Aitken leaves Marian head coach spot, returns as associate coach at St. Norbert

A.J. Aitken will return for his second stint on the St. Norbert staff as associate head coach, beginning Aug. 1.

Aitken, who has spent the last three seasons as the head coach at Marian, spent nine seasons on the SNC staff from 2003 to 2012. Aitken was 39-37-4 during his tenure at Marian.

“I am excited about the opportunity to rejoin the St. Norbert College hockey program,” Aitken said in a statement. “The overall experience at St. Norbert is first class, and I can’t wait to return to the St. Norbert College family.”

“We had a terrific nine-year run during A.J.’s first time here,” St. Norbert head coach Tim Coghlin added. “He has a wealth of experience and we’re glad to have him back. We’re excited about his next tenure here.”

Aitken played 140 games for Michigan Tech from 1996 to 2000, scoring 14 goals and 17 assists for 31 points. He also served as the Huskies’ team captain during his last two seasons.

Following his NCAA career, Aitken played with Macon and Memphis of the now-defunct Central Hockey League and won two CHL titles in Memphis.

A national search is underway to find Aitken’s replacement at Marian.