Ruthann Kragh, a native of Cheboygan, Mich. and 1996 graduate of Western Michigan University, joins the Gustavus Adolphus Athletics Department as the new assistant women’s hockey coach. She replaces Andrea Peterson who resigned to pursue a teaching career in the Twin Cities.
Kragh comes to Gustavus from Bethany Lutheran College where she served as the registrar for the past four years. Prior to her work at Bethany, Kragh worked extensively as a collegiate women’s hockey coach including two years as the head coach of the University of Western Michigan women’s club team, three years as the head coach of the Bemidji State University women’s team and five years as the assistant coach of the Minnesota State University women’s team.
At Western Michigan, Kragh founded the women’s ice hockey club program coaching the team to a 7-15-2 record in its first season and then guiding the team to a 28-2-1 record in its second season, capturing the club national championship in Lake Placid, N.Y. In 1998, Kragh became the first head coach of the women’s hockey program at Bemidji State University where she served for three seasons (1998 through 2000). In 2001, she became the recruiting coordinator and first assistant at Minnesota State University, Mankato, where she coached for five seasons (2001-2005).
Kragh will assist head coach Mike Carroll with practice planning, player development, and recruiting. She will begin her official duties on September 1. Kragh resides in Mankato with her husband, Ryan and their two children, Maria and Jaden Dylan.