The anatomy of 500 college hockey wins is fascinating.

It’s more than just pucks in the net, save percentages, faceoffs won and line changes. It’s about building a strong foundation with great people.

For Air Force hockey, coach Frank Serratore is the cornerstone.

“What he tries to build in our teams and really requires of our teams and looks for in the type of player that we recruit are overachievers who aren’t going to be outworked,” associate head coach Joe Doyle said. “That starts with him. He’s not going to be outworked. Never has, never will be in anything that he does.”

The record books now reflect Serratore’s hard work. After 27 seasons with the Falcons and 30 as a college hockey head coach, Serratore earned his 500th career win last weekend. He ranks 16th on the all-time winningest Division-I hockey coaches list with a record of 500-521-108. Serratore has a 451-429-99 record at Air Force since taking over in 1997.

Unlike other names on the list, Serratore’s legacy isn’t built on a blue-blood program like Boston College or Michigan State, but rather on the Falcons’ blue of a service academy team.

Despite the disadvantages of playing for a service academy in terms of not having fifth-year players or easy access to the transfer portal, Serratore said service academies tend to draw those overachieving, hard-working players that make a feat like 500 college hockey wins possible.

Last weekend’s milestone victory was the perfect example.

After conceding the first five goals of the game, Army began to claw its way back in the middle of the second period. The Black Knights brought the game to a slim 6-5 Air Force advantage with just over a minute to play when Air Force sophomore Holt Oliphant scored the game-winner with a shot on an empty net from the Falcons defensive zone. Air Force finished with a 7-6 victory and a series sweep, grabbing another piece of history in becoming the first service academy team beat another such team four times in a season.

“The last five minutes of that game took five years off my life. So I hope when it’s all said and done, 500 wins is worth five years off my life because, give Army credit, those boys didn’t quit. They came back and they almost pulled off a spectacular come-from-behind effort,” Serratore said.

The team presented their coach with the game puck and then gave Serratore what he called “the best shower” of his life, dumping water bottles on him in celebration.

Drenched from the revelry, Serratore did another thing he had never done and went to the Black Knights locker room to tell the Army players how proud he was of their effort.

“We tried to break your will. We tried to break your spirit. You wouldn’t have anything to do with it,” Serratore said he told the Black Knights. “I can only name two teams, and I really believe, after getting beat 8-1 then being down 5-0 and still fighting and battling back … and they’re both in this building tonight.”

That pride, resilience and refusal to give up is something that shines through service academy players, no matter where they are. At the Air Force Academy, the hockey program has what Doyle called an impeccable reputation as one of the best teams when it comes to finding success in the classroom.

It’s not just about battles for loose pucks, but battles in the classroom. Unsurprisingly, the ice hockey team consistently ranks near the top of 27 Division-I programs at the academy in terms of team GPA year after year.

“That started with Frank with, if we want to be great, you can’t be just great in one area of your life. You’ve gotta attack every part of your day with that expectation of greatness,” Doyle said.

Greatness on and off the ice is the result. Since joining the Atlantic Hockey Association in 2007, Serratore’s seven conference titles are a league high, as well as his eight AHA final appearances and 39 postseason victories. Those seven title wins translated to seven berths in the NCAA tournament. The Falcons went to the Elite Eight in 2009, 2017 and 2018.

From 2007 to 2011, former forward Jacques Lamoureux was there for three of those AHA championship seasons after transferring from Northern Michigan in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association. Lamoureux was named AHA player of the year his sophomore season and led the nation in goals per game, power play goals and game-winning goals. The following year, he led his team in power-play goals with 13 and was third in the country. Despite all the success, what has lasted for Lamoureux is the bond he shares with Serratore and the lessons he learned as a part of the team.

He graduated in 2011 but returned to the academy as an instructor in 2018. Despite the hardship it placed on him and his family, effectively working two jobs, he volunteered as an assistant coach from 2018 to 2022.

“I remember I hadn’t seen Frank in some time and I get back and he gives me a big hug. He treats you like you’re one of his own kids,” Lamoureux said. “He’s got this uncanny ability to make you feel like you’re part of that family. Although you’re removed from it and you’re not a player on the team, you’re always a part of the team.”

And when Lamoureux texted Serratore following the 500th win, the seasoned coach didn’t forget his former player, saying he contributed in a great way to the success of the program.

To create a strong family atmosphere on a team often requires a strong family at home and Doyle has every ounce of respect for Serratore’s wife Carol and his four children, who have been by Serratore’s side throughout his career. Carol and his daughters were in attendance to witness win 500 first hand.

“Frank is 10 years or so older than me. He has four kids. I have four kids and so I’ve learned from him over the years watching him with Carol and with his four kids,” Doyle said. “As a coach, you are on the road at times whether it’s recruiting or with your team and you do miss some family time and that’s where Carol comes in, just being an amazing mother and wife. I do think it’s important to note though, while that is the case you do miss some time, Frank does an amazing job of when he is home, he’s home. He’s invested in his kids.”

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Top 25 NCAA Division I College Hockey Coaches 

via CollegeHockeyNews.com

POS NAME     W      L      T   PCT

1 York, Jerry 1123 682 128 .614

2 Parker, Jack 897 472 115 .643

3 Berenson, Red 848 426 92 .654

4 Mason, Ron 815 343 75 .691

5 Comley, Rick 783 615 110 .556

6 Lucia, Don 708 409 98 .623

7 Ceglarski, Len 672 339 37 .659

8 Sauer, Jeff 655 532 57 .549

9 Umile, Dick 596 373 114 .603

10 JACKSON, JEFF 587 310 98 .639

11 PECKNOLD, RAND 555 295 95 .638

12 MacInnes, John 555 295 39 .646

13 SCHAFER, MIKE 530 286 108 .632

14 Gwozdecky, George 526 361 83 .585

15 Kelley, John “Snooks” 501 245 15 .668

16 SERRATORE, FRANK 500 521 108 .491

17 DANIELS, BOB 495 597 113 .458

18 Vaughan, Don 472 504 123 .485

19 Marsh, Joe 468 399 72 .537

20 Armstrong, Murray 463 215 31 .675

21 SANDELIN, SCOTT 452 379 99 .539

22 Wilkinson, Bill 437 469 81 .484

23 BLASI, ENRICO 424 377 80 .527

24 Gaudet, Bob 424 482 112 .472

25 GOTKIN, RICK 418 405 91 .507

Air Force coach Frank Serratore gives a talk to his team and fans March 16.

The Gazette