Former Falcon hockey coach passes away
10/4/2006 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
Oct. 4, 2006
USAF Academy, Colo. -- Vic Heyliger, "The Father of Air Force Hockey", passed away at the age of 87 at his home in Colorado Springs, Wednesday, Oct. 4.
Heyliger came to the Academy in 1966 to coach the Falcons' club team. In 1968-69, he became the Falcons' first varsity head coach. In his six seasons at the helm, the Falcons quickly became a competitive hockey program at the Division I level. Heyliger led the Falcons to an 85-77-3 record, including a phenomenal 25-6 record in 1971-72, the fourth season of varsity hockey.
Born Sept. 26, 1919, in Boston, Mass., Heyliger will always be regarded as one of the greatest college hockey coaches ever. In 13 seasons as the head coach of his alma mater, Michigan, he led the Wolverines to six NCAA Championships. He led the Wolverines to a 228-61-13 record from 1944-57.
In his fourth season, he led the 1948 Wolverines to a 20-2-1 record and the school's first NCAA Championship ever. He repeated the feat in 1951 as Michigan posted a 22-4-1 record and defeated Brown, 7-1, in the championship game. That title was Michigan's first of three straight championships and five in six years. Heyliger was a three-year letterman at Michigan from 1934-37. The outstanding defenseman award at Michigan is named in his honor. Following his playing career at Michigan, he played three seasons in the National Hockey League with the Chicago Blackhawks.
The 1938 graduate of Michigan began his coaching career at the University of Illinois. In four seasons, he guided the Illini to a 59-29-4 record. Heyliger, who was instrumental in the development of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association, was named the National Collegiate Coach of the Year in 1953. After leaving Michigan in 1957, he remained active in hockey as he coached the USA National Team that competed against the Soviet Union and Yugoslavia.
He was elected to the United States Hockey Hall of Fame in Eveleth, Minn., in September 1974 and to the Michigan Hall of Fame in 1980.
After current Falcon head coach Frank Serratore took over the program in 1997, he began the Vic Heyliger Award. The award, voted on by the team, is the cornerstone of Air Force hockey. It is awarded to the player whose dedication, character, leadership and work ethic exemplifies Falcon hockey.
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