McCLELLAND NAMED ACAC COACH OF THE YEAR
RED DEER – A four-time Stanley Cup Champion has added another special award to his mantlepiece. Kevin McClelland, head coach of the Portage College Voyageurs, was named ACAC Coach of the Year for the 2025-26 season last Friday. He accepted his award prior to Game 3 of the ACAC Finals between the Red Deer Polytechnic Kings and the SAIT Trojans.
In his fifth year at the helm, the veteran head coach led the Voyageurs to a fourth place finish, securing their first playoff berth in 12 years. The squad subsequently beat the Briercrest Clippers in a best-of-three first-round series, claiming the first playoff series win in Portage's history, before losing to the Kings in round two.
"Congratulations to Kevin on being named 2025-26 ACAC Men's Hockey Coach of the Year!" said Portage College Manager of Athletics & Recreation Jim Knight. "His leadership and commitment to the Voyageurs hockey program is outstanding. Kevin has a great relationship with his players and the work ethic he has rubs off on his players. We are thrilled to celebrate this well-earned and well-deserved honour."
Like he did during his playing career, McClelland wasn't overly comfortable being singled out for praise, reluctant to step out on stage and receive applause. He's always preferred to be behind the scenes, helping others to succeed. Not surprisingly therefore, he was quick to deflect the spotlight on others when asked about what it meant to be acknowledged by his peers this year.
"It's an honour but this is a team and a College award, from the coach to the players to the trainer to the athletic director to the volunteers who keep the program going…There's so many people that are involved in that and I hope everyone takes a little bit of good feeling out of all of that," he said.
Team Captain Xavier Halterman, who played five years for McClelland, couldn't be happier to see his coach get recognized for an historic season.
"While he would say that Coach of the Year is a team award, Macker is the one who built this team and steered it to the playoffs," said Halterman, who was named to the 2026 second-team ACAC All-Conference Team. "I have seen the time and commitment he has put in through five years to put this program and team to the place it got to this year. I am glad other teams recognized his effort. I think it demonstrates how lucky the College is to have Macker leading this program and how elite of a coach he is."
It's not just the veterans who appreciate what Coach Mac brings to the table. Rookie Defenceman Jett McCullum, also named to the second-team all-conference squad, credited his hockey boss with providing a steadying, guiding hand for all of the Voyageurs this season.
"I think he commands respect. I think everyone looks up to him and I think he does a lot of stuff we don't really see behind the scenes but he helps out (Assistant Coach) Pierre (Sparklingeyes) too who had a big role in our season," said McCullum. "He kinda serves as a mentor to him. He says it's a team award, this coach of the year award, but it's more than a team award. He really deserves it. We don't have a successful season without him, that's for sure."
Back in his office at the Bold Centre in Lac La Biche Monday morning, McClelland wasn't giving himself time to enjoy the moment. Instead, he was already hard at work putting together next fall's lineup for the upcoming season. His ultimate goal is to ensure that the Portage College Voyageurs are a perennial contender in the years to come, regardless of who is at the helm. From the comments he shared, it is clear that he has the Voyageurs logo tattooed on his considerable heart.
"I'm getting a little long in the tooth, obviously, and you know I just want to make sure that when I do end up leaving…that the College is in good standing with their hockey club and the hockey club's doing well," said McClelland. "That's going to mean a lot to me."
Photo credit to RDP athletics