July 26, 2004
Two Collegians Among U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Inductees

Two former college hockey players are among the four members of the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame's class of 2004, the Hall announced Sunday.

Former Michigan Tech great Paul Coppo and former Wisconsin great Mark Johnson will be formally inducted on October 7, 2004. Joining them are former NHL defenseman Phil Housley and Detroit Red Wings owner Mike Ilitch, a longtime supporter of youth and college hockey in Detroit.

"This year's class of inductees truly represents a broad spectrum of hockey in the United States including ownership and players from amateur, college, Olympic, U.S. National and professional ranks," said United States Hockey Hall of Fame Board of Directors' President James Findley. "We are proud to induct them and welcome them as the Class of 2004."

One of the top American-born centermen of his generation, Coppo played college hockey at Michigan Tech from 1956-60. He led the team in scoring during his junior and senior years, and ended his career with a total of 134 points on 59 goals and 75 assists in 85 games. During the 1958-59 season, he played center on a line that scored a school-record 60 goals, and his 31 assists for the year tied a Huskies record at the time. Coppo received All-America honorable mention recognition as a junior in 1959. The following year, he helped lead the Huskies into the NCAA finals, achieving all-tournament honors, and was named a first-team All-American. Inducted on August 3, 1985 into Michigan Tech Sports Hall of Fame, he still ranks as one of the top 20 all-time scorers in the program's history.

Mark Johnson, born in Minneapolis, Minnesota and raised in Madison, Wisconsin, played collegiate hockey at Wisconsin and led the Badgers to the 1977 national championship during his freshman campaign. As a forward and the first Badger to ever win WCHA Rookie of the Year honors, he went on to become the school's second all-time leading scorer with 256 points on a school-record 125 goals and 131 assists in just three seasons. Johnson was the 1978-79 WCHA MVP and a two-time first team All-WCHA pick and a two-time All-American.

Johnson has represented USA Hockey as a player in 13 international tournaments. Most notably, he led the 1980 U.S. Olympic Team's gold medal-winning effort with 11 points, including two goals in the "Miracle On Ice" against the former Soviet Union and an assist on the game-winning goal against Finland in the final contest. Johnson, a former assistant coach with the Badgers' men's program, is not the head women's hockey coach at Wisconsin.

The Hall's 31st Annual Induction Ceremony and Dinner is Thursday, October 7, 2004. Ticket prices are $100 per person, $50 for students 18 and under and $800 for a table of eight. Tickets can be obtained by calling the United States Hockey Hall of Fame at 1-800-HHF-PUCK or 1-800-443-7825.