MANKATO, Minn. --- Minnesota State Director of Athletics Kevin Buisman has announced that the University has extended the contract of men's hockey coach, Luke Strand, through the 2032-33 season.

Strand, who just completed the third year of the five-year contract he signed when he joined the Mavericks on April 10, 2023, has guided the Mavericks to back-to-back MacNaughton and Mason Cups and appearances in the NCAA tournament.

"When Luke Strand first accepted this role, he believed all the elements were still in place to continue hanging championship banners in our building—and that belief has been validated by our team's performance over time," said Buisman.

"Over his first three seasons, his leadership, vision, and relentless pursuit of excellence have continued to elevate our program both on and off the ice. His commitment to our community and student-athlete welfare are extraordinary and make this program special.

This contract extension reflects our confidence in Luke's ability to sustain that momentum, develop outstanding talent and compete at the highest level. As we navigate the evolving landscape of college athletics, we are excited and extremely optimistic about the future of Maverick hockey behind Coach Strand's outstanding leadership."

During his tenure with the Mavericks, Strand has guided the Mavericks to a 68-30-14 (.669) record during his time at Minnesota State. The two time CCHA Coach of the Year and Spencer Primrose Coach of the Year finalist (2024-25, 2025-26), Strand has seen senior goaltender Alex Tracy earn CCHA Player of the Year (2025) and CCHA Goaltender of the Year (2025), junior defenseman Evan Murr earn CCHA Defenseman of the Year (2025, 2026), Rhett Pitlick earn CCHA Forward of the Year (2025) and Sam Morton earn CCHA Player of the Year (2024) and CCHA Offensive Player of the Year (2024) during his tenure.

"Minnesota State and the Mankato community have become a great home for our family," said Strand. "It's an honor to carry the torch for all of those who came before me and to lead the Mavericks of the future. I've been blessed with a great staff and young men that want to be more than just players, but to also become outstanding ambassadors for Maverick hockey and Minnesota State University."