University of Minnesota Athletics
Hastings Selected to Omaha Sports Hall of Fame
1/20/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Hockey
University of Minnesota men’s hockey assistant coach Mike Hastings will be inducted into the Omaha Sports Hall of Fame in ceremonies on Friday in Omaha.
Hastings, who was the head coach and general manager of the Omaha Lancers of the United States Hockey League for the past 14 seasons, is in his first year as an assistant coach with the Gophers. He is just the 22nd person to earn induction in the Omaha Sports Hall of Fame.
Hastings is the winningest coach in the history of the USHL with a 529-210-56 record. He led the Lancers to their third USHL Clark Cup title and national junior hockey championship in 2007-08.
Hastings never had a losing season in Omaha and was the USHL Coach of the Year in 1996-97 and 2001-02. Hastings won the league’s General Manager of the Year award five times in 1996-97, 2001-02, 2004-05, 2006-07 and 2007-08. While in Omaha, he coached several players who went on to play for the Gophers, including current players Nico Sacchetti, Tony Lucia and Nick Larson.
The Omaha Sports Hall of Fame began in 1961 and was revived after a long interval in 2001. Friday’s induction will take place at the University of Nebraska-Omaha Blue Line Club luncheon.
