MINNEAPOLIS -- The Augsburg University men's hockey team will honor two of the best teams in program history, the 1978 NAIA national championship team and 1998 NCAA Division III fourth-place team, during a reunion this Saturday (1/20).

There will be social events surrounding the 7 p.m. Auggie men's hockey game against Gustavus at Ed Saugestad Rink, and there will be special presentations honoring the teams during the game intermissions. Registration and a pre-game reception starts at 4:30 p.m. in the Kennedy Center, and a post-game social will be held at 9 p.m., also in the Kennedy Center.

For more information on the reunions, contact Augsburg coach Chris Brown at brownc3@augsburg.edu or 612-330-1301.

1978
Under coach Ed Saugestad, Augsburg captured its first NAIA national championship in men's hockey, winning the national title in a 4-3 triumph over Bemidji State in St. Paul, Minn.

The Auggies captured the MIAC title for the second time in a span of six straight crowns, finishing 22-6 overall and 13-1 in league play. The Auggies were seeded second in the eight-team tournament, topped Ferris State (Ohio) 6-4 in the tournament opener and Wisconsin-River Falls 10-2 in the semifinals, before dispatching Bemjdi State in the finals.

Stan Blom was named tournament Most Valuable Player, joining Dick Bain, Paul Holmquist, Jeff Jarnes, Gary Hughes and Jim Peterson on the All-Tournament Team. Gary Hughes was named the MIAC's Most Valuable Player, joining Bain, Brian Gauger, Mike Colehour, Steve Nelson and Jim Peterson as All-MIAC selections. Blom, Tom Kulenkamp, Paul Hughes, Tim Date and Jim Freeburg were All-MIAC Honorable Mention selections.

Colehour, Nelson and Hughes were named NAIA All-Americans, with Hughes becoming the first Auggie to earn All-American honors twice. Saugestad earned both MIAC and NAIA Coach of the Year honors.

1998
Under coach Mike Schwartz, the Auggies rallied from a slow start to win the MIAC regular-season and playoff titles, eventually reaching the NCAA Division III National Championships, held in Plattsburgh, N.Y., for the second time in program history. Starting the season 3-5-3, Augsburg went on an 18-1-1 run, including 14 wins in a row, to reach the national championships. Augsburg finished 21-8-4 overall, including a 12-3-1 mark in MIAC play.

The Auggies swept Saint John's and St. Thomas in the MIAC playoffs, then swept Wisconsin-River Falls on the road in the NCAA quarterfinals to reach the National Championships. The Auggies dropped a 5-2 decision to eventual national champion Middlebury (Vt.) in the semifinals, and lost 9-5 to host Plattsburgh State (N.Y.) in the third-place game.

The Auggies outscored their opponents by a 157-114 margin, including a 121-71 advantage in their final 22 games. In his first year as a collegian, goalie Ryan McIntosh had a 12-game winning streak late in the season and earned All-MIAC honors, joining forwards Todd Cary and Martin Hlinka, and defender Jonas Giving. Kris Arro, Mario LeBlanc, Chris McLeod, Jason Moen and Trevor Tallackson were named All-MIAC Honorable Mention.

Cary and McIntosh earned American Hockey Coaches Association Division III All-America second-team honors. Schwartz was named both MIAC Coach of the Year and AHCA Division III National Coach of the Year.