UConn coach Cavanaugh agrees to 6-year extension

UConn hockey coach Mike Cavanaugh has agreed to a six-year contact just two months after committing to the program amid rumors he was a candidate for the Boston College job.

The school made the announcement Thursday. The contract is retroactive to May 2022, and is valued at $3.58 million over the six-year term and includes the opportunity to earn bonuses based on team performance, according to the release.

Cavanaugh, a Massachusetts native and former BC assistant coach, was identified as a target when longtime legendary coach Jerry York retired. But Cavanaugh issued a statement in April saying he was committed to staying at UConn.

“I am pleased that Coach Cavanaugh will be leading our men’s hockey program for the foreseeable future,” UConn director of athletics David Benedict said in a release. “It is well known that Cav was highly sought after following the 2021-22 season and this contract is more in line with his Hockey East peers whose programs are competing for championships. As our new on-campus hockey facility continues to take shape, this contract reaffirms our investment into the program, and of our intention to compete at the highest level. Cav has put UConn men’s hockey on a great path, and I am excited for what’s to come.”

Cavanaugh will head into his 10th season at UConn in 2022-23. The Huskies are coming off their best season under Cavanaugh, finishing at No. 19 in the final USCHO.com Top-20 poll after notching a 20-16-0 overall record.

It marked the first time in program history that UConn ended a season ranked in the national polls.

UConn’s 20 wins was the highest total under Cavanaugh and the most victories since his first season in Storrs in 2013-14 (18-14-4). The 20 wins matches their highest win total in the Division I era and the most since that first season in 1998-99.

“I want to thank David Benedict, the Board of Trustees and the leadership at the University of Connecticut for their continued commitment to me and our men’s hockey program,” Cavanaugh said. “We have worked hard to build our program into a Hockey East championship contender and are excited to keep building and working until we raise that first championship banner in our new state-of-the-art facility on campus. The future is bright for our hockey team and I am thrilled to be leading this program as we strive to make all of UConn Nation proud.”

Last month Cavanaugh said at a Coaches Road Show stop that he felt loyalty to UConn. With the school constructing a new on-campus arena, Cavanugh wants to continue the building process.

“UConn gave me my first head coaching job, and there was a lot of schools that had turned me down, or maybe I just wasn’t the right guy for the job as well, but I felt that loyalty towards the program,” Cavanaugh said. “When you build something from scratch and all of a sudden now you’re seeing the fruits of your labor and you see a brand-new arena being built and you’re seeing a top-notch recruiting class, just, it was really my heart was here and I didn’t want to go anywhere.”