Grand Forks, ND — What a week it’s been. Last Sunday, around 6:20 p.m., the University of North Dakota announced that it had fired Brad Berry and named Associate Head Coach Dane Jackson interim head coach. UND announced that a national search would start immediately and close at Midnight on Wednesday.
Fast-forward to Saturday evening, around 9:30 pm, when UND announced that it had promoted Jackson to head coach. Apparently, after conversations with current and former players and others, UND decided they didn’t need to look outside the organization.
Proud to announce that Dane Jackson has been named the 17th head coach of the North Dakota hockey program!
RELEASE: https://t.co/RNL0syXiN1#UNDproud | #LGH
— North Dakota Hockey (@UNDmhockey) March 30, 2025
Jackson was one of four finalists for the head coaching job (Matt Smaby, Jason Herter, and Nick Fohr).
“I am very humbled and appreciative of the opportunity to become the next leader of the North Dakota hockey program,” Jackson said in a release from UND. “I feel fortunate of all the things that I have learned from the UND culture, and it is this special place that has shaped my playing and coaching career. I am looking forward to getting right to hard work with our staff to make our program and great University proud. I want to thank Dr. Andy Armacost, Bill Chaves, and Erik Martinson for trusting me to lead this program.”
The cupboard isn’t bare for the UND hockey team. The Fighting Hawks may have lost some talented players if UND had gone a different direction. Exhibit A: With UND hiring Jackson, they retain their top d-man, Jake Livanavage.
“Honestly, if it wasn’t Jax, I was leaving,” Livanavage told Brad E. Schlossman of the Grand Forks Herald. “It’s so huge for everybody. I know a lot of guys were packing up and leaving if it wasn’t him. Everybody is super pumped and excited for it.
“He bleeds what North Dakota hockey is all about. He wants to be here. This is his life. You see how much this program means to Jax. It’s something you want to be a part of.”
Update: UND also got confirmation that Dylan James is returning for his senior year.
“I have a lot of faith in Jax and how he coaches the game and how he will coach our team,” James told Brad E. Schlossman. “I’m super excited to play for him. Liver (Jake Livanavage) is coming back, and the defensive corps is the perfect mixture of what we want out of the team.”
