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Alex Dawes begins his fifth season as Penn State’s director of hockey operations in 2020-21 and eighth overall at PSU. Dawes held the same position for the women’s team as well as serving as assistant coach from the 2013-14 season through 2015-16.
Dawes serves as the coordinator of all internal and external video efforts, while coordinating travel plans, working with opposing teams and their video efforts and assisting the coaching staff in all pregame and postgame preparation.
In July 2018, Dawes was named to the 2019 Men’s U.S. National Junior Team support staff as video coach for the 2019 International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior Championship in Vancouver, British Columbia. Dawes was responsible for producing scouting reports, pre and postgame meeting packages as well as assisting in all areas of hockey technology for Team USA, which earned a silver medal.
A 2012 graduate of Utica, Dawes enters his eighth season at Penn State. Before moving to State College, he served as assistant coach/director of hockey operations for the Pioneer men’s team from 2009-13.
With the Penn State women’s team, Dawes was a member of the on-ice coaching staff and worked with the defensemen, the penalty kill and video coaching. He also oversaw the day-to-day operation of the program, including game scheduling, away trip management, home game day coordination and hockey technology.
Under Dawes, the Nittany Lion defense improved each year in goals allowed, goals-against average and shutouts. The Nittany Lions increased their penalty kill percentage from .719 in 2013-14 to .813 in 2014-15 and .847 for 2015-16.
Dawes’ first international experience came as video coach of the U.S. Women’s National Under-18 Team for the 2015-16 season, which won a gold medal at the 2016 IIHF World Championships. He produced scouting reports, pre and postgame meeting packages, and assisted in all areas of hockey technology.
While at Utica, Dawes primarily oversaw the day-to-day operations of the men’s hockey team and helped develop scouting reports and video breakdowns.
Dawes also assisted in Utica’s recruiting efforts and managed team expenditures. During his time at UC, the Pioneers improved every season, going from an 8-14-4 record in 2009-10 to a 21-6-1 record in 2012-13 en route to the NCAA Division III Semifinals. Dawes also played a role in the programs fundraising efforts.
Prior to Utica, Dawes spent his freshman year, 2008-09, at Vermont as the director of hockey operations/video coach. The Catamounts reached the NCAA Frozen Four that year for the first time since 1996. He created all video breakdowns and was responsible for logistical and physical operations that season.