Minnesota Promotes Boom May to Rebuild Women Hockey Dynasty After Frost Era Ends

Greg May has inherited the challenging task of restoring Minnesota women hockey program to championship prominence after earning promotion to head coach following Brad Frost dismissal last week, ending a 19-season tenure that produced four national titles but had recently lost competitive edge.

The 40-year-old assistant coach, universally known by his nickname Boom, agreed to a four-year contract pending background check completion and board of regents approval, positioning him to rebuild a program that has fallen behind conference rivals Ohio State and Wisconsin.

May appointment represents continuity combined with fresh perspective, as his three seasons as Frost assistant provided intimate knowledge of program operations while maintaining enough distance to identify areas requiring improvement or modernization.

Boom is a relationship-builder and a strong recruiter who brings success as a head coach to our program, athletic director Mark Coyle explained. He knows Minnesota hockey, but he has also coached and had success at the international level. Our program is in good hands with Greg at the helm.

The timing of May promotion coincides with broader changes throughout Minnesota hockey programs, as men coach Bob Motzko was also dismissed last week, creating simultaneous leadership transitions that reflect athletic department commitment to renewed excellence.

May coaching background includes two successful seasons leading the Division III men program at Augsburg University, demonstrating his ability to manage complete program responsibilities rather than simply assisting established operations.

Prior to joining Frost coaching staff, May served two years as director of operations for Minnesota men team under Motzko, providing comprehensive understanding of university hockey culture and administrative requirements essential for head coaching success.

His recent international experience includes serving as assistant coach for the U.S. women junior national team that captured gold medals at the U18 World Championships in January, showcasing his ability to work with elite young talent and succeed in high-pressure championship environments.

I have been able to see all of the wonderful things that coach Frost has done, the storied history, the traditions, the pride, but I have not been here for 20 years, May acknowledged during his introductory news conference.

His perspective as relatively recent addition to Minnesota hockey provides valuable objectivity about program strengths and weaknesses that longtime insiders might overlook due to familiarity with established methods.

So I also had a front-row seat at the things that I feel like could be done differently or could be done to bring that consistency to what we are looking for to get back over that hump, May continued, referencing the program recent inability to compete with conference powers.

Frost legacy includes national championships in 2012, 2013, 2015, and 2016, establishing Minnesota as a dominant force during the mid-2010s when the program successfully recruited and developed exceptional talent across multiple recruiting classes.

However, recent seasons have exposed the program gradual decline, with this year early NCAA quarterfinal elimination at home highlighting the gap between Minnesota current capabilities and championship-level performance requirements.

Ohio State and Wisconsin have captured every national title since 2018, demonstrating sustained excellence that Minnesota must emulate if they hope to return to championship contention under May leadership.

The Gophers lost competitiveness in crucial areas including recruiting, tactical innovation, and player development, creating multi-year challenges that May must address systematically rather than through quick fixes or superficial changes.

May reputation as strong recruiter becomes essential given Minnesota need to attract elite talent capable of competing immediately against established conference powers while building foundation for sustained future success.

His relationship-building abilities could prove crucial in connecting with current roster members while establishing credibility with prospective recruits who might question Minnesota recent performance trends.

The four-year contract provides May with sufficient time to implement comprehensive program changes while building recruiting classes that reflect his vision for competitive excellence and championship pursuit.

Minnesota women hockey tradition demands nothing less than national championship contention, creating expectations that May must meet while modernizing program operations to compete effectively in contemporary collegiate hockey environment.