Oliver selected to MHCA's 2024 Hall of Fame Class

Scott Oliver, who has coached in the Upper Midwest High School Elite Hockey League for the past 15 years, has been selected as a member of the Minnesota Hockey Coaches Association’s 2024 Hall of Fame class.

Oliver will be honored during induction ceremonies on Sept. 27 between periods of a Minnesota Wild game against the Winnipeg Jets at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.

As a coach of players representing northwestern Minnesota, Oliver has guided his Elite League teams to four postseason championships since 2010, most recently in 2022.

Oliver grew up in Winnipeg Manitoba, with his parents Gerry and Sally Oliver, and is the oldest of four children (brother, Forde and sisters Karen and Kelly). He attended Moorhead State University where he earned his bachelor’s degree as a physical education teacher along with his coaching certification. Oliver was a leader and captain of the Moorhead State football team in 1982 and was the territorial pick for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League. 

Oliver started his hockey coaching career as Moorhead High School’s junior varsity coach in 1980-1982. In 1987, he accepted the head hockey coaching position at the University of Minnesota-Crookston, where he led the Golden Eagles (formally Fighting Trojans) to a 204-49-4 record with five straight conference championships and two National Junior College Athletic Association national championships. 

In 2003 Oliver moved to Roseau where he became the high school’s head boy’s hockey coach. Under Oliver’s guidance the Rams made three Minnesota State high school tournament appearances in 2006-2008 and won the state Class 2A championship in 2007. 

In 2013-2019, Oliver was assistant boys’ hockey coach for East Grand Forks High School. While Oliver was coaching the Green Wave they made five state tournament appearances and won state Class 1A championships in 2014 and 2015.  

Oliver has been inducted into the NJCAA, University of Minnesota-Crookston, Roseau and Moorhead State University hall of fames.  

As a coach, Oliver believes in the development and exposure for hockey players, and community-based programs, and has worked as an evaluator with Minnesota Hockey’s High Performance program for 20 years. 

Oliver’s coaching successes are considered a blessing to him but the greatest joy in his life comes from his family and its unconditional love and support: Wife, Denice; son, Nick; daughter-in-law, Alexandra; and grandchildren Thomas, 2 years old and Lenna, 8 months.   

Scott is extremely proud of his son, Nick, who is carrying on the Oliver family coaching tradition and is currently the assistant men’s hockey coach at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.