Mavericks ink coach of the year Hastings to 8-year contract

Mike Hastings turned Minnesota State-Mankato into a winner the moment he got the job three years ago, and now he has another eight years to build the budding hockey program.

On Monday, the university's athletics department rewarded Hastings for a job well done by giving him a new eight-year contract, locking him up through the 2022-23 season.

In a statement issued by the university, Hastings said:

"From my first day in Mankato to present day the support from the University, community, my staff and players has been outstanding. Our family has become part of Mankato and are fortunate to call it home. I look forward to leading our student-athletes in continued development on the ice, in the classroom and overall pursuit of excellence."

Under Hastings, the Mavericks have won 76 games over the last three seasons: the most of any Division I team in the country. Mankato hockey also won its first WCHA regular season title (MacNaughton Cup) and a pair WCHA Tournament titles (Broadmoor Trophy) under Hastings.

Minnesota State spent five weeks as the No. 1 team in the country last season and took their powerful regular season campaign to the NCAA Tournament as the No. 1 overall seed, only to get upset by sixteen-seed RIT in the first round of the Midwest Regional.

The Mankato Free Press reports that Hastings will receive an annual salary of $290,000. A 2014 story from the St. Cloud Times observed that St. Cloud State men's hockey coach Bob Motzko was the highest paid hockey coach in the MnSCU system with a salary of $225,000/year.