Eddie Effinger '12 has been named the new head coach of Amherst College men's ice hockey, becoming the 9th head coach in 117 years of men's ice hockey at the institution.
Effinger succeeds Jack Arena '82, who retired from coaching in May after 42 years (41 seasons) at the helm of the men's ice hockey program. Effinger both played and worked for Arena at Amherst, one of the reasons Amherst College Director of Athletics Don Faulstick believes he is the perfect candidate to replace Arena.
"We are thrilled to welcome back Eddie Effinger '12 to Amherst as our new men's ice hockey coach," Faulstick said. "His success at St. Olaf, combined with the strong foundation he built here as a player and assistant, make him the ideal person to carry forward the legacy of excellence that Jack Arena established over 41 seasons. Our entire department is excited to work with him."
Effinger spent the past five seasons at St. Olaf and led the Oles to an overall record of 54-49-11 (.522) and a pair of Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) playoff titles and NCAA Tournament appearances. St. Olaf won the MIAC Playoffs as the No. 7 seed in 2021-22 and the No. 5 seed in 2023-24 by winning three consecutive road games to earn its spot in the NCAA Tournament.
But when the Amherst opportunity opened up, Effinger decided it was too good to pass up.
"Amherst College is a special place with traditions of excellence throughout campus," he said. "The opportunity to be a part of that experience with our hockey program has always been a dream.Â
"I'd like to thank Don Faulstick, Martha Umphrey (Amherst College Provost and Dean of Faculty), and everyone involved in the hiring process for the opportunity to lead our men's hockey program. My family and I are incredibly grateful and honored to be returning to a place we call home. I am excited to get to work with our student-athletes and the Amherst College community."
After graduating from Amherst with a bachelor of arts in economics and environmental studies in 2012, Effinger, an Illinois native, played professionally for one season for the Quad City Mallards of the Central Hockey League in Moline, Ill.
Effinger then returned to Amherst and spent six seasons as an assistant coach under Arena from 2013-14 through 2018-19. During his six seasons on staff, the Mammoths went 89-48-21 (.630) overall and 60-31-17 (.634) in the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC).
Amherst made the NESCAC Tournament in each of Effinger's six seasons as an assistant coach, including winning the tournament in 2014-15 and finishing as the runner-up three times. The 2014-15 team also advanced to the semifinals of the NCAA Tournament.
As a student-athlete at Amherst, Effinger was a two-time captain and recorded 77 points on 38 goals and 39 assists in 97 games. His play helped the program capture NESCAC titles in 2009 and 2012 and post a 74-23-10 (.738) record, resulting in the highest winning percentage over a four-year period in program history.
Effinger was part of two NCAA Tournament teams, including captaining the 2011-12 team that set a program record with 24 wins and advanced to the national semifinals for the first time in school history.
Now, Effinger has the chance to replace his coach, mentor and friend behind the Amherst bench.
"The impact Coach Arena has had on so many, including myself, can't be put into words," he said. "Under Jack's guidance, the men's hockey program has enhanced the Amherst College education for decades to the benefit of hundreds of student-athletes. I hope to serve the College and our student-athletes with the same humility, integrity, and commitment as Coach Arena."
During his time at St. Olaf, Effinger coached one two-time USCHO.com First Team West All-American, one two-time All-USCHOÂ honoree, one USCHOÂ All-Rookie selection, eight All-MIAC honorees, six MIAC All-Playoff Team choices, and the program's first-ever MIAC Defensive Player of the Year.
His teams also excelled academically, producing 65 Academic All-MIAC honorees, 32 American Hockey Coaches Association (AHCA) All-American Scholars, 10 College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District honorees, and one two-time MIAC Elite 22 Award recipient.
After the COVID-19 pandemic reduced his first season to two games in 2020-21, Effinger led the Oles to MIAC Playoff appearances in each of his four full seasons, including two MIAC Playoff titles (2021-22, 2023-24) and one runner-up finish (2024-25). The 2021-22 and 2023-24 MIAC Playoff titles led to two of the three NCAA Tournament appearances in program history.
In the year prior to taking over the St. Olaf program, Effinger was the director of hockey operations at NCAA Division I Boston University. At BU, Effinger managed all operational aspects of the men's hockey program, including travel logistics, video breakdowns, and athletic development. He also assisted head coach Albie O'Connell with fundraising development, alumni relations, recruiting coordination with players across the world, and oversaw academic support, leadership programming, and community outreach. The Terriers finished the season 13-13-9 overall and 10-9-5 in the highly-competitive Hockey East and earned the No. 6 seed in the Hockey East Tournament before it was canceled.
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