Kevin Hamlin is the head coach of the University of Windsor Lancers men's hockey program and has established himself as one of the most accomplished coaches in OUA hockey.
Entering his 19th season behind the Lancer bench in 2026-27, Hamlin has guided Windsor to a 251-180-40 regular-season record, including three OUA Coach of the Year honours, an OUA Queen's Cup championship, multiple OUA medal finishes and four appearances at the U SPORTS national championship. His career at Windsor has also included some of the most successful seasons in program history.
Most recently, Hamlin led the Lancers to a standout 2025-26 campaign, earning OUA West Division Coach of the Year honours for the third time in his career. Windsor finished first in the OUA West with an 18-7-3 regular-season record, while leading the OUA in goals scored with 105 and posting the league's best goal differential at +38. The Lancers also had the fewest penalty minutes in the OUA West.
The Lancers advanced to the 2026 Queen's Cup championship game, earning an OUA silver medal and a berth at the U SPORTS Championship in Halifax. At nationals, Windsor defeated Mount Royal 4-3 in the quarterfinal, marking the program's first U SPORTS championship victory since 2013-14 and sending the Lancers to the national semifinal. Windsor ultimately finished fourth in Canada, matching the program's second-highest finish at the national championship.
Hamlin's coaching career at Windsor has been highlighted by several historic accomplishments. In 2013-14, he guided the Lancers to the OUA Queen's Cup championship, only the second OUA men's hockey championship in program history at the time. Windsor also finished No. 5 in the country, the highest national ranking in program history at that time, and earned the program's first victory at the CIS/U SPORTS national championship tournament with a 4-2 win over Acadia. Hamlin was recognized that season with the WESPY Coach of the Year and Gino Fracas Coach of the Year awards.
In 2014-15, Hamlin was named OUA Men's Hockey Coach of the Year for the second time after leading Windsor to a program-best 22-4-1 regular-season record and first place overall in the OUA. The Lancers remained in the national top 10 for 17 consecutive weeks, captured an OUA bronze medal and earned their second consecutive appearance at the national championship. Hamlin's first OUA Coach of the Year honour came in 2008-09, his first season at the University of Windsor, after leading the Lancers to a 15-point improvement in the standings from the previous season. He subsequently guided Windsor back to the playoffs in each of his first three seasons and led the program to the OUA Western Conference final in 2011-12.
Prior to joining the University of Windsor, Hamlin spent seven seasons as head coach of the St. Clair College Saints, where he led the program to two provincial championships and was named Ontario Collegiate Coach of the Year three times. Hamlin also has extensive coaching experience at other levels. He previously served as an assistant coach with Cornell University's NCAA Division I hockey program and as an assistant coach with the Windsor Spitfires of the Ontario Hockey League. Before taking over at St. Clair College, he was head coach of the Leamington Flyers, compiling a 142-44-16 record over four seasons.
On the international stage, Hamlin was named head coach of Team Canada for the 2019 Winter Universiade in Krasnoyarsk, Russia. He led Canada to a bronze medal, including a 3-0 victory over Kazakhstan in the bronze-medal game.
Hamlin also enjoyed an accomplished playing career. As a goaltender at the University of Toronto, he helped the Varsity Blues capture a CIS national championship and was recognized as a CIS All-Canadian and two-time OUA All-Star. He was also named the University of Toronto's Male Athlete of the Year. Before his university career, Hamlin played four seasons in the OHL with the Windsor Spitfires, London Knights and Peterborough Petes.
A graduate of the University of Toronto, Hamlin earned his Bachelor of Physical Education, before completing his Bachelor of Education at the University of Windsor.
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| Season |
GP |
W |
L |
OTL |
| 2008-09 |
28 |
13 |
13 |
2 |
| 2009-10 |
28 |
10 |
13 |
5 |
| 2010-11 |
28 |
12 |
12 |
4 |
| 2011-12 |
28 |
15 |
12 |
1 |
| 2012-13 |
28 |
18 |
9 |
1 |
| 2013-14 |
28 |
17 |
11 |
0 |
| 2014-15 |
27 |
22 |
4 |
1 |
| 2015-16 |
28 |
14 |
11 |
3 |
| 2016-17 |
28 |
13 |
13 |
2 |
| 2017-18 |
28 |
10 |
11 |
7 |
| 2018-19 |
28 |
13 |
14 |
1 |
| 2019-20 |
28 |
15 |
10 |
3 |
| 2020-21 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
| 2021-22 |
16 |
12 |
3 |
1 |
| 2022-23 |
27 |
18 |
6 |
3 |
| 2023-24 |
28 |
15 |
11 |
2 |
| 2024-25 |
28 |
16 |
11 |
1 |
| 2025-26 |
28 |
18 |
7 |
3 |
| Career |
471 |
251 |
180 |
40 |
Key Career Highlights
- 3× OUA Coach of the Year — 2008-09, 2014-15, 2025-26
- OUA Queen's Cup Champion — 2013-14
- OUA Silver Medalist — 2025-26
- OUA Bronze Medalist — 2014-15
- 4 U SPORTS Championship appearances, (2014, 2015, 2023, 2026)
- 4th-place finish at the 2026 U SPORTS Championship — highest finish in program history
- Team Canada Head Coach — 2019 Winter Universiade (Bronze Medal)
- 3× Ontario Collegiate Coach of the Year at St. Clair College
- CIS All-Canadian and 2× OUA All-Star as a player
- CIS National Champion as a University of Toronto goaltender