The 2021-2022 New England Hockey Coaches’ (NEHC) Coach of the Year, veteran head coach John Lauziere took over the reins of the University of Southern Maine women's ice hockey program in the fall of 2006 after serving as an assistant coach with the men's ice hockey team for four seasons. The 2025-26 season will be his 20th leading the Huskies. He is the fifth head coach in the program's history.
A former standout for the men's team during his collegiate playing career, Lauziere has worked hard to improve the fortunes of the Huskies. In his 19 seasons leading the program, USM has earned a berth in the league postseason tournament 17 times, and reached the championship semifinals in 2009, 2011 and 2013, 2020, 2023, and 2024 .Â
In 2024, Lauziere led the Huskies to the program's first conference championship appearance where they fell to Elmira. The Huskies earned the No. 5 seed in the NEHC tournament and had upset wins over No. 4 seed UMass Boston and No. 1 seed Norwich. The semifinals win against Norwich saw Madison Chagnon score the game-winner in overtime to send the Huskies to the NEHC Championship and give the program its first-ever road win at Norwich.
Lauziere led the Huskies to a dramatic improvement in his third season, 2008-2009, leading USM to a record of 14-9-4 overall and 12-5-2 in the ECAC East. The Huskies 14-9-4 record marked their first winning record since the 2003-2004 season. With 175 career wins, Lauziere is the program’s all-time leader in wins as a head coach. Lauziere was named as a finalist for the 2021- 2022 CCM and American College Hockey Association (ACHA) Division III Women's Coach of the Year Award.
Since taking over the program, Lauziere has mentored players to 13 all-conference honors, and six to all-rookie team accolades including Haley McKim, the 2021-22 NEHC Rookie of the Year, the 2021-22, 2022-23, 2023-24 Goaltender of the Year and four-time All-NEHC selection with a three-time First Team nods and one Second Team selection. McKim also was named an All-American by American Hockey Coaches Association (AHCA) with a East Second Team nod.Â
A number of his former players have gone on to play professional hockey, including most recently Julia Pearl and Cassandra Sherman. During the 2018-2019 season, former Husky captain and defenseman Jensen Hamblett ’19 became the first Husky women’s ice hockey player to earn New England Hockey Women’s Hockey Alliance Division III All-Star Honors. In 2023, McKim and Madison Chagnon were named NEHWA Division III All-Stars. McKim also earned the honor in 2024.
During his four seasons as an assistant coach with the men's team, Lauziere helped the Huskies compile a 44-54-7 overall record, including a 38-37-5 mark in the final three seasons. In the 2004-2005 season, the Huskies enjoyed their finest season in more than a decade going 15-10-2 and reached the semifinals of the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) East tournament for the first time.
As a player, Lauziere played four seasons for the Huskies after transferring from Quinnipiac University. He appeared in 93 games, scoring 30 goals and earning 25 assists for 55 points. He had five power-play goals, one short-handed tally and five game-winning goals. Twice during his career he was named the ECAC East Player of the Week.
Lauziere received his bachelor's degree in communication from USM in 2002.
