Tom Serratore stands behind the bench during a game, watching the action on the ice while assistant coaches and players stand nearby.
Brent Cizek

Tom Serratore to retire following 2026-27 season

Travis Winter to succeed Serratore following at end of season becoming the program’s eighth head coach

By Tyler Christiansen, Associate Director of Athletics for Media and External Relations

BEMIDJI, Minn. – Bemidji State University Director of Athletics Britt Lauritsen announced today that men's hockey head coach Tom Serratore will retire following the conclusion of the 2026-27 season, his 26th year leading the Beavers. Lauritsen also announced that associate head coach Travis Winter will succeed Serratore as the program's eighth head coach upon his retirement and is the Beavers’ head coach in waiting.

Coach Bob Peters gave me the chance to play for him, and he instilled values and principles that shaped me personally and professionally. Then he gave me the opportunity to coach and to carry on the Beaver Hockey traditions that he so carefully shaped. It has been an honor and a privilege to be entrusted with this program and to work so closely with the players, our alumni, and this Beaver Hockey community. We’ve enjoyed a lot of success here, but it’s the relationships we’ve had over the last 26 years that mean so much to me and my family.
Tom Serratore
Tom Serratore in a dark suit and tie speaks into a microphone at a press conference table, seated in front of a backdrop displaying Bemidji State logos and text.
Travis has earned the respect of our players, administration, alumni, and his peers in college hockey. He’s a professional in every sense of the word, a high-character leader who understands the values and expectations of Beaver Hockey. As the associate head coach, he’s helped develop our players on and off the ice and has built strong relationships with our hockey alumni and our Bemidji State community. He’s the right coach in waiting as we head into a new era of Beaver Hockey.
Tom Serratore

Serratore enters his final season as one of the most accomplished and respected coaches in college hockey. Since being named head coach in 2001, he has guided the Beavers through one of the most transformative periods in program history, leading Bemidji State from Division II and Division III prominence to national relevance at the NCAA Division I level. 

He knows first-hand the tradition of BSU men’s hockey, having played two years under legend of college hockey, R.H. “Bob” Peters in the mid-1980s. He was a two-year letterwinner at forward for BSU from 1985-87, captained the team in 1987 and helped BSU win the 1986 NCAA Division III National Championship.

Tom likes to joke that he is ‘just the hockey coach,’ but the truth is Tom Serratore is a community staple, an ardent and vehement supporter of the university, and a dedicated, selfless ambassador for the sport of hockey. Over the course of his career, his true north has always been to put Bemidji State in the greatest possible position to succeed. He is a relentlessly loyal Beaver, through and through. It is a rare privilege to work with an individual who has seen as much change and growth as Tom has in his tenure, who has stewarded a program through that evolution, and has remained true to giving his all in service to the mission and vision of the university. Bemidji State Athletics, the Bemidji community, and the sport of hockey are better because of Tom Serratore.
Britt Lauritsen
Tom Serratore writes on a whiteboard while speaking to players gathered in the locker room between periods.

Under Serratore's leadership, the Beavers captured seven conference regular season titles, three conference tournament titles, made six NCAA Tournament appearances and reached the NCAA Frozen Four in 2009. He guided Bemidji State in its transition to the Western Collegiate Hockey Association and subsequently the Central Collegiate Hockey Association, where the Beavers have remained a perennial contender, earning WCHA and CCHA regular season championships in 2017 and 2024. He is a nine-time American Hockey Coaches’ Association (AHCA) Spencer Penrose Award Finalist, given to the NCAA Division I’s top coach and is an eight-time conference Coach of the Year.

Entering the 2026-27 season, Serratore stands among the winningest coaches in NCAA Division I men's hockey history with 416 career victories. His win total ranks second in Bemidji State's 71-year history, 29th all-time among Division I coaches, and seventh among active Division I head coaches. He carries a career record of 416-397-108 and a .510 winning percentage into the 2026-27 campaign.

Throughout his tenure, Serratore has earned national recognition for developing student-athletes both on and off the ice while establishing a culture defined by accountability, work ethic and pride in representing Bemidji State. Under Serratore’s leadership, three Beavers have earned All-American accolades, and four have been named Academic All-Americans. Seven Beavers coached by Serratore have gone on to have careers in the NHL while 77 have played professionally in the American Hockey League and Europe.

Travis Winter points toward the ice while giving instructions from the hockey bench, with players and staff gathered nearby.

Travis Winter is the program’s head coach in waiting and will become the eighth head coach in Bemidji State men's hockey history at the beginning of the 2027-28 season. A former Beaver student-athlete and longtime member of the coaching staff, Winter has played a significant role in many of the program's achievements over the past two decades. He has played a key role in the program's success, overseeing the Beavers' defensive corps and power play while helping develop numerous all-conference and professional-caliber players, including CCHA Defenseman of the Year Kyle Looft and NHL defenseman and Stanley Cup winner, Zach Whitecloud.

I am honored to be named the next head coach of this historic program. As a former player and current coach, Beaver Hockey holds a special place in my heart. I want to thank President John L. Hoffman and Britt Lauritsen for their support and trust in me to lead this program. I am excited for the future of Beaver Hockey and teaming up with our alumni, university, and community as we strive to win at the highest levels.
Travis Winter

Since joining the coaching staff in 2014, Winter has established himself as one of the most respected recruiters and player development coaches in the region, helping guide numerous student-athletes to all-conference, All-American and professional careers. His deep connection to Bemidji State, combined with his understanding of the program's culture and expectations, made him the ideal successor.

Travis Winter and Tom Serratore review a strategy board and notes on the bench while players gather around during a game.
Travis Winter is not only a natural fit for this position, but he is a strategic asset in an ever-changing landscape. Travis' innate ability to understand the complexities of college athletics, to research and to deploy creative solutions, and his willingness to evolve make him immeasurably valuable. Travis's hockey IQ is unquestionable, and his time with the U.S. World Junior team among other opportunities solidifies his position among the most highly sought after talents in college hockey. I have no doubt he will continue the legacy of Beaver Hockey in a timeless and honorable way.
Britt Lauritsen

Winter's coaching resumé extends beyond Bemidji State. Prior to returning to his alma mater, he served as head coach and director of hockey operations for the NAHL's Aberdeen Wings, leading the organization to a 53-24-7 record and a playoff appearance. He also spent four seasons with the USHL's Cedar Rapids RoughRiders, where he helped guide the club to four consecutive playoff appearances, an Anderson Cup championship, and the development of dozens of NCAA Division I players and NHL Draft selections. Winter's coaching experiences have also taken him with the nation’s top talent and recently served on the staff for the U.S. National Junior Team at the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship in Minnesota. His extensive recruiting, player development, and leadership experience has positioned him as one of the rising coaches in college hockey.

Since he’s been a part of the Bemidji State coaching staff, Winter has helped the Beavers achieve two conference championships, two NCAA Tournament bids, and three 20-win seasons. During his tenure, the Beavers have established themselves as one of the nation's premier programs on both the power play and defense. Over the past five seasons, Bemidji State's power-play unit has ranked among the top-15 in Division I in three seasons and has consistently finished among the top three in the conference. Defensively, the Beavers have placed among the nation's top 20 in goals against in five seasons, highlighted by a remarkable 2016-17 campaign in which they ranked second nationally.

A former two-time Beaver captain, Winter was a four-year letterwinner from 2005-09 and played a pivotal role in one of the most successful eras in program history. He helped lead Bemidji State to conference championships and served as captain of the 2008-09 team that captured the NCAA Midwest Regional title and advanced to the program's first Frozen Four. A St. Cloud, Minnesota, native and 2009 BSU graduate, Winter has remained committed to the university and community throughout his career, making him a natural choice to lead the next chapter of Bemidji State men's hockey.

I am forever grateful for Tom and his belief in me as a player and coach. Beaver Hockey has helped shape who I am today and his guidance and leadership have helped me grow immensely as a coach. I am prepared for the next chapter in my coaching career because of his mentorship over my 17 years as a player and coach in this program.
Travis Winter

For the most up to date information on the Bemidji State men’s hockey program, tickets or schedules, visit BSUBeavers.com or follow the Beavers on X, Instagram or like them on Facebook.

Located on the shore of Lake Bemidji, Bemidji State University sponsors 15 varsity athletic programs with NCAA Division I men’s hockey in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association and women’s hockey in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association, while its 13 NCAA Division II programs hold membership in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC).

--bsu—

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