Sept. 8, 2016
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Head coach Josh Brandwene has announced the addition of Dean Jackson as an assistant coach with the Penn State women's hockey program. Jackson comes to Penn State after serving as the head coach of the Elmira College women's hockey program for the past four seasons.
"We are very excited to have Dean join the Penn State women's hockey family," Brandwene said. "His successful experience as a head coach brings immeasurable value and perspective to our staff and players. Dean's philosophy, passion and enthusiasm are a great fit for our program, and his leadership style and commitment to family make him a great fit for the Penn State community. I am looking forward to beginning our work together."
"I am honored to be a part of the Penn State family," Jackson said. "Penn State has a proud tradition of academic and athletic excellence, and I look forward to continue the tradition with the women's hockey program. I want to thank Dr. Michael Cross and Josh Brandwene for the opportunity to join the Penn State community."
Jackson took over the women's hockey program at Elmira College in 2012-13 and led the Soaring Eagles to their third NCAA title in program history with a record of 24-5-1. His team ranked first in the nation in scoring defense, second in penalty kill, and fourth in scoring offense. Jackson became the first NCAA women's ice hockey coach, in any division, to lead a team to a national championship without a single All-American selection.
For his efforts in 2012-13, Jackson was named the D3HOCKEY.COM National Coach of the Year, CaptainU National Coach of the Year, and was a finalist for the American Hockey Coaches Association (ACHA) Division III Coach of the Year award.
The Soaring Eagles then advanced to their second-straight NCAA Tournament in 2013-14 and finished the season with an overall record of 21-6-1. That season he coached the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) West Defensive Player of the Year as well as three American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA) All-Americans.
During the 2014-15 season, Coach Jackson led the Soaring Eagles to a program-best 26 wins (26-3-1). Elmira also posted a perfect 18-0-0 mark in ECAC West Conference games, the first flawless conference record by an ECAC West team since 2005-06. It also marked the first time in ECAC West history that a conference team had won 18 league games since the conference expanded to 10 teams.
Jackson not only guided Elmira to its highest regular season win total, he would also help the Soaring Eagles reach the ECAC West Conference Championship Game for a third consecutive year, as well as Elmira's second NCAA Division III Championship Game appearance in the last three years, and EC's 300th win in program history.
He became the fastest coach to record 50 wins in Elmira history, doing so in 63 games. For his efforts in 2014-15, Jackson was named the STX/AHCA Division III National Coach of the Year, USCHO Division III National Coach of the Year, and ECAC West Conference Coach of the Year.
Jackson had the winner of the Laura Hurd Memorial Award, which is the AHCA Division III National Player of the Year, which was Elmira's third National Player of the Year in program history. He also coached three AHCA First Team All-Americans, which is also the third time Elmira has had three first teamers in the same year, and the ECAC West Conference Player of the Year, Elmira's fifth conference player of the year in college history.
Additionally, Jackson had three players named NCAA Division III Statistical Champions in several statistical categories. Elmira boasted the nation's leader in goals per game, power-play goals, game-winning goals, short-handed goals, points per game, and assists per game.
The 2015-16 season was yet another successful year for Jackson and his program returned to the NCAA Final Four for the second consecutive season. However, the Soaring Eagles fell 4-3 in overtime in the semifinals against No. 3 UW-River Falls. Elmira ended the season on a high note with a 4-1 win over Middlebury in the NCAA Third-Place Game. At the conclusion of the season Jackson was a STX/AHCA Division III National Coach of the Year Finalist.
Jackson coached freshman blue liner Kristin Chivers '19 who became the second Elmira College rookie to be named an ACHA First-Team All-American in their debut season.
As the head coach at Elmira, Coach Jackson posted a record of 94-19-4 and made four straight NCAA appearances. The Soaring Eagles made the semifinals of the NCAA Tournament in three of the past four seasons, including a third-place finish (2015-16), a second-place finish (2014-15) and a NCAA title (2012-13).
Prior to his appointment as the head women's hockey coach, Jackson served as the assistant men's hockey coach at Elmira College from 2007-12, guiding the Soaring Eagles to five consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances, including a trip to the NCAA Frozen Four in 2008. He also led Elmira to five ECAC West regular season championships and the 2010-11 ECAC West Conference Championship. During his time with the men's team, Jackson coached eight AHCA All-Americans, two ECAC West Players of the Year, two ECAC West Defensive Players of the Year, three ECAC West Goalies of the Year, four ECAC West Rookies of the Year, and 20 ECAC West All-Conference selections.
Jackson had one of the most successful playing careers in the 40 plus year history of the Elmira College men's hockey program. While playing for the Soaring Eagles from 1999-2003, Jackson became a member of the prestigious 100 point club in 2003, garnered ECAC West Rookie of the Year honors in 1999, was named to the ECAC West All-Conference Second Team in 2003, and was named the ECAC West Tournament's Most Outstanding Player in 2003. Additionally, Jackson was named the Elmira College Men's Hockey Booster Club Player of the Year.
Following a distinguished playing career for the Soaring Eagles, Jackson went on to play four seasons professionally. During his professional career, he played for the Elmira Jackals of the UHL, and later with the Fayetteville Fireantz and Richmond Renegades of the SPHL. In 2005, Jackson was named the Southern Professional Hockey League Player of the Month in November, and in 2006, was named a Southern Professional Hockey League All-Star following the 2005-2006 season.
Jackson graduated from Elmira College in 2003 with a B.S. in business administration with a specialization in marketing.