Hamline women's hockey coach Natalie Darwitz and assistant Jake Bobrowski are leaving the Pipers program to become assistant coaches for the Gophers women's hockey team, Minnesota coach Brad Frost announced Thursday.
Natalie Darwitz, Jake Bobrowski leave Hamline to become Gophers women's hockey assistants
The duo helped the Pipers reach a pair of NCAA Division III Frozen Fours. They replace Joel Johnson and Bethany Brausen, who left U for St. Thomas.
July 29, 2021 at 4:17PM
"We are thrilled to have both Natalie and Jake as part of our coaching staff,'' Frost said in a statement. "They have great coaching track records separately but have been very dynamic together and are proven winners.''
Darwitz and Bobrowski helped Hamline reach the NCAA Division III Frozen Four in 2018 and the national championship game in 2019. The Pipers went 88-44-14 under Darwitz and Bobrowski.
A U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame member, Darwitz returns to her alma mater, where she helped Minnesota win back-to-back NCAA championships in 2004 and '05 and later served as an assistant for two seasons. The three-time All-America player set an NCAA single-season record with 114 points in 2004-05. Darwitz, an Eagan native, won two Olympic silver medals and one bronze with Team USA.
Bobrowski served as an assistant coach at Hill-Murray before joining Darwitz at Hamline. He was the lead recruiter for the Pipers, who had seven All-America selections and one national player of the year during his stay.
Darwitz and Bobrowski fill vacancies created when Joel Johnson left the Gophers to become head coach at St. Thomas and Bethany Brausen left to become a Tommies assistant.
High-profile victims in Minnesota include Mike Conley of the Timberwolves and Twins co-owner Jim Pohlad.
