Alex Gacek enters his third season at the helm of the Bison Men's Hockey team. Alex Gacek was named the twenty-third head coach in the history of the Nichols College men's ice hockey program in September of 2022.
This past season, Gacek and the Bison finished in fifth place in the Conference standings, securing their second straight postseason appearance. Gacek saw the Bison land two All-Conference selections including the Conference's Rookie of the Year, Ryan Austin, the first ROTY honor since the 2016-17 season. Gacek coached the Bison the fourth best power-play (15.6%) and the fourth best penalty-kill (84.8%).
In the 2023-24 season, Gacek and the Bison secured two wins over top 15 schools in the country. The Bison upset #15 Curry College on November 17, when Nichols won 2-1. Nichols secured their second upset win over the season with a 2-1 shoot out win over #12 UNE in December. The Bison earned a point against every CCC opponent, on their way to the sixth seed in the CCC Tournament. Nichols also made it to the Boston Landing Collegiate Invitational Championship game after beating Division II opponent SNHU, 4-1.
In the 2022-23 season, Gacek led the Bison to nine wins, while also winning two mid-season tournaments. On October 30, Nichols took home the WooCup championship with a 4-3 overtime win vs Assumption. Later in the season in the Boston Landing Invitational hosted by Nichols, the Bison claimed victories over Rivier and SUNY Brockport to win the tournament.
Gacek, a former Division I hockey student-athlete at Miami University (OH), comes to Nichols fresh off a two-season stint as the associate head coach of fellow Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) institution Wentworth. During his time with the Leopards, Gacek helped lead the squad to its first CCC Championship berth in team history in 2019-20.
While at Wentworth, Gacek coordinated the team's game plan for special teams while also overseeing the recruitment of prospective talent at various levels, including the North American Hockey League (NAHL), Ontario Junior Hockey League (OJHL), British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL), Central Canada Hockey League (CCHL), National Collegiate Development Conference (NCDC), and preparatory schools.
Prior to his time in Boston, Gacek served as an assistant coach with the Saint Anselm men's hockey team for the 2018-19 season, helping the Hawks to a Northeast-10 (NE-10) regular-season championship as well as a spot in the conference tournament final game. As head of recruitment for the NAHL, NCDC, and prep schools, Gacek helped recruit both the eventual NE-10 player of the year and goalie of the year during his lone season in Manchester.
Gacek co-founded the North Shore Chill Hockey program out of Hampton, N.H. in 2013, and has served as the head of operations and head coach ever since.
Gacek's resumé as a player spans to the professional level, where he suited up for the ECHL's Atlanta Gladiators from 2016-2018, playing in 44 contests for the former Boston Bruins affiliate. Notching 12 goals and 16 assists for 28 points helped him land in the top-five for rookie goal scorers in his first pro season. In 2017, Gacek was invited to the Bruins Rookie Camp.
Prior to his time in the pros, Gacek was a four-year member of the Miami University (OH) men's hockey program from 2012-2016, partaking in 149 career games, contributing 16 goals and 30 assists for the RedHawks. Twice during his playing career, Gacek participated in the NCAA Division I Tournament, in 2013 and 2015.
Gacek graduated from Miami in 2016 with a bachelor's degree in sport leadership and management, minoring in entrepreneurship. He also completed a Master of Business Administration at Southern New Hampshire in 2022.
