University of St. Thomas Athletics
Men's Hockey
Richards, Zach
Zach Richards
- Title:
- Director of Operations
- Email:
- zrichards@stthomas.edu
Zach Richards enters his fourth season with St. Thomas men’s hockey and his second as Director of Operations. Prior to being named Director of Hockey Operations, Richards was with the Tommies as the volunteer Assistant Coach for the program and coaching the team’s goaltenders, serving on the coaching staff since the Tommies’ inaugural Division I season. In addition to his role as Director of Hockey Operations, Richards assists in recruiting and continues his coaching role with the team.
He specializes as the goaltender coach along with his Director of Operations duties. He coached up Jake Sibell to a career season last year with a 2.18 goals against average and .923 save percentage. Sibell was named a Mike Richter Award Semi-Finalist. Both goaltenders during the 2023-24 season combined for a program-best 2.8 goals allowed per game and .910 save percentage.
Prior to joining Head Coach Rico Blasi’s staff at St. Thomas, Richards coached NCAA Division III at St. Olaf College under Head Coach Edward Effinger, serving as the goaltending coach for the program.
Richards also coached in a variety of roles in his native state of Michigan, serving as Associate Head Coach for the Lansing Spartans 18U program (2017-19) and for the Lansing Spartans 16U program (2015-17), under now current Carolina Hurricanes (NHL) Development Coach Jason Muzzatti, as Assistant Coach and Goalie Coach for the Central Michigan University ACHA Division III club hockey program (2017-18), and as Assistant Coach and Goalie Coach for Eastside Varsity Hockey (2016-19),
In addition to his team coaching experience, Richards also boasts a wealth of private coaching experience serving as one of the head instructors for Just Goalies Inc., an instructor at Stauber’s Goalcrease, a summer instructor for Hockey Masters, and as a private goalie instructor.
The Dexter, Michigan native earned his bachelor’s degree in finance, with Honors, from Michigan State University in 2019. Richards is also a licensed attorney in the State of Minnesota, earning his Law Degree from the University of Minnesota in 2022, with a concentration in Business Law, and passing the Minnesota State Bar Exam the same year.
He specializes as the goaltender coach along with his Director of Operations duties. He coached up Jake Sibell to a career season last year with a 2.18 goals against average and .923 save percentage. Sibell was named a Mike Richter Award Semi-Finalist. Both goaltenders during the 2023-24 season combined for a program-best 2.8 goals allowed per game and .910 save percentage.
Prior to joining Head Coach Rico Blasi’s staff at St. Thomas, Richards coached NCAA Division III at St. Olaf College under Head Coach Edward Effinger, serving as the goaltending coach for the program.
Richards also coached in a variety of roles in his native state of Michigan, serving as Associate Head Coach for the Lansing Spartans 18U program (2017-19) and for the Lansing Spartans 16U program (2015-17), under now current Carolina Hurricanes (NHL) Development Coach Jason Muzzatti, as Assistant Coach and Goalie Coach for the Central Michigan University ACHA Division III club hockey program (2017-18), and as Assistant Coach and Goalie Coach for Eastside Varsity Hockey (2016-19),
In addition to his team coaching experience, Richards also boasts a wealth of private coaching experience serving as one of the head instructors for Just Goalies Inc., an instructor at Stauber’s Goalcrease, a summer instructor for Hockey Masters, and as a private goalie instructor.
The Dexter, Michigan native earned his bachelor’s degree in finance, with Honors, from Michigan State University in 2019. Richards is also a licensed attorney in the State of Minnesota, earning his Law Degree from the University of Minnesota in 2022, with a concentration in Business Law, and passing the Minnesota State Bar Exam the same year.
Press Conference: Rico Blasi January 27th 2025
Monday, January 27
St. Thomas Men's Hockey 2023-24 Intro Video
Friday, October 27
Rico Blasi Pre-Season Press Conference, September 26th, 2022
Friday, October 21
Rico Blasi Press Conference October 3rd
Friday, October 21
