Matt Loen enters his 17th season as head coach for the men’s ice hockey team in 2023-24 at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. 

The Blugolds finished their 2022-23 season as runners' up in the Commissioner's Cup tournament and a second place finish in the WIAC standings with an overall record of 18-9-1.

In 2021-22, Loen led the team to the WIAC Tournament Championship where they beat UW-Stevens Point 6-2 and finished the season with a 10-6 WIAC record and a 18-11-1 record overall. 

In 2017-2018, he was named WIAC Co-Coach of the Year, an honor he has earned six times in the last nine years. He also received the honor in 2009-10, 2010-11, 2012-13, 2014-15 and 2016-17.

In 2012-2013, Loen and the Blugolds captured the NCAA Division III National Championship in Lake Placid, New York. That year, Loen was named the USCHO and D3Hockey.com National Coach of the Year. The Blugolds also won the NCHA and WIAC Conference Championships.

Loen ranks 6th on the all-time WIAC Coaches Wins List. He has also been named NCHA Coach of the Year in 2011 and 2013. Loen is the school’s all-time leader in wins with an overall record 190-117-27.

Under Loen, a number of Blugolds have earned post-season honors. He coached 10 first team All-NCHA and 12 NCHA honorable mentions recipients, with a total of 34 NCHA All-Academic. In the WIAC he has coached 27 first team All-WIAC and 23 honorable mentions and three WIAC Scholar-Athlete. He has coached five All-Americans and one Academic All-American.

Loen has played in over 500 games professionally. He was named Rookie of the Year in the United Hockey League (UHL) for the Madison Monsters. He played for Cincinnati Mighty Ducks of the American Hockey League (AHL), the top farm team for the Anaheim Mighty Ducks and the Milwaukee Admirals of the International Hockey League (IHL), the top team in Nashville Predators’ farm system. He is a multiple-time minor league All-Star.

Loen graduated from UW-Eau Claire in 1995. He was a 1st team All-American and the Northern Collegiate Hockey Association Player of the Year in 1994-1995. In 1994 and 1995 he was a first team All-NCHA selection and in 1994 he was a All-Wisconsin State University Conference (WSUC) selection.

Loen is married to Carla and the couple have one son (Max) and one daughter (Emma).

Updated 7/6/23