On Wednesday, May 21, University of North Dakota men’s hockey head coach, Dane Jackson, announced the return of Matt Smaby to the program. Smaby, a former defenseman and captain at UND, is now the programs new Associate Head Coach.
In a statement released by the University Jackson spoke on the new hiring, “We are excited to welcome Matt to our coaching staff.” He continued, “Much like his playing days, his teams brought a strong work ethic and tenacity to everything they did, and we are excited to have that in our program. He has succeeded at every level he has played and coached at and knows what it takes to win the right way.”
Additionally, Smaby spoke on the opportunity to return to Grand Forks saying, “UND has always been a special place to me. My time at UND, both as a student-athlete and a coach, have molded me into the person, coach, father and husband I am today.” Smaby continued, “When I had the chance to sit down with Coach Jackson, what was most evident was his passion and love for UND hockey. Sharing that same passion, our visions aligned for what was needed to bring the program to the top of college hockey. I’m thrilled for the opportunity to work alongside Coach Jackson and the rest of the staff, and I’m anxious to get to work.”
