Tom Upton - Hockey Coach - University of Massachusetts Athletics

Tom Upton

Title:
Assistant Coach
Email:
thomasupton@umass.edu

Tom Upton joined the University of Massachusetts hockey program as an assistant coach in June 2022 following a two-year stint as head coach and general manager of the Madison Capitols of the United States Hockey League (USHL).

With more than a decade of coaching experience to his credit, Upton has mentored over 20 players who signed NHL contracts, two Hobey Baker Award winners and a Hobey Baker Award Top 10 finalist prior to his arrival in Amherst.

Upton began his tenure in Madison in April 2020 and coached his first season behind the bench in 2021-22, leading the Capitols to a record of 30-29-3-0. The squad won seven of its last 10 games to reach the Clark Cup Final.

Upton, a native of Austin, Texas, joined Madison following three years as an assistant coach at Mercyhurst. While at Mercyhurst, Upton helped lead the Lakers to an Atlantic Hockey regular season title as the Lakers' offense ranked eighth in the nation.

He played collegiate hockey at University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point from 2006-2010 where he posted two goals and 11 assists over the course of 89 games. Upton appeared in five games, scoring one goal for the Columbus Cottonmouths of the Southern Professional Hockey League before beginning his coaching career with the Pointers. He spent three seasons as an assistant coach for his alma mater, recruiting a team that made three straight Division III Frozen Four appearances earning one National Championship and two National Championship runner-up finishes.

Upton went onto become an assistant coach with the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders during the 2013-14 season before moving into a head coach and general manager position with the Minnesota Magicians of the North American Hockey League. During his tenure with the Magicians, he led the team to their first postseason appearance in franchise history.

After two seasons with the Minnesota Magicians, Upton joined the Youngstown Phantoms as an assistant coach, and helped to draft a team that was named the 2017-18 Eastern Conference Champions and Clark Cup Final Runner-Up.

Updated: July 15, 2025