Michael Hedden, the most prolific goal scorer in the history of Neumann University men’s ice hockey, is coming home to coach the team he once led to an NCAA championship. He is the seventh head coach in the team’s 26-year history.

Hedden is a 2009 graduate of the university and served as an assistant captain on the team that won the Division III national title in 2009. He was inducted into the Neumann University Hall of Fame in 2017.

“I’m very excited and honored to be back at my alma mater,” says Hedden. “Neumann has played a tremendous role in my life and paved the path in my professional career. I’m excited to be back as a Knight and help lead the program back to a national level.”

Over his career as a Knight, he was awarded ECAC West All-Conference team honors all four seasons. Scoring 96 goals in his career, Hedden still holds the school record by a wide margin. The player in second place has 61. He sits in second for games played (108), sixth all-time in assists (67) and is second on the career list in points (163).

He will also serve as an assistant athletic director for Neumann.

“I am very excited to welcome Mike Hedden back to our community as our assistant AD and head men’s ice hockey coach,” says Chuck Sack, director of Neumann University athletics and recreation.

“Mike’s success as a student-athlete at Neumann University and throughout his professional career have prepared him to lead our men’s ice hockey team well,” Sack added. “Coach Hedden possesses a passion and enthusiasm for leading and learning that I know he is excited to share with the team and community. And his knowledge, skills and abilities will help contribute to our vision for building an ice hockey rink on campus.”

On October 25, the university announced that it had been offered a $15 million challenge grant from Ed Snider Youth Hockey & Education to build the Ed Snider Ice Arena on campus. Plans call for the university to continue raising funds for the next two years and begin construction of the arena no later than the spring of 2026.

The arena will include two ice rinks, one serving as the home for Neumann’s ice hockey teams and another designated as the official home for SNIDER programming and outreach in Chester and Delaware County. The rinks will have seating for 750 and 300 spectators, respectively.

After graduating from Neumann, Hedden became a member of the Toledo Walleye of the ECHL and continued his playing career until 2020. He was a member of the 2014 AHL Calder Cup Champions with the Texas Stars. Over his three seasons with Texas, Hedden played in 205 games, scored 55 goals, and handed out 69 assists for 124 points. During the 2014 Calder Cup run, he scored nine goals and finished with 19 points in 21 games.

He also represented Team Canada in the Spengler Cup in 2014. From 2014-2019, Hedden played oversees. In 2019, Hedden was a member of the EIHL Playoff Champions Cardiff Devils. He began his coaching career with the Rapid City Rush (ECHL) in 2021. From 2021-2023, he was an assistant coach with the Oshawa Generals (OHL).