Tom Palkowski

Head Coach

Tom Palkowski can be reached at tdpalkowski@stthomas.edu

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Now starting his 23rd season in coaching, Tom Palkowski starts year three as the Tommies' head coach in 2009-2010.

The Toms set a school record for wins with 21 in Palkowski's debut season and took second in the conference. They came back with an 18-5-3 finish in 2008-09 including conference runner-up finishes in both the regular-season and playoffs. The Toms upset No. 1-ranked Amherst (Mass.), which later claimed the Division III national title. Senior Jackie Carroll was named conference Player of the Year, All-American, was one of three finalists for Division III Player of the Year, and was a four-time All-MIAC honoree.

Palkowski was asked to assume the head coaching role in August 2007. He replaced Kevin Gorg, who left UST after nine seasons to pursue additional broadcasting opportunities with Fox Sports North.

Palkowski, a former Tommie men's hockey star, has 20 years experience as a hockey assistant coach. The Columbia Heights native, Gorg's top assistant since the program began in 1998, previously served 11 seasons in the boys' programs at Columbia Heights, Totino-Grace and Mounds View high schools.

In Gorg and Palkowski's coaching era, the Tommie women broke through to win back-to-back MIAC titles from 2002-04 and became a consistent top-15 Division III program over the last six seasons. In 140 games vs. conference foes since 2002, UST has posted a 110-23-7 record (.810).

The 2002-2003 Tommies enjoyed a breakthrough season. They won their first MIAC championship and claimed their first NCAA playoff berth. They finished 14-2-2 in the conference, then went 2-0 to win the MIAC playoff title.

With more than a dozen newcomers and only three seniors, the 2006-07 Tommies finished 15-12, reached the MIAC playoff finals for the fifth season in a row, and placed third in the conference standings. The Toms ended Gustavus' 33-game MIAC win streak with a 1-0 win in St. Peter.

In their first six seasons on home ice at Saint Thomas Ice Arena in Mendota Heights, the Tommie women are 58-13-4 (.800).

"We're very appreciative for all that Kevin Gorg has done in helping build our program to a competitive level in Division III," said Steve Fritz, UST's athletics director. "We're pleased to have somebody in Tom Palkowski who's also been with the program from the beginning and has that experience in coaching and recruiting."

Palkowski played one season at Division I Illinois-Chicago, then competed in his final three seasons at St. Thomas. He helped the Toms post a 50-13-1 record in his first two seasons with a pair of MIAC championships and two NCAA playoff berths. Despite playing just 93 games in three seasons, he still ranks seventh on the UST career scoring list with 168 points (71 goals, 97 assists). Five of the six players ahead of Palkowski played four seasons.