FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (Feb. 13, 2018) – The American Collegiate Hockey Association, the governing body for non-varsity college hockey across the United States, has announced that former Northern Arizona University head coach Dr. Gerald Caple has been elected to the ACHA Hall Of Fame in the Builder category. Dr. Caple will be the sole member of the ACHA Hall of Fame Class of 2018.
The Hall's Class of 2018 was selected from a field of 10 eligible nominees by the ACHA's seven-member Board of Directors. Nominations to the Hall of Fame are made in two categories: Players and Builders.
A native of International Falls, Minnesota, Dr. Caple established the Lumberjack club hockey program in Flagstaff, Arizona in 1971 while teaching at NAU as a chemistry professor. For more than a decade, Dr. Caple organized, advised, managed and coached the fledgling NAU hockey team, spending countless hours and untold amounts of money in order to develop and build the 'Jacks into a highly competitive collegiate hockey program.
Under Dr. Caple's direction, NAU Hockey grew over the years and became a powerful team, beating many of the collegiate and amateur teams in the southwestern U.S., including University of Arizona and Arizona State University in the beginning days of their respective hockey programs.
For years, NAU's hockey team played in the Walkup Skydome on the NAU campus in Flagstaff in front of large crowds, including a game against the professional Phoenix Roadrunners of the Pacific Hockey League.
This success of NAU Hockey under Dr. Caple's tutelage directly led Northern Arizona to elevate the program to NCAA Division I status in the 1981-82 season. The NCAA Lumberjacks played five seasons as an NCAA D-I Independent squad. The most notable members during NAU's NCAA tenure were former Detroit Red Wings and Los Angeles Kings Jimmy Peters, who served as NAU's Head Coach, as well as players Greg Adams (New Jersey Devils, Vancouver Canucks, Dallas Stars, Phoenix Coyotes and Florida Panthers) and Bob Beers (Boston Bruins, Tampa Bay Lightning, Edmonton Oilers and New York Islanders).
The Lumberjack club hockey program was resurrected in 1991 and soon became a member of the fledgling ACHA. Still working as a distinguished faculty member of NAU's Chemistry Department at that time, Dr. Caple was consulted for his guidance and advice. His off the ice promotion of NAU Hockey established the foundation of NAU Hockey that is still celebrated and enjoyed today with Men's D-II and D-III hockey teams.
Dr. Caple now spends his retirement at his cabin in northern Minnesota and in Tucson, Arizona. He continues to be involved in NAU Hockey alumni events and fundraisers that help former Lumberjack players and the current Northern Arizona club hockey program(s). He is always in attendance when NAU is in Tucson to play the University of Arizona. Dr. Caple is a huge supporter of the ACHA and recognizes the value of the ACHA in providing an opportunity for student-athletes nationwide to continue playing competitive college hockey while earning their degree.
The ACHA Hall of Fame induction ceremony will be conducted on Friday, April 27, 2018 in Naples, Florida in conjunction with the ACHA 2018 Annual Meeting. Dr. Caple will be honored at a banquet along with ACHA Hall of Fame Class of 2017 inductee Dan Morris from Ohio University and the 2017-18 ACHA Coaches of the Year.
For further information, please visit achahockey.org or contact ACHA Interim Executive Director/Secretary Christopher Perry directly at cperry@achahockey.org.
About American Collegiate Hockey Association
The American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA) is a recognized 501(c)3 organization of nearly 500 college and university-affiliated programs which provides structure, regulates operations, and promotes the quality of collegiate ice hockey throughout the United States. Headquartered in Troy, Michigan, the ACHA's primary mission is to support the growth and development of college hockey programs nationwide. The ACHA identifies standards which serve to unite and regulate teams at the collegiate level and entered its 27th season in September 2017. For more information, visit
www.achahockey.org.
