Former One91 student, teacher Greg May named Gopher women’s hockey coach

Last week, 2003 Burnsville High School graduate Greg May was named head coach of the University of Minnesota women’s hockey team. For May, taking over the Gopher program marks the latest chapter in a journey that began in Burnsville, where his love for the game and a commitment to leadership started taking shape nearly 30 years ago. 

“I couldn’t be more excited. It’s incredible the volume of people who have reached out. I’ve gotten so much positive support,” May said. ”It’s really cool to know I have so many people in my corner out there.”

May steps into the role after serving as associate head coach for the Gophers since 2023. His coaching resume also includes leading the men’s hockey program at Augsburg University to a 41-15-2 record and two NCAA tournament appearances from 2021-23, as well as director of operations for the University of Minnesota men’s team from 2019-21. Prior to his collegiate coaching career, May coached at both The Blake School and Farmington High School.

But long before his success behind the bench, May was a young athlete growing up in Burnsville, developing his skills on local rinks.

Born in California, May and his family’s interest in hockey was sparked along with the rest of the region’s when Wayne Gretzky joined the Los Angeles Kings. That passion followed them to Minnesota when they moved to Burnsville at the start of May’s first-grade year.

May attended Sky Oaks Elementary, Nicollet Junior High and Burnsville High School, where he was a standout athlete and heavily involved in leadership groups. He was Student Council President and participated in programs like peer mentoring, Breakfast Club at Nicollet, and the LIFE (Leading, Involving, Facilitating, Educating) and TASK (Teaching to Achieve Success for Kids) leadership groups. 

A three-time all-conference hockey player for the Blaze, he also served as captain of both the hockey and golf teams and was named the school’s 2003 Athlete of the Year. He credits former BHS coach John Barger for giving him an early opportunity.

“Coach Barger gave me a chance to play as an undersized sophomore,” May said. “That belief meant a lot and helped shape my confidence as a player.”

May also developed his skills in the rink at Timberland Knolls park, just a short walk from his childhood home, where he regularly played hockey with neighborhood friends and teammates.

“We never even looked at the weather or what temperature it was, we just walked over,” he said. “If the ice was good, we were good, and if the ice was bad we still played. Some of my best memories are from Timberland, and some of the best friends I have are kids I grew up playing hockey with when we were 9 or 10 years old in Burnsville.”

May grew up as part of a thriving hockey community.

“I was in Burnsville during the heyday of Burnsville hockey,” he said. “There were over 100 kids trying out and six travel teams at each level. In my youth, Burnsville was a powerhouse in every sport. Those black and gold uniforms were intimidating. I remember taking pictures with the coaches and getting the players’ autographs.”

Those early experiences, along with mentorship from coaches like Steve and Brandon Steege, helped shape his coaching philosophy and passion for developing athletes.

“I learned a lot from them. Steve was my Pee Wee A coach and I coached with him later when I started coaching. They were teachers of the game and developers of the game," May said. "So many players now playing professionally or who played Division 1 from Burnsville all went through that family’s training and mentorship.”

After graduating from Augsburg, May returned to District 191 to teach health and physical education for nine years.

Influential teachers and coaches, including Howie Anderson, Neal Jeppson, Mick Scholl, Mark Riggs and Mark VanderWoude, played key roles in shaping his career path.

“All those guys had a huge influence on me,” May said. “They were all coaches and teachers. When I was in school in Burnsville, all I wanted to do was be a high school teacher and a high school coach because I looked up to those guys so much.”

Today, as he takes the helm of one of the nation’s premier women’s hockey programs, May carries with him the lessons he learned in Burnsville.

“I feel like I take pieces with me from wherever I’ve gone,” he said. “If I didn’t grow up following the path of those ahead of me in Burnsville, I wouldn’t be where I am right now.”