame in 1994. He became the first Ohio State hockey player to have his number retired on November 4, 2006 during a game between Notre Dame and the Buckeyes.
A native of Exeter, Ontario, Pooley signed with the NHL’s Winnipeg Jets following his collegiate career and played two seasons with the Jets’ top farm team, the Sherbrooke Canadiens of the American Hockey League, playing on a Calder Cup championship team in 1985. He moved on to play one season with the Fort Wayne Komets of the International Hockey League where he was co-captain of a Komet team that won the 1987 regular-season championship.
In his three seasons as a pro, Pooley played in 15 NHL games with the Jets. He retired in 1987 to go into private business with his twin brother, Perry, also an Ohio State hockey All-American.
Pooley and his wife, Kelly, have two children: Scott, who played college hockey at Holy Cross and now plays professionally in Europe, and Taylor, who played women’s soccer at Ball State.
