MINNEAPOLIS-After a 2-year hiatus, the Mariucci Classic will return to the Minnesota Gophers schedule in 2019-20 with a new twist-for the first time in tournament history all four participating programs hail from the state of Minnesota.
Joining the Gophers for the 27th edition of the Mariucci Classic will be Bemidji State, Minnesota State Mankato and St. Cloud State. The Mavericks and Huskies will both be making their first appearances in the Classic while the Beavers will be participating for the third time, finishing third in 2000-01 and winning in 2010-11.
Next year's Classic is scheduled Dec. 28-29, 2019, at 3M Arena at Mariucci. Matchups and other tournament details will be announced at a later date.
With an all-time Mariucci Classic record of 36-13-3 dating back to the inaugural event in 1991-92, the Maroon and Gold have won 14 of the previous 26 tournament titles and stand as the defending Classic champions after winning the event in 2016-17.
Named in honor of the "Godfather of Minnesota Hockey," the Mariucci Classic honors former Gopher and hall of famer John Mariucci. A native of Eveleth, Mariucci skated for the Gophers and led Minnesota to an undefeated AAU championship in 1940 while earning first team All-America honors.
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He went on to a lengthy professional career including five seasons in the NHL with the Chicago Blackhawks before returning to the University of Minnesota to coach the Gophers-holding a 197-138-18 (.584) coaching record from 1952-66.
During the 1955-56 season, he stepped away from the Gophers' bench to coach the U.S. Olympic team to a silver medal. Mariucci was inducted into the inaugural 1973 class of the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame and was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame as a builder in 1985.
Minnesota hosts Ferris State for a 2-game nonconference series at 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 28, and 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 29. Friday's game will be on FSN PLUS. Saturday's game will be on the Big Ten Network.
