Jim Scanlan

Jim Scanlan became the only Bemidji State women's hockey coach to reach 100 career wins on Feb. 29, 2020 after a four-overtime thrilling victory over Minnesota Duluth in the WCHA Playoffs Quarterfinals and was the second-longest game in NCAA history. He has a career record of 112-139-20 (.450) during his eight seasons at Bemidji State.

During the 2021-22 season, the Beavers marked an 11-20-3 record with an 8-18-2 record in Western Collegiate Hockey Association play, finding the team a sixth-place finish in regular-season conference play. BSU placed a conference high 20 student-athletes on the WCHA All-Academic Team, 15 of which were also named WCHA Scholar-Athletes. An exciting year for the Beavers landed eight player of the week honors and two athletes players of the month spots.

In the 2020-21 season, Scanlan and the Beavers finished seventh in the WCHA standings with 12.5 points and a league record of 2-16-2 and failed to make the four-team WCHA Playoffs. At the end of the season, 15 student-athletes were named WCHA Scholar-Athletes, 19 were named to the WCHA All-Academic Team, 19 were named All-American Scholar's and senior defenseman Mak Langei was named the WCHA Scholar Athlete of the Year.

Scanlan became the Bemidji State women's hockey all-time coaching wins leader on Feb. 8, 2019, after guiding the Beavers to a 3-2 upset win over then No. 9 Ohio State for his program-leading 82nd win of his career. Scanlan led the Beavers to a 13-21-2 record during the 2018-19 season and the Beavers finished fifth in the WCHA with 32 league points and a 10-12-2-0 record. During the season, Scanlan led the Beavers to wins over every league opponent except for regular-season champions Minnesota, including the program's first win over Wisconsin since 2015 after defeating the Badgers 2-1 at home Feb. 1. The win was the Beavers' first win over a No. 1 ranked team since 2014. Bemidji State earned the fifth seed in the WCHA Playoffs and fell in the first round in two games at Minnesota Duluth to end the season. Scanlan ended the 2018-19 season with a career record of 84-88-12 (.489).

He led the Beavers to a 16-19-3 record during his fourth season with the Bemidji State women's hockey program and a fifth-place finish in the WCHA regular season. The Beavers went 9-13-2 in conference play and advanced to the program's first WCHA Final Faceoff appearance since 2015 after defeating Minnesota Duluth 2-1 in a best-of-three series in the first round of the WCHA Playoffs at AMSOIL Arena. The Beavers fell to the regular-season champions, No. 1 Wisconsin, 4-1 in the semifinal game of the WCHA Final Faceoff at Ridder Arena. Scanlan holds a career record of 71-67-10 (.503) at the end of the 2017-18 season and is second in program history with 71 wins.

He led the Beavers to a 12-20-3 record in his third season at the helm of the BSU women's hockey program. The Beavers finished seventh in the WCHA with a 7-18-3 record and an appearance in the first round of the WCHA Playoffs where the Beavers fell to No. 4 Minnesota 2-1 in the best of three series.

In Scanlan's second season leading the Beavers, he led BSU to a program-best 22-11-3 record-breaking his previous season's record of 21. A 17-9-2 WCHA conference record led the Beavers to a third-place league finish, the program's highest. Bemidji State hosted its first-ever playoff series in program history but fell to Minnesota Duluth in two games.

Bemidji State University women’s hockey head coach Jim Scanlan led the BSU women's hockey team to new heights in his first season behind the bench in 2014-15. Scanlan led the Beavers to their most wins in program history (21) and the program's second-ever trip to the WCHA Final Face-Off. Following the season, Scanlan was named USCHO.com National Coach of the Year and WCHA Coach of the Year.

Scanlan led BSU to a 10-win improvement from the previous season and five wins over teams that finished in the top 10 nationally. The Beavers also posted three wins against teams that went to the Frozen Four, which included handing the eventual national champions, University of Minnesota, two of its three losses this season.

Bemidji State won or split the season series with five of the seven WCHA institutions in 2014-15. Included in that group, was winning the season series from rival University of Minnesota Duluth. It was the first time in program history that the Beavers have taken the season series from the Bulldogs.

Scanlan became the fifth head coach in BSU women’s hockey history on June 17, 2014. Prior to being hired at BSU, he spent six seasons as head coach of the East Grand Forks High School girl’s ice hockey team compiling an overall record of 110-51-6 (.677). His 2013-14 Green Wave team posted a 26-3-1 record, earned a Section 8A championship, and climbed to No. 1 in the state’s Class A ranks before falling to The Blake School, 3-2, in the 2014 Minnesota State High School League championship game. After the season, Scanlan, a two-time Section 8A Coach of the Year, was named Minnesota Class A Coach of the Year.

Scanlan was also the boy’s hockey coach from 1996-2005 during which he led the Green Wave to a 148-109-15 (.572) record. He led the East Grand Forks boys to four section titles (1998, 1999, 2001 and 2002), and four Minnesota State Tournament appearances (1989, 1999, 2001 and 2002), finishing as high as second in 1999. Scanlan was named Section 8A Boy’s Coach of the Year in 1998, 1999, 2001, and 2002.

In addition to his teaching and coaching responsibilities, Scanlan has served as the Green Wave’s activities director since 2000.

Scanlan also has 12 years of collegiate coaching experience. He was an assistant coach for the University of North Dakota men’s ice hockey team from 1989-1996, at Western Michigan University from 1985-1989, and was a graduate assistant coach at Northern Michigan University in 1984-85. During his time at the collegiate ranks, Scanlan’s teams, comprised of six All-American selections, 38 all-conference picks, and 67 academic all-conference honorees, posted a 207-208-26 (.499) overall record and an NCAA Tournament appearance.

Scanlan is a 1985 graduate of Bemidji State with a degree in physical education and health. He later earned a master’s degree in physical education with an emphasis in athletic administration from Western Michigan University in 1988.

As a collegiate goaltender, Scanlan played for legendary R.H. “Bob” Peters at Bemidji State from 1978-1982. A four-year letter winner, the captain was in net 85 times, logging a career record of 62-19-0, while backstopping the Beavers to an NCHA regular-season title in 1982 and four consecutive trips to the NAIA national tournament, including national titles in 1979 and 1980. The NCHA Player of the Year in 1982, Scanlan was selected as an NAIA All-American to conclude the 1980-81 and 1981-82 seasons. Scanlan also left his mark on the BSU goaltending records. He remains amongst the top ten in six major goaltending categories. He is fifth on BSU’s save percentage list (.907), eighth in goals-against average (2.821), is third on BSU’s goaltending victories list (62), ranks sixth on the Beavers’ career saves list (2,211) and his 4,807 minutes in net stand eighth in Beaver hockey history. In addition, only one goaltender in the 58 years of Bemidji State hockey has accumulated more shutouts during his career than Scanlan’s nine. Was enshrined into the Bemidji State Athletic Hall of Fame as a member of the 1978-79 and 1979-80 men’s hockey teams, Scanlan was named as one of the Bemidji State men’s hockey program’s 50 Legends for 50 Years in 2005-06.

Scanlan has been active in several Minnesota State High School League initiatives, Region 8A, USA Hockey, and the American Hockey Coaches Association. He has also been active on Bemidji State’s men’s hockey national hockey committee, the East Grand Forks Blue Line Club and the East Grand Forks Sports Booster Club.

Scanlan and his wife Cyndy are both Bemidji State graduates and have three grown children: Briana, a former BSU soccer player and 2012 graduate, Jaclyn, a senior soccer player at North Dakota State University and Joey, who worked in the athletic media relations office and graduated from BSU.

Scanlan’s Coaching Career:

Career BSU Record: 100-106-15 (.486) in six seasons.
Hometown: Cottage Grove, Minn.
Alma Mater: Bemidji State, ‘82

All-Americans Under Scanlan

Brittni Mowat - All-USCHO Second Team, AHCA First Team (2014-15)
Scanlan year-by-year at Bemidji State:

2019-20

First coach in program history to reach 100 career wins on Feb. 29.
Record: 16-18-3 (9-13-2-0 WCHA).
Finished fifth in WCHA standings with 29 points.
Defeated every league opponent except Minnesota.
Guided the Beavers to a program record nine game win streak during the season.
Coached a league-high 18 WCHA Scholar-Athletes and had 20 student-athletes honored with WCHA All-Academic Team selections.
2018-19

Became program's winningest coach with 82nd career win, Feb. 8
Record: 13-21-2 (10-12-2-0 WCHA)
Defeated every WCHA opponent except regular season champions, Minnesota.
Earned first win over No. 1 Wisconsin since 2015.
Fell in the WCHA Playoffs first round series at Minnesota Duluth, 2-0.
2017-18

Record:16-19-3 (9-13-2-0 WCHA)
Fifth place finish in WCHA
Won road playoff series at Minnesota Duluth, 2-1
First WCHA Final Faceoff appeareance since 2015.
2016-17

Record: 12-20-3 (7-18-3 WCHA)
7th place finish in WCHA
Forced game three against No. 4 Minnesota in first round of WCHA Playoffs.
2015-16

Record: 22-11-3 (17-9-2 WCHA)
Program best 22 wins
Program best third place conference finish
2014-15

Record: 21-17-1 (13-14-1 WCHA)
WCHA Final Faceoff
Most wins in program history
USCHO.com National Coach of the Year
WCHA Coach of the Year