Hastings High School has named a familiar face to lead its boys hockey program, welcoming back alumnus Dustin Vogelgesang as the new head coach.

The announcement came from Activities Director Trent Hanson, who shared the school’s enthusiasm for bringing Vogelgesang back to the Raider bench. A 1999 graduate of Hastings High School, Vogelgesang was a three-sport athlete during his student days and has remained closely tied to the community ever since.

He returns with a long coaching résumé that includes experience at both the youth and high school levels. Over the years, Vogelgesang spent 11 seasons coaching in Hastings, six at the youth level and five as a varsity assistant coach from 2009 to 2014.

Most recently, he spent 13 years with East Ridge High School, including four years as a varsity assistant and nine years as head coach. During that time, he helped guide the program through steady development and earned recognition as the 2020 Section 4 Coach of the Year. In four seasons as head coach, he compiled a 42-61-3 record.

Beyond the high school rink, Vogelgesang has contributed to hockey at the state and national level. He served as an assistant coach for Team Minnesota at the USA Hockey National Camp and worked as a coach, evaluator, and manager for the Minnesota High Performance Program. He also coaches the Minnesota Hockey Reebok High Performance Select 17s and serves as an American Development Model Instructor for Minnesota Hockey. Currently, he is the Executive Director of the Minnesota Hockey Coaches Association.

For Vogelgesang, the opportunity to return to Hastings carries special meaning.

“Coming back home to Hastings is incredibly special to me,” said Dustin. “This program and community helped shape who I am, and I’m honored for the opportunity to lead the next generation of Raiders. I'm excited to get started!”

As a student athlete in Hastings, Vogelgesang competed in three sports before continuing his athletic career in football at the University of Wisconsin–River Falls. He now lives in Woodbury with his wife, Emily, and their daughters, Elaina and Evelyn.

School officials said they are looking forward to the energy and leadership he will bring to the program and to the wider school community. Information about upcoming player meetings and summer training opportunities is expected to be shared in the coming weeks.