Jim Fetter completed his sixth season as the Wayne State University head women's hockey coach in 2008-09. A three-time recipient of the College Hockey America Women's Coach of the Year Award, he was also a finalist for the American Hockey Coaches Association Women's Division I Coach of the Year Award in 2006 before earning the award in 2008.

After putting together the most successful season in program history during the 2007-08 campaign, Fetter nearly led the Warriors to an equally prosperous year in 2008-09. Wayne State went 21-9-2 and advanced to the finals of the College Hockey America tournament after defeating Robert Morris, 4-3 in overtime, in the longest game in CHA and WSU women's hockey history and earning Fetter his 100th career victory. The Warriors also broke into the USA Today/USA American Hockey Magazine national poll for several weeks during the season.

Fetter garnered CHA Coach of the Year honors for the third straight season after leading the Warriors to a share of their first CHA regular season title with a school record 22 wins before falling 2-1 in overtime to #7 Mercyhurst in the 2008 CHA Tournament final. Despite the setback, WSU tied the season series with the Lakers, 2-2-1, snapping a 33-game winless streak. The Warriors also finished with its first national ranking in program history and set school records for the longest winning streak (nine games), unbeaten streak (11 games) and fewest losses in a season (9 games).

Fetter shared CHA Coach of the Year honors with Niagara's Margot Page at the end of the 2006-07 season. He led the Warriors to a 15-18-1 overall record and a 6-6-0 mark in the conference, marking three straight years his squad has had a .500 or better mark in conference play. WSU defeated a ranked opponent for the first time in program history as the Warriors overcame a 2-0 deficit midway through the second period to upend #9 Princeton, 4-2. Wayne State won its first ever CHA semifinal game as the Warriors defeated Niagara, 3-2, before falling to #2 Mercyhurst, 4-1, in the championship tilt.

In the summer of 2006, he was selected to Hockey Canada's National Women's Program Coaching Pool. Fetter served as an assistant coach for Team Canada's Under-18 squad for 2007-08 and has also worked summer evaluation camps with the U-22 and National women's team. For the 2008-09 season, he was chosen as an assistant coach for the Under-22 team.

In his first season (2003-04) at the helm of the Warrior program, Fetter led the squad to 15 wins, the highest total in program history, along with numerous other school records. In the 2004-05 campaign, he guided WSU to an even 6-6-0 record in CHA play.

With the help of a strong freshman class, the 2005-06 squad posted a record of 14-16-5 and a conference mark of 6-4-2, which included two ties against CHA rival Mercyhurst, who had previously defeated Wayne State in 24 straight meetings.

"Jim brings the kind of experience that is so important as we continue to develop our women's hockey program," stated WSU athletics director Rob Fournier. "His work ethic, enthusiasm and established recruiting contacts will serve well our shared vision for the future."

Fetter began his duties at WSU in August 2003. He came to WSU following four years as a Division I assistant coach, including the three previous seasons (2000-2003) at Mercyhurst College.

As an assistant coach at Mercyhurst College, the Lakers compiled a 49-16-2 mark the last two seasons including back-to-back regular-season (GLWHA and CHA) and tournament titles. Prior to joining the Mercyhurst staff, Fetter spent one season (1999-2000) as an assistant women's hockey coach at the University of Maine.

In the summer of 2001, he coached the Western New York Team to a gold medal in the Empire State Games. He returned in 2002 and directed the squad to a silver medal.

His women's coaching career began in 1996 when he led his midget team to a bronze medal at provincials and a gold a year later. Fetter then served as head coach for the University of Lethbridge women's team of the Canadian Interuniversity Athletic Union (CIAU) in its inaugural season of 1998.

He earned national level experience as an assistant coach for Team Alberta's Under-18 squad that won the bronze medal at the Canada Winter Games in Corner Brook, Newfoundland. Along with being an evaluator for the Canadian Women's National Team in the western region, Fetter was also a guest coach for the men's Canadian National Team against Team Norway.

The Kitchener, Ont., native is a 1995 graduate of the University of Lethbridge.

Jim Fetter's Career Coaching Record

Overall CHA

Year GP Won Lost Tied Pct. GP Won Lost Tied Pct. Finish

2003-04 34 15 15 4 .500 12 3 8 1 .292 4th

2004-05 33 13 17 3 .439 12 6 6 0 .500 3rd

2005-06 35 14 16 5 .471 12 6 4 2 .583 2nd

2006-07 34 15 18 1 .456 12 6 6 0 .500 2nd

2007-08 34 22 9 3 .691 12 9 2 1 .792 T-1st

2008-09 32 21 9 2 .688 16 11 5 0 .688 2nd

Career 202 100 84 18 .540 76 41 31 4 .566 ---