University of Minnesota Athletics
Lou Nanne - M Club Hall of Fame
Lou Nanne
Men’s Hockey, 1961-63
HOF Class of 1994
Lou Nanne grew up in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada, and came to Minnesota to play for John Mariucci’s Golden Gopher hockey teams from 1961 through 1963.
The Gopher captain earned All-American honors his senior year, after tallying a career-high 74 points to become the first defenseman to win a WCHA scoring title. The newly naturalized U.S. citizen was named the league’s MVP.
Graduating, Nanne was drafted by the NHL’s Chicago Blackhawks, but a contract dispute prevented his playing with them. For five years he worked for Gopher alum Harvey Mackay’s Minneapolis envelope company, coached the Gopher freshman hockey team, and to stay in shape played on and off for the USHL’s Rochester Mustangs. He captained the U.S. 1968 Olympic hockey team in Grenoble, France.
When the NHL expanded, Nanne became a free agent, signed with Minnesota’s expansion North Stars, and became the team’s first star. The All-Star defenseman scored 72 goals and 167 assists for the North Stars. He became coach of the team in 1978 and, from 1988 to 1990, its president. He also coached the 1975 and 1977 USA World National Teams.