Lindenwood set to hire Bill Muckalt as next head coach

SAINT PAUL, Minn. — Lindenwood is finalizing an agreement with Bill Muckalt to become the program’s next head coach, sources have confirmed to College Hockey Insider.

Muckalt and Bemidji State associate head coach Travis Winter were finalists for the job. A press conference will likely happen next week; details are being worked out. Lindenwood’s players were informed on Saturday.

Muckalt, 49, is a former Michigan captain and graduate. He played six professional seasons before retiring in 2004. He began his coaching career in 2006 at Eastern Michigan (ACHA) and was a head coach in the WSHL and NAHL before becoming an assistant coach under Mel Pearson at Michigan Tech in 2011. Muckalt was the GM/head coach of the Tri-City Storm from 2015-17 and worked with Pearson again at Michigan from 2017-22 as the associate head coach. Muckalt spent the 2022-23 season as the associate head coach for Brandon Naurato, but he left the program at the end of last season.

This will mark Muckalt’s first tenure as an NCAA head coach. He will replace Rick Zombo, who was let go by Lindenwood last month after two seasons. Zombo was the program’s club coach before it was elevated to Division I.