APPLETON, Wis. — Matt Stewart has joined the Lawrence University coaching staff and will serve in two roles, Director of Athletics Mike Szkodzinski announced today.
Stewart will be the assistant hockey coach and head golf coach, Szkodzinski said.
“We are extremely pleased to welcome Matt to our hockey family and to the department,” said Szkodzinski, who also serves as Lawrence’s head hockey coach. “During his interview, it became very clear that Matt is a driven young man who has the passion to be a coach for a long time. His experience as a Division I athlete as well as his network of coaches will serve our players and our program well.”
Stewart is a 2015 graduate of Western Michigan University, where he played hockey for the Broncos and earned a bachelor’s degree in business.
“I am extremely proud and excited to be joining Lawrence University,” Stewart said. “The way the entire athletic staff and the players have welcomed me with open arms has been truly humbling. I look forward to developing Lawrence student-athletes both on and off the ice and can’t wait to get to work.”
Stewart is a native of Brighton, Mich., and played for the Green Bay Gamblers of the United States Hockey League before attending Western Michigan. The Gamblers won the Clark Cup during Stewart’s tenure with the team.
A defenseman, Stewart was a contributor during all four seasons at Western Michigan. He helped the Broncos to 73 wins over four seasons and a .545 winning percentage during that stretch.
Stewart replaces Jon Sheridan, who took a position with the NHL’s Dallas Stars. Sheridan is the latest Lawrence assistant coach to make a move up in the hockey world. Former associate head coach Kalle Larsson worked at Lawrence for four season and is now the assistant general manager for the USHL’s Sioux City Musketeers. Former assistant coach Ryan Petersen worked as an assistant coach at his alma mater, St. Norbert College, and now serves as an assistant for the USHL’s Madison Capitols.
“Having all three of our former full-time assistants in great positions within the hockey world is very rewarding,” Szkodzinski said. “It shows that Lawrence is a great place to grow as a coach.”
The Vikings open their season on Friday when they host UW-Eau Claire in a non-conference game at the Appleton Family Ice Center.