The American Hockey Coaches Association recently announced that former Lake Forest College men's hockey coach Tony Fritz will be presented with the John MacInnes Award at the organization's "Celebration of Men's Hockey" Banquet in Naples, Florida, on May 4. The College will honor him during the program's Alumni Night game on Saturday, February 9 (7:00 p.m. vs. MSOE).
The John MacInnes Award is named for the successful coach at Michigan Tech and recognizes people who have shown great concern for amateur hockey and youth programs. The recipients have had high winning percentages, as well as outstanding graduating percentages among their former players. The winners of the award have helped young men grow not only as hockey players, but more importantly as men. Fritz will join several of the game's most successful and well-known coaches, including Bob Johnson, Herb Brooks, and Tim Taylor, as MacInnes Award recipients (complete list below).
Fritz led the Forester men's hockey program for 32 seasons from from 1978-2010. He amassed 351 wins to rank among the top 50 all-time in collegiate coaching victories (all divisions). He coached Lake Forest to an American Collegiate Hockey Association championship in 1987 and led the program into the Northern Collegiate Hockey Association in 1992 and into the Midwest Collegiate Hockey Association in 2009.
Fritz was inducted into the Lake Forest College Athletic Hall of Fame in 2007. He also earned induction into the Illinois Hockey Hall of Fame in 2006 and is featured in a book on display at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto, Ontario.
"I couldn't be happier or prouder of Tony receiving this special award," begins Lake Forest College Director of Athletics Jackie Slaats. "I know I speak on behalf of our alumni and Tony's many coaching colleagues in congratulating him on this deserving honor. He truly belongs among the great coaches in the sport of hockey."
Since retiring from Lake Forest, Fritz has remained active in the sport he loves by coaching individuals with disabilities through the Great Lakes Adaptive Sports Association (GLASA) Falcons sled hockey program. With Coach Fritz as a common bond, GLASA and the College's Athletic Department have joined together to showcase and raise funds for the Falcons and GLASA athletes. This year's "The Sleds are Coming" event will be held on Sunday, February 10, at 2:30 p.m. and will include an exhibition sled hockey game between the Falcons and members of the Forester men's and women's hockey teams.
Prior to coming to Lake Forest, Fritz was the head coach at University School in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where he compiled an overall record of 159-90-7 while earning both his bachelor's and master's degrees in education from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
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 playing career and set the stage for a successful career in coaching.
When away from hockey, Tony and his wife Pat spend time with their children Curtis and Charlene and grandchildren Griffin, Owen, and Lily.
American Hockey Coaches Association Release
John MacInnes Award Winners
| YEAR | NAME, SCHOOL(S) |
YEAR | NAME, SCHOOL(S) |
| 1983 | Amo Bessone, Michigan State |
1999 |
John "Gino" Gasparini, North Dakota |
| 1984 | Jack Riley, Army |
2000 |
Bill Riley, Jr., Lehigh, Lowell |
| 1985 | Bob Johnson, Wisconsin |
2001 |
Jim Cross, Vermont |
| 1986 | Murray Armstrong, Denver |
2002 |
Ed Saugestad, Augsburg College |
| 1987 | Ned Harkness, RPI, Cornell, Union |
2003 |
Ron Mason, LSSU, BGSU, and MSU |
| 1988 | Vic Heyliger, Michigan, Air Force |
2004 |
Don Brose, MSU Mankato |
| 1989 | Charlie Holt, New Hampshire |
2005 |
Mike Gilligan, Salem State and Vermont |
| 1990 | Murray Murdoch, Yale |
2006 |
Rob Riley, Babson and Army |
| 1991 | Bill Cleary, Harvard |
2007 |
Tim Taylor, Yale and USA Hockey |
| 1992 | Len Ceglarski, Clarkson, Boston College |
2008 |
Doug Woog, Minnesota |
| 1993 | Don Roberts, Gustavus Adolphus |
2009 |
Steve Stirling, Babson, Providence |
| 1994 | Herb Brooks, Minnesota |
2010 |
John Dunham, Trinity |
| 1995 | Bob Peters, Bemidji State |
2011 |
Terry Skrypek, University of St. Thomas |
| 1996 | Ferny Flaman, Northeastern |
2012 |
Phil Grady, Hamilton College |
| 1997 | Bill O'Flaherty, Clarkson |
2013 | Tony Fritz, Lake Forest |
| 1998 | Bill Selman, UND, UMD, St. Louis, LSSU |
