Bio

Steve Fabiilli recently completed his ninth season with the Falcons in 2022-23. Fabiilli, who led the Falcons to the NCHA Slaats Cup Title Game in his first season, has guided CUW to double-digit win totals in seven of his first nine seasons and has led CUW to the Slaats Cup Playoffs in each of the past five seasons.

Fabiilli guided the Falcons to the NCHA Slaats Cup Final in 2014-15, their first and only appearance in the championship game in the history of the program. CUW won 12 games in his first year at the helm, second-most in program history, and posted an above .500 record for just the second time. 

The Falcons reached the Slaats Cup Final after upsetting No. 4 nationally-ranked Adrian College on their home ice in the semifinals. CUW posted a 5-3-1 record once the calendar turned to February, winning four of those games by one goal.

In the 2022-23 season, Fabiilli captured his 100th career win against Finlandia on February 18th in a season where the Falcons posted a 14-11-2 record and saw Emily Reimche and Makayla Spejcher claim NCHA All-Conference team honors. Reimche also claimed CSC Academic All-District while Spejcher claimed NCHA Freshman of the Year, the first player to do so in program history. Furthermore, CUW women's hockey saw 11 members claim NCHA All-Academic Selections. 

The Falcons posted another winning record in the 2021-22 NCHA campaign that saw the Falcons earn NCHA All-Conference honors for captain Emily Reimche and All-Freshman honors for Katie Rahilly and six All-NCHA Scholars. 

The Falcons won their first-ever home postseason game in program history in 2021 in a 5-1 victory over Marian. CUW had two All-NCHA selections on the season. 

In the 2019-20 season, the Falcons won nine games and secured an NCHA All-Conference selection in Breanna Thomson and an All-Freshman selection in Annalina Van Hercke. During the season, the Blue and White broke the school record for the longest shutout streak.

2018-19 saw Fabiilli become the all-time winningest head coach in program history. The Falcons made the playoffs for the second consecutive year, winning 12 games for the third time in program history. In conference play, the Falcons won eight games to place fifth in the highly competitive NCHA. The Falcons had two players, Natasha Wanless and Emily Godwin, earn All-Conference honors with Maddy Millar being named All-Freshman.

The Falcons again won 12 games in 2017-18 under Fabiilli and finished above .500 in conference play for the second time in program history. CUW finished fourth in the always-challenging NCHA, posting a 10-7-1 record in league play. The 12 wins in 2017-18 marked the third double-digit win season for Fabiilli. He has led the team to 10 or more wins three times, while the program had just one such season in the seven years prior to his arrival. 

In 2016-17, Fabiilli once again guided CUW to double-digit wins, meaning he now has coached two of the program's three double-digit wins teams in just three years at the helm. He also coached Christina Pattengale to All-NCHA honors, the third such player to reach that status under his guidance. The 2016-17 Falcons allowed just 61 goals, breaking the record of the 2014-15 team for the fewest in a season. 

The Falcons have season numerous players set program records and achieve individual accolades during Fabiilli's four seasons. In 2017-18, Lexi Holman became the Falcons' all-time leading goals scorer, while goaltender Christina Pattengale set the program saves mark in just three seasons. In 2016-17, Veronika Metanova set the new mark for career points with the Falcons. 

The Falcons landed one player on the NCHA All-Conference team in each of Fabiilli's first four seasons. In 2014-15, Emily Heckendorf earned the honors, while Holman was named to the team in 2015-16 and again in 2017-18. Pattengale was named to the All-Conference team in 2016-17. 

In 2015-16 Fabiilli coached the Falcons' first-ever All-Region performer as Holman was named to the Third Team All-West Region by D3Hockey.com. 

Fabiilli's team was strong defensively in 2014-15 as they set a program record for the fewest goals allowed in a season. In addition, he coached two goaltenders, Bridget Slater and Andrea Mizanskey, who had two of the better seasons in program history. Slater was named the MVP of the Slaats Cup Playoffs for her efforts over three games.

In 2014-15 the Falcons also had senior Emily Heckendorf, who under Fabiilli's guidance scored 17 goals, a CUW single-season record. Heckendorf was also named to the NCHA All-Conference team, the fourth player in program history to achieve that honor. The Falcons also had Lexi Holman earn All-Freshman accolades, the third player in program history to achieve that feat. 

The Falcons have sustained academic success as well under Fabiilli, with 23 players earning All-Academic status over his first two seasons. In 2015-16, CUW had an NCHA-best 14 players honored by the league for their strong academic performance.

Fabiilli joined the Falcons after spending nine seasons as the Men's Hockey head coach at Northland College in Ashland, Wis. Northland is a member of the Northern Collegiate Hockey Association, the same league the Falcons compete in.

During his tenure with the LumberJacks, Fabiilli coached five all-conference players, 56 all-academic team members, four all-freshman selections and one USCHO All-West Rookie Honorable Mention player.

The LumberJacks set numerous individual and team records under Fabiilli's direction over the past nine years, including the most wins in a season (2010-11). All-in-all, Northland set 35 new individual records and 67 team records during his tenure. Fabiilli also served as the school's Sports Information Director while at Northland.

Prior to his time at Northland, Fabiilli spent one season as an assistant coach/co-head coach at his alma mater, Canisius College. During this season he helped the Golden Griffins to a second-place finish in the Atlantic Hockey Conference.

Fabiilli played four seasons for Canisius and was named the school's Male Athlete of the Year during the 2001 season. He was the goaltender for the Golden Griffins and ranks in the top 10 in school history in wins, goals-against average, save percentage, saves, and shutouts.

He graduated from Canisius in 2001 with a Bachelor's of Science degree in physical education. Fabiilli also earned a Master's of Sports Administration from Canisius in 2005. He and his wife, Stephanie, currently reside in Grafton, with their daughter, Lena.