Notre Dame hockey coach Jeff Jackson to step down in 2025, Brock Sheahan to succeed him

Notre Dame hockey head coach Jeff Jackson is stepping away from the program after the 2025 season, he announced on Monday. A winner of over 400 games during his time in South Bend, Jackson will be moving on after two decades with the Fighting Irish.

“I have decided that this coming season, my 20th at Notre Dame, will be my last,” Jackson said in a statement. “I plan to celebrate my final year at Notre Dame by doing what I love. I get to fully embrace coaching this great game at this incredible university, surrounded by a fantastic staff and good friends, for one more season. Most importantly, I feel privileged to work with some incredible student-athletes pursuing their dreams.” 

Jackson took over in 2005 after getting his head coaching career started at Lake Superior State. Just four times did Notre Dame have a losing record under the head coach’s watch, being a consistent program along the way. While he did not win a national championship with Notre Dame, Jackson did lead the program to four Frozen Fours and finished runners-up twice.

He is also a two-time Spencer T. Penrose Award winner, being named the Coach of the Year in 2007 and 2018.

One final dance will take place in 2025, where Notre Dame is looking to bounce back after a poor season in 2024. Jackson will certainly want to end on a high note by leaving it all out on the ice. A schedule has not yet been released, with a start date for the upcoming season unknown.

Thankfully for athletic director Pete Bevacqua, there is already a succession plan in place. Alongside the release of Jackson’s stepping down, Brock Sheahan has been announced as Notre Dame’s next hockey head coach.

A former player and a current assistant coach, Sheahan played for Jackson and was a member of the 2008 squad that made the Frozen Four. He was appointed to his current position not too long ago but has quickly earned a promotion.

“I could not be more excited to have Brock step in as our Catalino Family Head Hockey Coach,” Bevacqua said. “Brock has shown at every stop in his hockey journey, including his time here as a student-athlete, to be an innovative tactician who is always one step ahead of the curve. This next year will be a great opportunity for him to continue learning from Jeff, while preparing to take the helm full time in 2025.”