Hanna To Call It A Career After 44 Years With Bulldog Athletics

May 1, 2012

Northland Sports Online

The longest tenure in University of Minnesota Duluth athletic history will come to an end later this month when Scott “Honey Bear” Hanna retires after 44 years of service as a player, coach and/or staff member.

The 61-year old Hanna first joined the Bulldog family in the fall of 1968 as an offensive lineman under the legendary Jim Malosky before going on to serve in a number of capacities including head baseball coach, assistant football coach, and athletic department equipment manager. He was inducted into the UMD Athletic Hall of Fame last October.

“I couldn’t have picked a better place to work,” said Hanna, a Duluth Central High School alumnus. “This has been a dream job for me and I am so fortunate to have done it for as long as I have. To be a part of this department for four decades and have the opportunity to interact with hundreds upon hundreds of great kids has been a real joy.”

The face of UMD baseball, Hanna was involved in one form or another with that program since its inception as an intercollegiate sport in 1972 through the spring of 2005. The a two-time NSIC Coach of the Year handled a starting role (designated hitter) during the Bulldogs’ inaugural two seasons and spent five years as an assistant coach role before landing the head coaching job prior to the 1979 campaign.

Among Hanna’s numerous accomplishments during a 27-year coaching stay were a 550-357-3 overall record (.607), four NSIC regular season titles (1992, 1993, 1999, and 2003), one berth in the NCAA II Central Regionals (2003), two NAIA Area 4 playoff appearances (1990 and 1991) and only three seasons of sub-.500 baseball. Under his watch, UMD produced four Major League Baseball draft picks, eight professional players, seven NCAA II All-Central Region selections and one American Baseball Coaches Association NCAA II All-American.

Hanna, who also lettered four seasons in football (two as the starting center) was the recipient of UMD’s Outstanding Senior Lineman Award in 1972 and attained All-MAIC honors that same year. He’s been the Bulldogs’ equipment manager since 1978-79 and served 23 years as a UMD assistant football coach (1978-1999).

“If I could go back to 1968 and do it all over again I wouldn’t change a thing,” said Hanna. “I have no regrets –none — and that pretty much says it all.”

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