Dr. Gerald Caple established the Lumberjack club hockey program 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. 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 club D-II and D-III hockey teams. Caple was inducted in the American Hockey Coaches Association (ACHA) Hall of Fame in 2018.