David Quinn

David Quinn

  • Two Hockey East Tournament Titles (2015, 2018)
  • Two Hockey East Regular-Season Titles (2015, 2017)
  • Four NCAA Tournament Appearances (2015, 2016, 2017, 2018)
  • 2015 Beanpot Title
  • 2015 New England Coach of the Year
  • 2015 Hockey East Coach of the Year
  • 2015 Spencer Penrose Award Runner-Up 

Career Record: 105-68-21 (5 seasons)

One of the most respected hockey coaches in the country, David Quinn recently completed his fifth season as the head coach at his alma mater, Boston University. 

Quinn has led the Terriers to four straight appearances in the NCAA tournament (2015, 2016, 2017, 2018) and orchestrated the biggest turnaround in BU hockey history in 2014-15, including Hockey East and Beanpot titles and a spot in the national title game.

This past season, Quinn and the Terriers overcame a tough first half by going 14-3-3 in their final 20 games and collecting the program's ninth Hockey East tournament title in the process. BU reached the NCAA regional final for the third time in four seasons, a feat matched only by Denver and Minnesota Duluth, the past two national champions. 

In 2016-17, Quinn and the Terriers earned a share of the Hockey East regular-season title before defeating defending national champion North Dakota in Fargo in the first round of the NCAA tournament. 

During the 2014-15 campaign, the Terriers enjoyed an 18-win improvement from previous season, marking the fifth-best turnaround in NCAA men's hockey history. BU posted a 28-8-5 record with the .744 winning percentage ranking second in the country. After leading BU to its 30th Beanpot crown, Quinn guided the Terriers to the Hockey East regular-season and tournament titles before earning the No. 3 overall seed in the NCAA tournament.

Quinn became just the fourth men's coach ever to win his first three NCAA tournament games, as the Terriers won the NCAA Northeast Regional before defeating top-ranked North Dakota in the Frozen Four to reach the NCAA title game. He was named runner-up for the Spencer Penrose Award, given annually to the top Division I coach in the nation, and was selected as both the Hockey East and New England Coach of the Year.

Quinn coached at least one Terrier to All-America status in three straight seasons. Most recently, Charlie McAvoy became just the third BU defenseman, joining Tom Poti and Bob Brown, to earn All-American First Team accolades as a sophomore. Matt Grzelcyk earned first-team honors in both 2015 and 2016 while Danny O'Regan closed out his career with a second-team nod in 2016. Jack Eichel, a first-team All-American in 2015, became just the second freshman to capture the Hobey Baker Award, given annually to the nation's top player.

The former BU associate head coach and Colorado Avalanche assistant was named the 11th head coach in the storied history of BU hockey on March 26, 2013. Since returning to campus, Quinn and his staff have strengthened the future of the program by securing commitments from some of the very best prospects in North America.

At the 2016 NHL Entry Draft in Buffalo, the Terriers tied an NCAA record with four players being selected in the first round (Clayton Keller, Charlie McAvoy, Dante Fabbro, Kieffer Bellows).

Quinn, who played at BU from 1984-88, replaced his former head coach and mentor, Jack Parker. An All-Hockey East and All-New England defenseman at BU and a co-captain during his senior year of 1987-88, Quinn came back to campus in 2004 to become the team's associate head coach, a role he served in for five seasons.

Quinn's recruiting efforts were instrumental in helping build BU's 2009 national championship team. During his time as associate head coach, he worked primarily with the team's defensemen, turning the unit into arguably the best in the nation. All six of the defensemen from the 2009 title squad have reached the National Hockey League.

After helping the Terriers reach the pinnacle of college hockey, Quinn left to join the Avalanche organization as the head coach of its American Hockey League affiliate in Cleveland, the Lake Erie Monsters. He compiled a 115-94-7-20 record in three seasons with Lake Erie and guided the Monsters to their first-ever playoff berth in 2010-11. He was named an assistant coach on former BU teammate Joe Sacco's staff at Colorado prior to this season.

Quinn's coaching career, which began as an assistant at Northeastern University at 1994, has also been highlighted by several successful stints with USA Hockey. Prior to serving as the Terriers' associate head coach, he spent two years as head coach of the Under-17 Team.

Playing against older opponents, the U17 team qualified for the North American Hockey League playoffs for only the third time in program history, finishing with a record above .500 for the first time ever. The squad owned a 10-3 record in international play, including a first-place finish at the Four Nations Cup in Magnitogorsk, Russia, and at the Under-18 Four Nations Vlado Druzilla in Piestany, Slovakia, where the team played up an age group. For his accomplishments, USA Hockey named Quinn as the 2003 USA Hockey Developmental Coach of the Year.

Quinn's coaching career began prematurely, as it was thought he would enjoy an excellent playing career both on the international and professional levels. A member of the U.S. National Junior Team that captured the bronze medal at the 1986 IIHF World Junior Championship, Quinn made himself a strong candidate for the 1988 and 1992 U.S. Olympic Men's Ice Hockey Teams. In addition, he was the 13th player selected in the 1984 NHL Entry Draft when the Minnesota North Stars made him their first-round selection.

However, his hopes for an Olympic Team berth and a career in the NHL came to an end prior to his senior year at BU when he was diagnosed with a blood disorder called Christmas Disease that ultimately ended his hockey-playing career. After trying to play two seasons of professional hockey, he took the assistant position at Northeastern, where he was responsible for recruiting, off-ice conditioning, scouting and video coordination.

In July 1996, Quinn was named the top assistant coach and head recruiter for the University of Nebraska Omaha. There he helped establish the school's first Division I men's ice hockey program, which began playing during the 1997-98 season.

Quinn then joined the USA Hockey National Team Development Program in Ann Arbor, Mich. The program, designed to prepare student-athletes under the age of 18 for participation on U.S. National Teams and to develop their future hockey careers, focuses its efforts on high-caliber participation on the ice and creating well-rounded individuals off the ice.

Quinn served as an assistant coach for the U.S. National Team at four IIHF World Championships -- two with the men's team (2007, 2012) and two with the women's squad (1999, 2000). He helped the women earn the silver medal at both tournaments and also served as an on-ice assistant at the 2001 U.S. Women's Olympic Trials and as a boys' coach at the 1995 and 1996 USA Hockey Select Festivals. His involvement with the USA Hockey coaching ranks began in 1995, when he served as a member of the coaching staff for the U.S. Women's Select Camp.

A native of Cranston, R.I., Quinn earned a bachelor's degree in sociology from BU in 1989.