U of A Pandas head coach Draper retires after 28 seasons

HEad coach Howie Draper during an ALberta Pandas practice in an undated photo.

The longtime coach of the University of Alberta’s women’s hockey team is retiring.

Howie Draper, who has been the head coach of the Alberta Pandas every season of its existence except one, announced Monday he is hanging up his skates and clipboard. The Pandas’ 2025-26 campaign in Canada West conference play ended a week ago in a quarterfinal series loss to Manitoba.

The Pandas began their existence in 1997 with Draper behind the bench, leading them to 15 Canada West and eight national championships over 28 seasons.

The 58-year-old has won four national university coach of the year awards and has recorded 465 conference wins, the most of any U of A coach in history.

The Edmonton native spent one season away from the program two years ago, when he coached the New York Sirens of the Professional Women’s Hockey League in their inaugural campaign.

“Though my passion for serving our student-athletes has always been, and will continue to be strong, I feel like it’s time for the program to have a new coach who possesses fresh energy, ideas and enthusiasm to help bring the program back to national prominence,” Draper said in a media release on Monday.

The 2002-07 Pandas stand as a high point for Draper and the program, when the team won five national championships and six Canada West titles in a row.

Draper played men’s hockey for the U of A as a student-athlete, lacing up for the Golden Bears from 1985-90, winning a national title in 1986 and a Canada West banner three years later.

The U of A said it will begin its search for a new Pandas head coach in the spring.