She is arguably the most well known name in Minnesota women’s hockey history.
Natalie Darwitz ranks 3rd all-time in scoring in the history of the University of Minnesota and a multi-decorated player on the international scene, just finished a very succesful third season as the head coach of the Hamline University women’s hockey program.
The Pipers set several team records, including winning 22 games. HU won its first ever MIAC postseason championship and then capped it all off with a dramatic win in the thrid place game of the NCAA D-III tournament. Darwitz became the first HU women's hockey coach ever to be honored as MIAC Coach of the Year.
Her first year behind the bench with the Pipers saw the team finish with a 9-13-3 record. It was the most wins by a HU contingent in nearly a decade. In addition to the wins, HU finished strong with a tie against perennial power Gustavus Adolphus on the final day of the season. It marked the first time ever the Pipers had ever snared a point from the Gusties and knocked them out of the playoffs in the process.
Things went even better in her second season. The Pipers 10-8 in MIAC play, finishing in fifth place, qualifying for the MIAC playoffs for the first time in a decade. HU went 12-13-1 overall, the second best output in school history.
The Eagan, Minn. native has been part of the Minnesota hockey scene for nearly two decades. She first burst into the public eye as a seventh grader skating for Eagan High School. The Wildcats advanced to the state championship game that year. By the time she was done with her prep career, she had amassed a remarkable 487 points in 102 career games.
She was a three-time All-American at the University of Minnesota where she was a part of two national title teams. She is the school's all-time leader in points per game (2.48), ranks second in assists (102) and third in points scored with 246. She also has had considerable success on the world stage, representing the United States in three Olympics, eight World Tournaments and ten 4 Nations Cup events. She has been a captain of several of those teams, a member of five gold-medal winning teams and was named 2005 Woman Player of the Year by USA Hockey.
Natalie was named to the 2018 class entering the United State Hockey Hall of Fame and will be formally inducted in ceremonies in Nashville, Tenn. on December 12.
She entered the coaching world as an assistant to her father Scott at her prep alma mater. (Scott is an assistant at Hamline.) She went on to be an assistant at the U of Minnesota for two seasons before taking the head job at Lakeville South. The Cougars went 79-25-10 under her guidance, including a 24-6-1 record and a berth in the MSHSL Class AA Girls’ Hockey tournament in 2015.
Natalie resides in Prior Lake with her husband, Chris, son Joseph and Zachary and their dog Oakley.
Natalie Darwitz Hamline Coaching Numbers:
| Year |
Overall |
MIAC |
Postseason |
| 2015-16 |
9-13-3 |
6-10-2 |
|
| 2016-17 |
12-13-1 |
10-8-0 |
0-1 |
| 2017-18 |
22-5-3 |
13-3-2 |
3-1 |
| Totals |
43-31-7 |
29-21-4 |
3-2 |
