Vic Heyliger

American ice hockey player and coach (1912–2006)

Vic Heyliger

Vic Heyliger from the 1950 Michiganensian

Biographical details
Born| (1912-09-26)September 26, 1912
Concord, Massachusetts, U.S.
Died| October 4, 2006(2006-10-04) (aged 94)
Colorado Springs, Colorado, U.S.
Playing career
1934–1937| Michigan
1937–1938| St. Paul Saints
1937–1938| Chicago Black Hawks
1938–1939| Detroit Holzbaugh
1943–1944| Chicago Black Hawks
Position(s)| Center
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1939–1943| Illinois
1944–1957| Michigan
1961–1963| West Germany National Team
1965–1966| US National Team
1968–1974| Air Force
Head coaching record
Overall| 353–158–21 (.683)
Tournaments| 16–4 (.800)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
1948 NCAA National Championship
1951 NCAA National Championship
1952 NCAA National Championship
1953 MCHL Regular Season Championship
1953 NCAA National Championship
1955 NCAA National Championship
1956 WIHL Regular Season Championship
1956 NCAA National Championship
Awards
1954 Spencer Penrose Award
1974 US Hockey Hall of Fame
1980 University of Michigan Athletic Hall of Honor
1982 Hobey Baker Legend of College Hockey Award
1988 John MacInnes Award
Records
Most NCAA ice hockey championships: (6)
Most consecutive NCAA ice hockey championships: (3)
Most consecutive Frozen Four appearances: (10)

Victor Heyliger (September 26, 1912 – October 4, 2006) was an American ice hockey player and coach. He played 33 games in the National Hockey League with the Chicago Black Hawks between 1937 and 1944 and then worked as the head coach in several places, including the University of Michigan ice hockey team from 1944 to 1957.[1] He won six NCAA Division I men's hockey National Championships, the most for a men's hockey coach.

## Career

[edit]

Born in Concord, Massachusetts, he attended the Lawrence Academy in Groton, Massachusetts and as an All-American at Michigan set a school record of 116 goals. He played for the Chicago Black Hawks in 1938 and 1944,[2] bookending his tenure as coach at the University of Illinois from 1939–43,[3] posting a record of 59–29–4.[4]

Returning to Michigan as coach of the Wolverines, he led the team to six NCAA Men's Ice Hockey Championships in his thirteen years from 1944 to 1957: 1948 (the first NCAA title), 1951, 1952, 1953, 1955, 1956. His teams reached the Frozen Four in each of the first ten seasons it was held.

In 1954, he received the Spencer Penrose Award from the American Hockey Coaches Association as the University Division Coach of the Year. Heyliger had an overall Michigan record of 228–61–13. After coaching the U.S. national team in 1966, he coached at the United States Air Force Academy from 1966–74, where he was 85–77–3.[5]

He was inducted into the United States Hockey Hall of Fame in its second class of inductees in 1974. In 1988, he was awarded the John MacInnes Award by the AHCA, an honor that recognizes those individuals who have displayed an interest in amateur hockey and youth programs, as well as fostering high graduation rates among their players.

He died at his home in Colorado Springs, Colorado, aged 94.[6][7]

## Career statistics

[edit]

### Regular season and playoffs

[edit]

|  | Regular season |  | Playoffs

|
|
|
|

Season | Team  | League  | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM
1928–29  | Concord High School | HS-NH  | — | — | — | — | —  | — | — | — | — | —
1929–30  | Concord High School  | HS-NH  | — | — | — | — | —  | — | — | — | — | —
1930–31  | Concord High School  | HS-NH  | — | — | — | — | —  | — | — | — | — | —
1931–32  | Concord High School  | HS-NH  | — | — | — | — | —  | — | — | — | — | —
1932–33  | Groton School | HS-MA  | — | — | — | — | —  | — | — | — | — | —
1934–35 | University of Michigan | NCAA | — | 19 | 11 | 30 | —  | — | — | — | — | —
1935–36 | University of Michigan  | NCAA  | — | — | — | — | —  | — | — | — | — | —
1936–37 | University of Michigan  | NCAA  | — | 43 | — | — | —  | — | — | — | — | —
1937–38 | Chicago Black Hawks | NHL | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0  | — | — | — | — | —
1937–38 | St. Paul Saints | AHA | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0  | — | — | — | — | —
1938–39  | Detroit Holzbaugh  | MOHL  | 27 | 5 | 13 | 18 | 38  | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2
1943–44 | Chicago Black Hawks  | NHL  | 26 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 2  | — | — | — | — | —
NHL totals  | 33 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 2  | — | — | — | — | —

### Head coaching record

[edit]

Statistics overview  Season  | Team  | Overall  | Conference  | Standing  | Postseason

|
|
|
|
|

Illinois Fighting Illini Independent (1939–1943)
1939–40 | Illinois | 3–11–0 |  |  |
1940–41 | Illinois | 17–3–1 |  |  | Western Intercollegiate Champion
1941–42 | Illinois | 10–4–2 |  |  | Western Intercollegiate Champion
1942–43 | Illinois | 10–2–0 |  |  | Western Intercollegiate Champion
Illinois: | 40–20–3 |  |
Michigan Wolverines Independent (1944–1951)
1944–45 | Michigan  | 3–6–0 |  |  |
1945–46 | Michigan  | 17–7–1 |  |  | Western Intercollegiate Champion
1946–47 | Michigan  | 13–7–1 |  |  |
1947–48 | Michigan | 20–2–1 |  |  | NCAA National Champion
1948–49 | Michigan  | 20–2–3 |  |  | NCAA Consolation Game (Win)
1949–50 | Michigan  | 23–4–0 |  |  | NCAA Consolation Game (Win)
1950–51 | Michigan | 22–4–1 |  |  | NCAA National Champion
Michigan: | 118–32–7 |  |
Michigan Wolverines (MCHL) (1951–1953)
1951–52 | Michigan | 22–4–0 | 9–3–0 | T–2nd | NCAA National Champion
1952–53 | Michigan | 17–7–0 | 12–4–0 | T–1st | NCAA National Champion
Michigan: | 39–11–0 | 21–7–0 |
Michigan Wolverines (WIHL) (1953–1957)
1953–54 | Michigan  | 15–6–2 | 12–3–1 | 2nd | NCAA Consolation Game (Win)
1954–55 | Michigan | 18–5–1 | 13–5–0 | 2nd | NCAA National Champion
1955–56 | Michigan | 20–2–1 | 15–2–1 | 1st | NCAA National Champion
1956–57 | Michigan  | 18–5–2 | 13–4–1 | 2nd | NCAA Runner–Up
Michigan: | 71–18–6 | 53–14–3 |
Air Force Falcons Independent (1968–1974)
1968–69 | Air Force  | 6–12–0 |  |  |
1969–70 | Air Force  | 11–17–1 |  |  |
1970–71 | Air Force  | 15–11–2 |  |  |
1971–72 | Air Force  | 25–6–0 |  |  |
1972–73 | Air Force  | 16–16–0 |  |  |
1973–74 | Air Force  | 12–15–0 |  |  |
Air Force: | 85–77–3 |  |
Total: | 353–158–21 |

National champion Postseason invitational champion
Conference regular season champion Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
Division regular season champion Division regular season and conference tournament champion
Conference tournament champion

[8][9][10]

## See also

[edit]

* University of Michigan Athletic Hall of Honor

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Vic Heyliger". HockeyDB.com.
2. ^ "Vic Heyliger". Hockey-Reference.com.
3. ^ Charles Bartlett (December 5, 1941). "HEYLIGER SEES BIG FUTURE FOR COLLEGE HOCKEY: Illini Coach Says It May Rival Golf". Chicago Daily Tribune. Archived from the original on November 4, 2012.
4. ^ "Vic Heyliger". Legends of Hockey.
5. ^ "16 Greatest Coaches". Inside College Hockey. September 17, 2003.
6. ^ "Legendary Michigan Coach Vic Heyliger Dies: Led Wolverines To Six NCAA Titles, Was First Air Force Varsity Coach". USCHO.
7. ^ "Vic Heyliger, former national hockey team coach, dies at 87". Associated Press Archive. October 4, 2006.
8. ^ "Vic Heyliger Year-By Year Coaching Record". USCHO.com. Retrieved July 11, 2014.
9. ^ "Michigan Wolverines Through the Years" (PDF). Michigan Wolverines. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 14, 2014. Retrieved July 11, 2014.
10. ^ "2013-14 Air Force Media Guide". ISSUU.com. Retrieved July 11, 2014.

## External links

[edit]

* Biographical information and career statistics from NHL.com, or Eliteprospects.com, or Hockey-Reference.com, or The Internet Hockey Database

Awards and achievements

Preceded by

John Mariucci

|  Spencer Penrose Award
1953–54 | Succeeded by

Cooney Weiland

Preceded by

John "Snooks" Kelly

|  Hobey Baker Legends of College Hockey Award
1982  | Succeeded by

John Mariucci

* v
* t
* e

Illinois Fighting Illini men's ice hockey

Venues|

* University of Illinois Ice Arena (1937–1943)

Coaches|

* Ray Eliot (1937–1939)
* Vic Heyliger (1939–1943)

Seasons|

* 1937–38
* 1938–39
* 1939–40
* 1940–41
* 1941–42
* 1942–43

Notable Players|

* Amo Bessone
* Norbert Sterle

* University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
* Urbana and Champaign, Illinois

* v
* t
* e

Michigan Wolverines men's ice hockey

Venues|

* Weinberg Coliseum (1914–1973)
* Yost Ice Arena (1973–present)

Coaches|

* Joseph Barss (1922–27)
* Eddie Lowrey (1927–44)
* Vic Heyliger (1944–57)
* Al Renfrew (1957–73)
* Dan Farrell (1973–80)
* Wilf Martin (1980)
* John Giordano (1980–84)
* Red Berenson (1984–2017)
* Mel Pearson (2017–2022)
* Brandon Naurato (2022–present)

Seasons|

* 1922–23
* 1923–24
* 1924–25
* 1925–26
* 1926–27
* 1927–28
* 1928–29
* 1929–30
* 1930–31
* 1931–32
* 1932–33
* 1933–34
* 1934–35
* 1935–36
* 1936–37
* 1937–38
* 1938–39
* 1939–40
* 1940–41
* 1941–42
* 1942–43
* 1943–44
* 1944–45
* 1945–46
* 1946–47
* 1947–48
* 1948–49
* 1949–50
* 1950–51
* 1951–52
* 1952–53
* 1953–54
* 1954–55
* 1955–56
* 1956–57
* 1957–58
* 1958–59
* 1959–60
* 1960–61
* 1961–62
* 1962–63
* 1963–64
* 1964–65
* 1965–66
* 1966–67
* 1967–68
* 1968–69
* 1969–70
* 1970–71
* 1971–72
* 1972–73
* 1973–74
* 1974–75
* 1975–76
* 1976–77
* 1977–78
* 1978–79
* 1979–80
* 1980–81
* 1981–82
* 1982–83
* 1983–84
* 1984–85
* 1985–86
* 1986–87
* 1987–88
* 1988–89
* 1989–90
* 1990–91
* 1991–92
* 1992–93
* 1993–94
* 1994–95
* 1995–96
* 1996–97
* 1997–98
* 1998–99
* 1999–00
* 2000–01
* 2001–02
* 2002–03
* 2003–04
* 2004–05
* 2005–06
* 2006–07
* 2007–08
* 2008–09
* 2009–10
* 2010–11
* 2011–12
* 2012–13
* 2013–14
* 2014–15
* 2015–16
* 2016–17
* 2017–18
* 2018–19
* 2019–20
* 2020–21
* 2021–22
* 2022–23
* 2023–24
* 2024–25

Conference affiliations|

* MCHA/WIHL/WCHA (1951–1958, 1959–1981)
* CCHA (1981–2013)
* Big Ten (1958–1981, 2013–present)

Rivalries|

* Michigan State
* Minnesota
* Notre Dame

Culture & lore|

* Great Lakes Invitational
* The Big Chill at the Big House
* Cold War
* Faceoff on the Lake

All-time leaders|

* Statistical leaders
* Brendan Morrison (284 Points)
* Denny Felsner (139 Goals)
* Marty Turco (127 Wins)

National championships|

* 1948
* 1951
* 1952
* 1953
* 1955
* 1956
* 1964
* 1996
* 1998

Frozen Four appearances|

* 1948
* 1949
* 1950
* 1951
* 1952
* 1953
* 1954
* 1955
* 1956
* 1957
* 1962
* 1964
* 1977
* 1992
* 1993
* 1995
* 1996
* 1997
* 1998
* 2001
* 2002
* 2003
* 2008
* 2011
* 2018
* 2022
* 2023
* 2024

NCAA Tournament appearances|

* 1948
* 1949
* 1950
* 1951
* 1952
* 1953
* 1954
* 1955
* 1956
* 1957
* 1962
* 1964
* 1977
* 1991
* 1992
* 1993
* 1994
* 1995
* 1996
* 1997
* 1998
* 1999
* 2000
* 2001
* 2002
* 2003
* 2004
* 2005
* 2006
* 2007
* 2008
* 2009
* 2010
* 2011
* 2012
* 2016
* 2018
* 2021
* 2022
* 2023
* 2024

Conference Tournament titles|

* CCHA: 1994
* 1996
* 1997
* 1999
* 2002
* 2003
* 2005
* 2008
* 2010
* Big Ten: 2016
* 2022
* 2023

Hobey Baker winners|

* Brendan Morrison (1997)
* Kevin Porter (2008)
* Adam Fantilli (2023)

* University of Michigan
* Ann Arbor, MI

* v
* t
* e

Air Force Falcons men's ice hockey

Playing venues|

* Cadet Ice Arena (1968–present)

Head coaches|

* Vic Heyliger (1968–74)
* John Matchefts (1974–85)
* Chuck Delich (1985–97)
* Frank Serratore (1997–present)

Seasons|

* 1968–69
* 1969–70
* 1970–71
* 1971–72
* 1972–73
* 1973–74
* 1974–75
* 1975–76
* 1976–77
* 1977–78
* 1978–79
* 1979–80
* 1980–81
* 1981–82
* 1982–83
* 1983–84
* 1984–85
* 1985–86
* 1986–87
* 1987–88
* 1988–89
* 1989–90
* 1990–91
* 1991–92
* 1992–93
* 1993–94
* 1994–95
* 1995–96
* 1996–97
* 1997–98
* 1998–99
* 1999–00
* 2000–01
* 2001–02
* 2002–03
* 2003–04
* 2004–05
* 2005–06
* 2006–07
* 2007–08
* 2008–09
* 2009–10
* 2010–11
* 2011–12
* 2012–13
* 2013–14
* 2014–15
* 2015–16
* 2016–17
* 2017–18
* 2018–19
* 2019–20
* 2020–21
* 2021–22
* 2022–23
* 2023–24
* 2024–25
* 2025–26

Conference affiliations|

* Independent (1968–99)
* College Hockey America (1999–2006)
* Atlantic Hockey Association (2006–2024)
* Atlantic Hockey America (2024–present)

Rivalries|

* Army Black Knights
* Colorado College Tigers
* Battle for Pikes Peak

All-time leaders|

* Chuck Delich (279 Points)
* Chuck Delich (156 Goals)
* Andrew Volkening (69 Wins)

NCAA Tournament appearances|

* 2007
* 2008
* 2009
* 2011
* 2012
* 2017
* 2018

Conference Tournament titles|

* Atlantic Hockey: 2007
* 2008
* 2009
* 2011
* 2012
* 2017
* 2018

* United States Air Force Academy
* Colorado Springs, CO

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template