Courtesy of RITAthletics.com
ROCHESTER, N.Y. – RIT alumnus and former captain Matt Thomas ’98 was named the eighth head coach in RIT Men’s Hockey history, Thursday.
Thomas jumped right into coaching after graduation and has over 26 years of experience at both the NCAA Division I and professional ranks, including the last four seasons as an assistant coach with the Providence Bruins – the American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate of the NHL Boston Bruins.
“I am excited to welcome Matt back to RIT as our new men’s hockey coach,” said RIT Executive Director of Athletics Jacqueline Nicholson. “He brings a winning pedigree back to his alma mater and I am confident he will carry on the success our program has enjoyed since he was on the RIT bench. We look forward to welcoming him and his family to the RIT community and can’t wait to see what the next chapter of RIT Men’s Hockey will bring.”
RIT Men’s Hockey Head Coaches
2025 – Matt Thomas
1999-25 – Wayne Wilson
1989-99 – Eric Hoffberg
1988-89 – Buddy Powers
1984-88 – Bruce Delventhal
1980-84 – Brian Mason
1968-80 – Daryl Sullivan
1964-68 – Jim Heffer
“I am truly honored and excited to return to my alma mater as the new head coach of the RIT Men’s Hockey program,” said Thomas. “This is a special moment for me, as RIT played a significant role in my development both as a player and as a person. To have the opportunity to give back to the program and the institution that helped shape my career is a dream come true.”
Thomas joined the Bruins’ coaching staff in 2021 when Ryan Mougenel was promoted to head coach. Responsible for defensive player development along with managing the power-play units, Thomas has been part of four-consecutive Calder Cup playoffs appearances, while the Bruins have finished no lower than second in the Atlantic Division, including a first-place finish in 2022-23.
Thomas spent the previous three seasons as General Manager and Head Coach of the Cincinnati Cyclones, the former East Coast Hockey League (ECHL) affiliate of the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres. In his first season, Thomas led the Cyclones to the 2019 Brabham Cup title as ECHL regular-season champions with a 51-13-8 record, including a 30-2-4 home mark to tie the ECHL record for most home wins and fewest regulation losses in a single season. He was honored with the John Brophy Trophy, awarded annually to the ECHL Coach of the Year.
No stranger to success in the ECHL, Thomas also served five seasons as Head Coach and General Manager of the Stockton Thunder (2009-13), including a run to Western Conference Championship in 2013. He also served in the same role with the Fresno Falcons, amassing a record of 137-76-33 (.624 W%) from 2005-08. Thomas got his ECHL start with the Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies (2002-05), winning the 2003 Kelly Cup Championship during a two-year stint as an assistant coach before being promoted to head coach for the 2004-05 season.
Thomas amassed a 431-255-96 (.613 W%) record in 11 total seasons as an ECHL head coach, ranking sixth in league history in wins and games coached. He is also second in ECHL history with 108 postseason games coached, third with 54 postseason victories and tied for third with 10 playoff appearances. Thomas was also selected to coach in three ECHL All-Star Classics – tied for the most in league history.
Thomas also has five seasons of NCAA head coaching experience, guiding the program at the University of Alaska-Anchorage from 2013-18. Thomas’ tenure included leading the Seawolves’ to an 18-16-4 record during his first year – the first winning campaign in 20 season.
A native of Maple Ridge, British Columbia, Thomas appeared in 102 games during his RIT playing career, totaling 72 points on 25 goals and 47 assists. RIT played in four-straight ECAC-West title games during his playing tenure, winning the 1995-96 championship en route to the first of three-straight appearances in the NCAA Division III Tournament. The Tigers made a run to the 1995-96 national championship game, sweeping Potsdam twice at Ritter Arena in the national quarterfinals, before taking down host Wisconsin-River Falls, 2-1, in the semifinals. RIT fell to defending champion Middlebury, 3-2, in the national championship game.
Graduating with a degree in criminal justice/pre-law, Thomas’ first coaching opportunity was as an assistant coach at his alma mater for a season under Head Coach Eric Hoffberg. The Tigers finished the 1998-99 season with a 27-3-2 record, including a run to the NCAA Division III Tournament Semifinals.
Thomas spent the next three seasons as an assistant coach at the University of Maine, joining a staff that had just won the national championship in 1999 and went to make three more NCAA appearances, including a run back to the 2002 national championship game.
Thomas will be introduced to the community during a press conference scheduled for next Thursday, Apr. 17th, at 11:00 a.m. in the Gene Polisseni Center.
RIT HEAD COACH MATT THOMAS
First, I would like to thank my wife Andrea and my sons Devlin and Gavin for their support during this process.
I would like to thank Executive Athletic Director Jacqueline Nicholson, Dr. Sandy Johnson and the search committee for this honor. I would also like to extend my congratulations to Wayne Wilson on his impressive career at RIT and the NCAA coaching ranks. He and his staff have made an unforgettable mark on RIT Hockey.
I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to the Boston Bruins organization for the incredible experiences and the invaluable lessons I have gained over the last four years. It has been an absolute privilege to be part of such a storied franchise, and I am thankful to everyone involved for their support and for the opportunity to grow professionally during my time with them.
I am excited to continue the proud tradition of winning hockey that has defined this program for so many years. I look forward to the first game and the great support our fans and the Corner Crew provide our team. I am committed to developing our student-athletes not just as hockey players, but as individuals who will excel on and off the ice. The foundation of our success will be built through hard work, discipline, and a strong team-first mentality, with a focus on player development in everything we do.
I look forward to working alongside our dedicated staff, players, and supporters to bring RIT Hockey to new heights and to continue to build a program that embodies excellence and resilience. The future is bright, and I am thrilled to be a part of it.
Thank you again to the RIT community for this incredible opportunity. Let’s continue to grow the tradition and bring success to RIT.
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