View source for Rick Comley

{{short description|Canadian ice hockey coach}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox college coach
| name = Rick Comley
| image = 
| alt = 
| caption = 
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1947|1|20}}
| birth_place = [[Burlington, Ontario|Burlington]], [[Ontario]], Canada
| death_date = 
| death_place = 
| alma_mater = 
| player_years1 = 1967–1971
| player_team1 = [[Lake Superior State Lakers men's ice hockey|Lake Superior State]]
| player_positions = [[Centre (ice hockey)|Center]]
| coach_years1 = 1973–1976
| coach_team1 = [[Lake Superior State Lakers men's ice hockey|Lake Superior State]]
| coach_years2 = 1976–2002
| coach_team2 = [[Northern Michigan Wildcats men's ice hockey|Northern Michigan]]
| coach_years3 = 2002–2011
| coach_team3 = [[Michigan State Spartans men's ice hockey|Michigan State]]
| admin_years1 = 1987-2000
| admin_team1 = [[Northern Michigan University|Northern Michigan]]
| admin_years2 = 2022-present
| admin_team2 = [[Northern Michigan University|Northern Michigan]]
| overall_record = 783–615–110 ({{winpct|783|615|110}})
| bowl_record = 
| tournament_record = 
| championships = 
| awards = 
| coaching_records = 
}}

'''Rick Comley''' (born January 20, 1947) is a former collegiate ice hockey player and former head coach at [[Michigan State University]]. He finished his 38-year coaching career with a 783–615–110 (.556) record. In 2007, he became the third coach in NCAA history to win a national championship at two different schools. Comley is currently serving in his second stint as the athletic director at [[Northern Michigan University]], hired in 2022.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://nmuwildcats.com/staff-directory/rick-comley/138 |access-date=27 August 2023 |title= Rick Comley}}</ref>

==Playing career==
Comley played at [[Lake Superior State University]] in [[Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan]] (1967–1971) under head coach [[Ron Mason]], at one time, college hockey's career coaching victories leader.  In his senior season, Comley was named LSSU team captain and Most Valuable Player and was selected [[National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics|NAIA]] All-American.  He was also named LSSU's Most Outstanding Athlete that year.

==Coaching career==

===Lake Superior State===
Comley rejoined the LSSU program as an assistant coach for the 1972-73 season.  When head coach [[Ron Mason]] took the head coaching position at [[Bowling Green State University]], Comley was named his successor.  Comley compiled a 59-46-3 mark in the three seasons at Lake Superior winning the [[Central Collegiate Hockey Association|CCHA]] regular-season title and [[National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics|NAIA]] national championship in 1974.

===Northern Michigan===
In 1976, [[Northern Michigan University]] launched a varsity hockey program, and approached Comley to become its first head coach.  NMU's offer included a recruiting budget twice the size of LSSU, which was too much for Comley to resist. NMU finished its first season with a winning record of 19-13-1. In the program's fourth season, Comley guided NMU to their first of two consecutive [[Central Collegiate Hockey Association|CCHA]] regular-season and play-off championships. With those championships in 1980 and 1981, Northern Michigan earned automatic bids to the [[NCAA]] Tournament. The 34-6-1 1980 team defeated [[University of Minnesota]] in Minneapolis advancing to the NCAA [[Frozen Four]] where they defeated No. 1 seed [[Cornell University]] to make the national championship game. The team lost the national championship to [[University of North Dakota|North Dakota]], 5-2. Again, Comley guided NMU to the NCAA [[Frozen Four]] in 1981 with a victory over Cornell before losing to eventual national champion [[University of Wisconsin–Madison|Wisconsin]] and archrival [[Michigan Tech]] in the consolation game.

In 1984 Comley and Northern Michigan followed Michigan Tech to the [[Western Collegiate Hockey Association]]. In the WCHA, Comley coached NMU to seven 20-win seasons in nine years. He won the WCHA [[MacNaughton Cup]] as regular-season champions in 1991 and won the [[Broadmoor Trophy]] as play-off champions in 1989, 1991 and 1992. During Northern Michigan's time in the WCHA, the Wildcats made the NCAA tournament in 1989, 1991, 1992 and 1993 winning the 1991 NCAA national championship in a dramatic triple overtime game against [[Boston University]].

In a university-wide effort to gain more presence in the [[lower peninsula]] of [[Michigan]], Comley switched NMU's hockey program back to the [[Central Collegiate Hockey Association|CCHA]] in 1997. The move proved to re-energize hockey at Northern Michigan which had three straight losing seasons prior to 1997-98. Comley coached NMU to five straight winning seasons and three trips to [[Joe Louis Arena]] for the [[Central Collegiate Hockey Association|CCHA]] championships. In 1999, Northern Michigan made the [[Central Collegiate Hockey Association|CCHA]] title game, but lost to [[University of Michigan]]. The championship appearance earned Comley and NMU their first berth in the NCAA tournament since 1993.

During his time at NMU, Comley also served as athletic director from 1987-2000 highlighted by: major improvements in facilities including the building and completion of [[Superior Dome]] and [[Berry Events Center]], several [[Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference]] championships, two [[NCAA Division II]] titles in women's [[volleyball]], and the establishment of the [[U.S. Olympic Educational Center]].

===Michigan State===
Rick Comley was announced as [[Ron Mason]]'s successor as head ice hockey coach at [[Michigan State University]] in March 2002. Comley was succeeded at NMU by former player and [[New York Rangers]] assistant [[Walt Kyle]]. Previously, Comley declined head coaching offers at [[Bowling Green State University]] in 1979 and 1994 and at [[University of Denver]] in 1994.

Comley's tenure at MSU was turbulent replacing the iconic Ron Mason. After missing the NCAA tournament in 2005, Comley guided MSU to a second-place CCHA finish and a CCHA play-off championship in 2005-06. In 2006-07, Michigan State was preseason ranked No. 5, which was MSU's highest preseason ranking since October 2001. The team was, again, inconsistent but earned an NCAA Tournament bid. In a stunning series of games, MSU defeated three higher-ranked teams en route to the national championship, including wins against No. 1-ranked Notre Dame in the Midwest Regional final and No. 4-ranked Boston College in the National Championship game.

Comley retired at the end of the 2010-2011 season. He was succeeded by [[Tom Anastos]].

==Administrative career==
After previously serving in the role while still the hockey head coach from 1987-2000, Comley was rehired as the athletic director at Northern Michigan University in 2022 after the previous director, Forrest Karr, left to accept the same position at the [[University of Minnesota Duluth]].<ref>{{cite web |access-date=26 August 2023 |title=Northern Michigan University Names Rick Comley as Interim Athletic Director |url=https://wzmq19.com/sports/301700/northern-michigan-university-names-rick-comley-as-interim-athletic-director/}}</ref>

==Legacy==
Rick Comley is one of only five coaches to have won more than 700 games, and one of only three to have won NCAA Championships at two separate schools. Comley was the CCHA coach of the year twice (1980 and 1981) and WCHA coach of the year twice (1989 and 1991). He has won the [[Spencer Penrose]] Memorial Trophy as the national coach of the year twice (1980 and 1991). He was runner-up for the Spencer Penrose Trophy in 2007.

In his 33 seasons as a head coach, Rick Comley coached 1991 [[Hobey Baker Memorial Award]] runner-up [[Brad Werenka]] and nine Hobey Baker finalists. He has coached 14 AHCA First and Second Team All-Americans, three CCHA players of the year, one WCHA player of the year, 20 First and Second Team All-CCHA selections, 13 First Team and Second Team All-WCHA selection and 19 players who went on to play in the NHL.

In addition Comley has 25 seasons with a winning record, 17 seasons winning 20 or more games and two seasons winning 30 or more games. Comley has won two CCHA regular-season championships, three CCHA play-off titles, one WCHA regular-season title and four WCHA play-off titles. His teams have advanced to the NCAA tournament nine times making the Frozen Four four times.

== Notable players coached ==
In 38 years of coaching, Rick Comley has coached a number of outstanding players.

===Hobey Baker Award finalists===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
| [[Steve Bozek]] || 1981
|-
| [[Gary Emmons]] || 1986 and 1987
|-
| [[Phil Berger (ice hockey)|Phil Berger]] || 1988
|-
| [[Scott Beattie]] || 1991 and 1992
|-
| [[Brad Werenka]] || 1991
|-
| [[John-Michael Liles]] || 2003
|-
| [[Jim Slater (ice hockey)|Jim Slater]] || 2004
|-
| [[Jeff Lerg]] || 2008
|}

===AHCA All-America===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
| [[Steve Bozek]] || 1981 || Forward || Northern Michigan || 
|-
| [[Bill Schafhauser]] || 1984 || Defense || Northern Michigan || Second Team
|-
| [[Gary Emmons]] || 1987 || Forward || Northern Michigan || Second Team
|-
| [[Phil Berger (ice hockey)|Phil Berger]] || 1988 || Forward || Northern Michigan || Second Team
|-
| [[Darryl Olsen]] || 1989 || Defense || Northern Michigan || Second Team
|-
| [[Brad Werenka]] || 1991 || Defense || Northern Michigan ||
|-
| [[Scott Beattie]] || 1991 || Forward || Northern Michigan ||
|-
| [[Bill Pye (ice hockey)|Bill Pye]] || 1991 || Goalie || Northern Michigan || Second Team
|-
| [[Dallas Drake]] || 1992 || Forward || Northern Michigan ||
|-
| [[Jim Hiller]] || 1992 || Forward || Northern Michigan || Second Team
|-
| [[John-Michael Liles]] || 2003 || Defense || Michigan State || 
|-
| [[Brad Fast]] || 2003 || Defense || Michigan State || Second Team
|-
| [[Jim Slater (ice hockey)|Jim Slater]] || 2004 || Forward || Michigan State || Second Team
|-
| [[A.J. Thelen]] || 2004 || Defense || Michigan State || Second Team
|-
| [[Jeff Lerg]] || 2008 || Goalie || Michigan State || Second Team
|-
| [[Jeff Petry]] || 2008 || Defense || Michigan State || Second Team
|}

===Conference Player of the Year===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
| [[Don Waddell]] || 1978 || Defense || Northern Michigan
|-
| [[Steve Weeks]] || 1980 || Goalie || Northern Michigan
|-
| [[Jeff Pyle (ice hockey)|Jeff Pyle]] || 1981 || Forward || Northern Michigan
|-
| [[Scott Beattie]] || 1991 || Forward || Northern Michigan
|}

===NHL players===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
| [[Justin Abdelkader]] || Michigan State || Detroit Red Wings
|-
| [[David Booth (ice hockey)|David Booth]] || Michigan State || Detroit Red Wings
|-
| [[Steve Bozek]] || Northern Michigan || Calgary Flames
|-
| [[Dallas Drake]] || Northern Michigan || Detroit Red Wings
|-
| [[Brad Fast]] || Michigan State || Carolina Hurricanes
|-
| [[Keith Hanson]] || Northern Michigan || Calgary Flames
|-
| [[Jim Hiller]] || Northern Michigan || Los Angeles Kings
|-
| [[Tim Kennedy (ice hockey)|Tim Kennedy]] || Michigan State || Florida Panthers
|-
| [[Dieter Kochan]] || Northern Michigan || Tampa Bay Lightning
|-
| [[Torey Krug]] || Michigan State || Boston Bruins
|-
| [[Tom Laidlaw]] || Northern Michigan || New York Rangers
|-
| [[Drew Miller]] || Michigan State || Detroit Red Wings
|-
| [[Chris Mueller (ice hockey)|Chris Mueller]] || Michigan State || Tampa Bay Lightning
|-
|-
| [[Jeff Petry]] || Michigan State || Edmonton Oilers
|-
| [[Corey Potter]] || Michigan State || Edmonton Oilers
|-
| [[Jim Slater (ice hockey)|Jim Slater]] || Michigan State || Winnipeg Jets
|-
| [[Mike Stutzel]] || Northern Michigan || Phoenix Coyotes
|-
| [[Corey Tropp]] || Michigan State || Buffalo Sabres
|-
| [[Don Waddell]] || Northern Michigan || Los Angeles Kings
|-
| [[Ed Ward (ice hockey)|Ed Ward]] || Northern Michigan || Calgary Flames
|-
| [[Steve Weeks]] || Northern Michigan || Vancouver Canucks
|-
| [[Brad Werenka]] || Northern Michigan || Pittsburgh Penguins
|-
| [[J.P. Vigier]] || Northern Michigan || Atlanta Thrashers
|}

===Olympians===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
| [[Mark Beaufait]] || 1994 || USA ||
|-
| [[Bruno Campese]] || 1994 || Italy ||
|-
| [[Phil DeGaetano]] || 1994 || Italy ||
|-
| [[Eric LeMarque]] || 1994 || France ||
|-
| [[Brad Werenka]] || 1994 || Canada || Silver
|}

== Head coaching record ==

{{CBB Yearly Record Start
|type = coach
|conference =
|postseason =
|poll = WMPL/USCHO
}}
{{CIH yearly record subhead
|name       = [[Lake Superior State Lakers men's ice hockey|{{color|white|Lake Superior State Lakers}}]]
|color      = color:white; background:#003F87; {{box-shadow border|a|#FFC61E|2px}}
|startyear  = 1973
|conflong   = Central Collegiate Hockey Association
|conference = CCHA
|endyear    = 1976
|}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = national
 | season       = [[1973–74 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey season|1973-74]]
 | name         = Lake Superior State
 | overall      = 22-16-1
 | conference   = 5-3-0
 | confstanding = t-1st
 | postseason   = [[NAIA Ice Hockey Championship|NAIA Champions]]† / [[1974 CCHA men's ice hockey tournament|CCHA runner-up]]
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | season       = [[1974–75 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey season|1974-75]]
 | name         = Lake Superior State
 | overall      = 17-14-1
 | conference   = 2-5-1
 | confstanding = 3rd
 | postseason   = [[1975 CCHA men's ice hockey tournament|CCHA runner-up]]
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | season       = [[1975–76 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey season|1975-76]]
 | name         = Lake Superior State
 | overall      = 20-16-1
 | conference   = 9-7-0
 | confstanding = 3rd
 | postseason   = [[1976 CCHA men's ice hockey tournament|CCHA Semifinals]]
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subtotal
 | name       = Lake Superior State
 | overall    = 59-46-3
 | confrecord = 16-15-1
}}
{{CIH yearly record subhead
|name       = [[Northern Michigan Wildcats men's ice hockey|{{color|white|Northern Michigan Wildcats}}]]
|color      = color:white; background:#095339; {{box-shadow border|a|#FFC425|2px}}
|startyear  = 1976
|conflong   = NCAA Division I independent schools (ice hockey)
|conference = Independent
|endyear    = 1977
|}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | season       = [[1976–77 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey season|1976-77]]
 | name         = Northern Michigan
 | overall      = 19-13-1
 | conference   = 
 | confstanding = 
 | postseason   = 
}}
{{CIH yearly record subhead
|name       = {{color|white|Northern Michigan Wildcats}}
|color      = color:white; background:#095339; {{box-shadow border|a|#FFC425|2px}}
|startyear  = 1977
|conflong   = Central Collegiate Hockey Association
|conference = CCHA
|endyear    = 1984
|}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | season       = [[1977–78 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey season|1977-78]]
 | name         = Northern Michigan
 | overall      = 19-12-3
 | conference   = 8-10-2
 | confstanding = t-3rd
 | postseason   = [[1978 CCHA men's ice hockey tournament|CCHA Semifinals]]
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | season       = [[1978–79 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey season|1978-79]]
 | name         = Northern Michigan
 | overall      = 19-12-3
 | conference   = 13-10-1
 | confstanding = 3rd
 | postseason   = [[1979 CCHA men's ice hockey tournament|CCHA Semifinals]]
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = confboth
 | season       = [[1979–80 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey season|1979-80]]
 | name         = Northern Michigan
 | overall      = 34-6-1
 | conference   = 17-3-0
 | confstanding = 1st
 | postseason   = [[1980 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey tournament|NCAA runner-up]]
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = confboth
 | season       = [[1980–81 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey season|1980-81]]
 | name         = Northern Michigan
 | overall      = 27-14-3
 | conference   = 18-4-0
 | confstanding = 1st
 | postseason   = [[1981 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey tournament|NCAA Third-place game (loss)]]
 | poll = 
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | season       = [[1981–82 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey season|1981-82]]
 | name         = Northern Michigan
 | overall      = 15-21-0
 | conference   = 12-16-0
 | confstanding = 8th
 | postseason   = [[1982 CCHA men's ice hockey tournament|CCHA Quarterfinals]]
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | season       = [[1982–83 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey season|1982-83]]
 | name         = Northern Michigan
 | overall      = 18-18-4
 | conference   = 16-13-3
 | confstanding = 5th
 | postseason   = [[1983 CCHA men's ice hockey tournament|CCHA consolation game (loss)]]
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | season       = [[1983–84 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey season|1983-84]]
 | name         = Northern Michigan
 | overall      = 17-22-1
 | conference   = 16-14-0
 | confstanding = 4th
 | postseason   = [[1984 CCHA men's ice hockey tournament|CCHA Quarterfinals]]
}}
{{CIH yearly record subhead
|name       = {{color|white|Northern Michigan Wildcats}}
|color      = color:white; background:#095339; {{box-shadow border|a|#FFC425|2px}}
|startyear  = 1984
|conflong   = Western Collegiate Hockey Association
|conference = WCHA
|endyear    = 1997
|}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | season       = [[1984–85 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey season|1984-85]]
 | name         = Northern Michigan
 | overall      = 19-21-0
 | conference   = 14-20-0
 | confstanding = 7th
 | postseason   = [[1985 WCHA men's ice hockey tournament|WCHA Quarterfinals]]
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | season       = [[1985–86 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey season|1985-86]]
 | name         = Northern Michigan
 | overall      = 23-14-2
 | conference   = 21-13-0
 | confstanding = 5th
 | postseason   = [[1986 WCHA men's ice hockey tournament|WCHA Quarterfinals]]
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | season       = [[1986–87 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey season|1986-87]]
 | name         = Northern Michigan
 | overall      = 18-21-1
 | conference   = 16-18-1
 | confstanding = 5th
 | postseason   = [[1987 WCHA men's ice hockey tournament|WCHA Quarterfinals]]
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | season       = [[1987–88 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey season|1987-88]]
 | name         = Northern Michigan
 | overall      = 16-20-4
 | conference   = 14-17-4
 | confstanding = t-6th
 | postseason   = [[1988 WCHA men's ice hockey tournament|WCHA Quarterfinals]]
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = conference tournament
 | season       = [[1988–89 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey season|1988-89]]
 | name         = Northern Michigan
 | overall      = 26-17-2
 | conference   = 20-13-2
 | confstanding = 2nd
 | postseason   = [[1989 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey tournament|NCAA First round]]
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | season       = [[1989–90 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey season|1989-90]]
 | name         = Northern Michigan
 | overall      = 22-19-1
 | conference   = 15-12-1
 | confstanding = 4th
 | postseason   = [[1990 WCHA men's ice hockey tournament|WCHA Third Place game (loss)]]
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = national
 | season       = [[1990–91 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey season|1990-91]]
 | name         = [[1990–91 Northern Michigan Wildcats men's ice hockey season|Northern Michigan]]
 | overall      = 38-5-4
 | conference   = 25-3-4
 | confstanding = 1st
 | postseason   = [[1991 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey tournament|NCAA national champion]]
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = conference tournament
 | season       = [[1991–92 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey season|1991-92]]
 | name         = Northern Michigan
 | overall      = 25-14-3
 | conference   = 17-12-3
 | confstanding = 3rd
 | postseason   = [[1992 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey tournament|NCAA regional semifinals]]
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | season       = [[1992–93 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey season|1992-93]]
 | name         = Northern Michigan
 | overall      = 21-18-4
 | conference   = 15-13-4
 | confstanding = 5th
 | postseason   = [[1993 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey tournament|NCAA regional semifinals]]
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | season       = [[1993–94 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey season|1993-94]]
 | name         = Northern Michigan
 | overall      = 22-16-1
 | conference   = 17-14-1
 | confstanding = 5th
 | postseason   = [[1990 WCHA men's ice hockey tournament|WCHA Quarterfinal]]
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | season       = [[1994–95 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey season|1994-95]]
 | name         = Northern Michigan
 | overall      = 13-24-3
 | conference   = 10-19-3
 | confstanding = 9th
 | postseason   = [[1995 WCHA men's ice hockey tournament|WCHA First round]]
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | season       = [[1995–96 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey season|1995-96]]
 | name         = Northern Michigan
 | overall      = 7-30-2
 | conference   = 5-25-2
 | confstanding = 10th
 | postseason   = [[1996 WCHA men's ice hockey tournament|WCHA First round]]
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | season       = [[1996–97 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey season|1996-97]]
 | name         = Northern Michigan
 | overall      = 13-24-3
 | conference   = 9-21-2
 | confstanding = 8th
 | postseason   = [[1997 WCHA men's ice hockey tournament|WCHA First round]]
}}
{{CIH yearly record subhead
|name       = {{color|white|Northern Michigan Wildcats}}
|color      = color:white; background:#095339; {{box-shadow border|a|#FFC425|2px}}
|startyear  = 1997
|conflong   = Central Collegiate Hockey Association
|conference = CCHA
|endyear    = 2002
|}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | season       = [[1997–98 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey season|1997-98]]
 | name         = Northern Michigan
 | overall      = 19-15-4
 | conference   = 15-12-3
 | confstanding = 4th
 | postseason   = [[1998 CCHA men's ice hockey tournament|CCHA Semifinals]]
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | season       = [[1998–99 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey season|1998-99]]
 | name         = Northern Michigan
 | overall      = 22-15-5
 | conference   = 14-11-5
 | confstanding = 5th
 | postseason   = [[1999 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey tournament|NCAA West Regional Quarterfinals]]
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | season       = [[1999–2000 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey season|1999-00]]
 | name         = Northern Michigan
 | overall      = 22-13-4
 | conference   = 16-8-4
 | confstanding = t-3rd
 | postseason   = [[2000 CCHA men's ice hockey tournament|CCHA First round]]
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | season       = [[2000–01 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey season|2000–01]]
 | name         = Northern Michigan
 | overall      = 18-13-7
 | conference   = 12-10-6
 | confstanding = t-5th
 | postseason   = [[2001 CCHA men's ice hockey tournament|CCHA Play-In]]
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | season       = [[2001–02 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey season|2001–02]]
 | name         = Northern Michigan
 | overall      = 26-12-2
 | conference   = 16-10-2
 | confstanding = 3rd
 | postseason   = [[2002 CCHA men's ice hockey tournament|CCHA Semifinals]]
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subtotal
 | name       = Northern Michigan
 | overall    = 538-429-68
 | confrecord = 
}}
{{CIH yearly record subhead
|name       = [[Michigan State Spartans men's ice hockey|{{color|white|Michigan State Spartans}}]]
|color      = color:white; background:#18453B
|startyear  = 2002
|conflong   = Central Collegiate Hockey Association
|conference = CCHA
|endyear    = 2011
|}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | season       = [[2002–03 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey season|2002–03]]
 | name         = Michigan State
 | overall      = 23-14-2
 | conference   = 17-10-1
 | confstanding = 4th
 | postseason   = [[2003 CCHA men's ice hockey tournament|CCHA Quarterfinals]]
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | season       = [[2003–04 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey season|2003–04]]
 | name         = Michigan State
 | overall      = 23-17-2
 | conference   = 17-9-2
 | confstanding = 3rd
 | postseason   = [[2004 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey tournament|NCAA Midwest Regional semifinals]]
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | season       = [[2004–05 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey season|2004–05]]
 | name         = Michigan State
 | overall      = 20-17-4
 | conference   = 12-13-3
 | confstanding = 6th
 | postseason   = [[2005 CCHA men's ice hockey tournament|CCHA Third Place game (loss)]]
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = conference tournament
 | season       = [[2005–06 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey season|2005–06]]
 | name         = Michigan State
 | overall      = 25-12-8
 | conference   = 14-7-7
 | confstanding = 2nd
 | postseason   = [[2006 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey tournament|NCAA East Regional Final]]
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = national
 | season       = [[2006–07 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey season|2006–07]]
 | name         = Michigan State
 | overall      = 26-13-3
 | conference   = 15-10-3
 | confstanding = 4th
 | postseason   = [[2007 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey tournament|NCAA national champion]]
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | season       = [[2007–08 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey season|2007–08]]
 | name         = Michigan State
 | overall      = 25-12-5
 | conference   = 19-6-3
 | confstanding = 3rd
 | postseason   = [[2008 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey tournament|NCAA West Regional Final]]
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | season       = [[2008–09 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey season|2008–09]]
 | name         = Michigan State
 | overall      = 10-23-5
 | conference   = 7-17-4
 | confstanding = t-10th
 | postseason   = [[2009 CCHA men's ice hockey tournament|CCHA First round]]
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | season       = [[2009–10 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey season|2009–10]]
 | name         = Michigan State
 | overall      = 19-13-6
 | conference   = 14-8-6
 | confstanding = 2nd
 | postseason   = [[2010 CCHA men's ice hockey tournament|CCHA Quarterfinals]]
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | season       = [[2010–11 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey season|2010–11]]
 | name         = Michigan State
 | overall      = 15-19-4
 | conference   = 11-15-2
 | confstanding = 10th
 | postseason   = [[2011 CCHA men's ice hockey tournament|CCHA First round]]
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subtotal
 | name       = Michigan State
 | overall    = 186-140-39
 | confrecord = 
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record End
|overall    = 783-615-110
|conference =  
}}
† <small>Lake Superior State was a member of both the CCHA and NAIA for the 1973-74 season.</small>

==See also==
*[[List of college men's ice hockey coaches with 400 wins]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.msuspartans.com/sports/m-hockey/mtt/comley_rick00.html Michigan State profile]

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{{succession box | before = [[Charlie Holt]]<br>[[Terry Slater (ice hockey)|Terry Slater]]| title = [[Spencer Penrose Award]] | years = [[1979–80 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey season|1979–80]]<br>[[1990–91 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey season|1990–91]]| after = [[Bill O'Flaherty]]<br>[[Ron Mason]]}}
{{succession box | before= [[Ron Mason]]| title=[[List of CCHA Coach of the Year|CCHA Coach of the Year]] | years= [[1979–80 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey season|1979–80]], [[1980–81 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey season|1980–81]]| after=[[Jerry York]]}}
{{succession box | before = [[Herb Boxer]]<br>[[Doug Woog]]| title = [[Western Collegiate Hockey Association men's individual awards#Coach of the Year|WCHA Coach of the Year]] | years = [[1988–89 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey season|1988–89]]<br>[[1990–91 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey season|1990–91]]| after = [[Doug Woog]]<br>[[Brad Buetow]]}}
{{succession box | before = [[Jim Cross (ice hockey coach)|Jim Cross]] | title = [[Hobey Baker Legends of College Hockey Award]] | years = 2020 | after = [[Mike Sertich]]}}
{{s-end}}

{{Michigan State University}}
{{Lake Superior State Lakers men's ice hockey navbox}}
{{Northern Michigan Wildcats men's ice hockey navbox}}
{{Michigan State Spartans men's ice hockey navbox}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Comley, Rick}}
[[Category:1947 births]]
[[Category:Lake Superior State Lakers men's ice hockey players]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Michigan State Spartans ice hockey coaches]]
[[Category:Ice hockey people from Burlington, Ontario]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan]]
[[Category:Northern Michigan Wildcats men's ice hockey coaches]]
[[Category:Lake Superior State Lakers men's ice hockey coaches]]
[[Category:Canadian ice hockey centres]]
[[Category:20th-century Canadian sportsmen]]