Legendary college hockey head coach Mike Sertich passed away on Thursday August 8 in Duluth, Minn. He was 77. He is most well known for his time as the head coach of the University of Minnesota Duluth from 1982-2000 but he also played for the Bulldogs from 1965-1969 and came in to replace Tim Watters as head coach of Michigan Tech during one of the program’s lowest points.
Michigan Tech had just come off its worst season ever, going 4-34-0 and Tim Watters was let go as head coach in early 2000 after a 1-7-1 start. Mike Sertich came in as the only mid-season replacement in Michigan Tech’s 100+ year history. He led the Huskies to a respectable 7-17-3 record, including a GLI championship game appearance against Michigan State where the Huskies fell in Overtime despite outshooting the Spartans 44-28. This was the Huskies’ only championship game appearance from 1992 to 2006. Sertich went on to coach the Huskies for two more seasons finishing his time with the Huskies going 25-69-9. He recruited some of the biggest players of the Russell era including Chris Conner, Colin Murphy and John Scott.
What you might not know about Mike Sertich is his impact on Mitch’s Misfits and Tech Hockey Guide. I have two big memories myself of “Sertie.” I only attended a few games before the October 18, 2003, but I attended a game towards the end of his tenure. I couldn’t believe that a student had tickets so close to the ice, right behind the MTU hockey bench, a puck went out of play and he flipped it up to me in the crowd. Even though I was college aged, I thought that was pretty cool and it certainly started something with me but I don’t believe I attended another game that season but it planted the seed to want to go when I was asked to go in October 2003.
The other moment was after his retirement and everything had started with “Shirtless Guy” and Mitch’s Misfits. Michigan Tech had hosted Minnesota Duluth and he was in town. It was a frustrating season and I ran into him at the ambassador. He bought me a fishbowl and we chatted about hockey. He told me to keep the faith that MTU would turn it around and that I should stick it out. It wasn’t that I was truly considering giving up, but it was sometimes hard to see if MTU could actually get to the top. He was right in man respects with them winning the MacNaughton Cup and multiple conference playoff championships. They still haven’t found NCAA tournament success but maybe that will change now with Sertie watching over the team, they could use a little puck luck come March.
My deepest regret is knowing that he was sick and reaching out last November to do a sit down podcast with him like Rob and I did with Jerry MacInnes and him agreeing, but we never found the time to make it happen. I had even reached out UMD fan David Cummings about doing the interview with me, but we never scheduled a date to drive up to the Iron Range to make it happen.
Michigan Tech was lucky to have a man like Mike Sertich to step in after Tim Watters’ dismissal. He helped right the ship and send Michigan Tech in the right direction to allow them to get to where they are today. His legendary time might have been spent primarily at his alma mater UMD, but he will always hold a special play for Michigan Tech fans for his respect and understanding of what the program was and could be.
From the release provided by the University of Minnesota Duluth:
As a player for the Bulldogs, Sertich lettered three years (1966-69) and was voted the club’s Most Improved Player as a senior. A defenseman, Sertich skated in 64 games over his UMD career, where he scored two goals and added seven assists for two points. Sertich often joked about the “scoring prowess” he possessed while at played at UMD, though the one goal he rang up in WCHA play did come at the expense of a goaltender named Tony Esposito of Michigan Tech – and later – the netminder of the Chicago Blackhawks of the NHL.
Academically, Sertich earned undergraduate degrees in both history and physical education from UMD in 1969, and then obtained his Master’s of Education from Bemidji State University in 1972.
A 2005 inductee into UMD’s Hall of Fame, Sertich received the 2004-2005 WCHA’s Distinguished Service Award and then the 2005 AHCA Snooks Founders Award. Diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2022, Sertich continued to inspire Bulldog and hockey fans alike. He was presented with the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Museum’s Spirit of Life Award at AMSOIL Arena in October of 2023.
Sertich is survived by his daughter Lori (Derek Fredrickson) and two sons John (Heidi) and Scott (Tammy) and grandchildren Danny, Shjon, Lauren, Elise, Sophia and brother Steve Sertich.
Coach Sertich asked that in lieu of flowers, memorials be directed to the UMD Coach Mike Sertich Men’s Hockey Scholarship. Donations can be made by visiting https://z.umn.edu/SertichFund or mailed to the UMD Advancement Office.
Images including the featured imaged courtesy of Michigan Tech Hockey.
Tim is a 2004 graduate of Michigan Tech. He is a co-founder of both Mitch’s Misfits and Tech Hockey Guide. With recent additions to the staff, Tim is again able to focus on his passion, recruiting. He currently works as an environmental engineer and resides in the Minneapolis/St. Paul Area.
