Head Coach Tony Fritz Retires after 32 Seasons at Lake Forest
Assistant Coach Seamus Gregory will direct the team in 2010-11

Tony Fritz

Seamus Gregory

Fritz joined the Lake Forest College Athletic Department in 1978 as head coach of the hockey and soccer programs. His 351 career victories on the ice rank among the top 50 in NCAA history (all divisions) and he is also the most successful soccer coach in school history with 145 victories and eight conference titles in 16 seasons (1978-93). His 496 wins in the two sports combined are the most by any coach in Lake Forest College history.

Under Fritz' direction, the Forester hockey program joined the American Collegiate Hockey Association in 1985 and claimed the ACHA title in the second and final year of the league's existence. Lake Forest posted an 18-6-2 record in 1990-91 and earned a bid to that year's NCAA Tournament. He led the team into the Northern Collegiate Hockey Association in 1992 and reached the semifinals of the NCHA Peters Cup Playoffs three straight seasons from 2004-06. The team was ranked as high as #4 in the country during that span and finished 2003-04 at #8. Fritz was named NCHA Coach of the Year at the end of that season. The 2009-10 season was the program's first as a member of the Midwest Collegiate Hockey Association and the Foresters once again advanced to the semifinals of the league's postseason tournament (Harris Cup Four).

Fritz was a 2006 inductee into the Illinois Hockey Hall of Fame as a builder and was inducted into the Forester Athletic Hall of Fame in 2007 for his coaching accomplishments. He is also featured as a visionary in a book on display in the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto, Ontario. Prior to his coaching career, Fritz was a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs organization as a player in the Ontario Junior Hockey Association. He was considered to be one of the top five NHL prospects in Canada before an eye injury during the Memorial Cup Playoffs ended his career.

"I am very excited to move on to the next phase of my life," commented Fritz. "I look forward to spending more time with my wife (Pat), children (Curtis and Charlene), and grandchildren (Griffin, Owen, and Lily). I also plan on enjoying Forester hockey from the bleachers instead of behind the bench. I am confident Seamus will do a great job and I will continue to support him and the players in any way I can."

"I want to thank Coach Fritz for all he has done for Lake Forest College," began Slaats. "He has represented the institution extremely well and has had a positive influence on many people, including me, the players he has coached, as well as his colleagues in our department and in the sport of hockey. He will be missed tremendously.

"I also welcome Coach Gregory to our full-time staff and a more prominent role in the department this year. He has done a great deal for the hockey team as an assistant coach and I am confident he will continue to improve the program."

Gregory has served as Fritz's assistant coach as well as the Foresters' head junior varsity coach and recruiting and video coordinator the last two seasons. He spent the previous five years as the associate head coach of the St. Mary’s High School (Lynn, Massachusetts) boys varsity hockey team. St. Mary’s competes in the Division I Catholic Central League, one of the premier leagues in the state.

Gregory graduated from St. Thomas University in Fredericton, New Brunswick, in 2003. Primarily a right wing, he is an alumnus of the St. John’s Junior Hockey League, New Brunswick Junior Hockey League, and Maritime Junior Hockey League.

"I am grateful to the administration here at the College for showing confidence in me and giving me the opportunity to lead this team," commented Gregory. "Working with Tony the last two seasons has been enjoyable, educational, and rewarding. I believe we have the program headed in the right direction and I look forward to leading it along that path."