Merlin Ravndalen is a native of Warroad, Minnesota and is in his fourth season as the Pipers’ goalie coach during the 2020-21 academic year.
At Warroad High School, Ravndalen captained the hockey, football, and baseball team his senior season. He attended Gustavus Adolphus College and earned a Physical Education and Health degree, along with a coaching certificate. He also played hockey at GAC. Ravndalen has since earned a Master of Arts in Sport Administration from Minnesota State-Mankato.
Ravndalen has been involved in hockey coaching for 30 years at the college, high school, and youth levels for both girls and boys teams. He coached boys varsity at Bismarck Century High School from 1986-1988, men's hockey at Minnesota State-Mankato from 1988-90, Eagan High School varsity boys from 1991-1994, Eagan High School varsity girls 1997-2000, and Lakeville South High School girls varsity from 2014-15.
He has coached youth hockey in Burnsville and Lakeville South from 2002-2014. He has both owned and worked at hockey summer training and development camps from 1986-2014, and also coached high school baseball and football from 1991-2001.
Ravndalen was also a teacher from 1986-2001 while working at Bismarck schools, Minnesota State-Mankato, and District 196 (Eagan, Apple Valley, Rosemount) schools. He is currently employed by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt publishing.
He lives in Prior Lake along with his wife Kathy and three daughters, Kalley, Haley (both attending the University of Minnesota), and Macey (attending Lakeville South High School). He enjoys traveling with his family, as well as hunting and fishing and spending time at the cabin near Lake of the Woods.
