Clarkson promoted Chris to Associate Head Coach in the summer of 2024. In the summer of 2022, Brooks joined the Clarkson staff after six seasons at Michigan Tech of the CCHA and is a coach with a extensive experience at the professional and collegiate level both as a Head Coach and Assistant Coach.
From 2017-18 season to the 2021-22 season, Brooks was the Assistant Men's Hockey Coach at Michigan Tech, where he played an integral role in recruiting, special teams, specifically the power play and the team's defensive corps. In his time at Michigan Tech, the Huskies, have qualified for the NCAA Tournament in 2018 and 2022 (would have qualified in 2020 had the season not been shut down) and won a WCHA Title also in 2018. Last season Michigan Tech split two games here at Cheel with the Golden Knights.
As a Head Coach, Brooks won the 2016 NCAA Div. III National Championship with University of Wisconsin Stevens Point where he coached from 2011- 2017.
In 2013-14 and 2014-15 he led UW-Stevens Point to back to back national runner-up finishes in its first appearance in the NCAA Division III postseason in 16 years. The berth in the Frozen Four in 2013-14 was the first for the Pointers since 1998. In 2013-14 the Pointers recorded a 22-6-2 record and the 22 wins were the most by a UWSP team since 1999-2000 and then again in 2014-15 the Pointers had a 23-7-1 record. Brooks and the Pointers won the WIAC Championship in 2015-16 for the programs first time since 1993 and won it again in 2016-17.
Brooks was honored for his success by being named a finalist for the Edward Jeremiah Award, given to the Division III Coach of the Year in 2014, 2015, and 2016 compiling a record of 67-18-5 over those three seasons. Brooks was named the WIAC Co-Coach of the Year in 2015-16 and the USCHO.com Division III Coach of the Year that same season.
His Head Coaching experience also extended into professional hockey, where he coached the Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees of the Central Hockey League from 2008 to 2011
Brooks got his start in coaching at Western Michigan from 1999 to 2008, where he started as an Assistant Coach and then was named Associate Head Coach. Brooks also played for the Broncos from the 1992-93 season thru to the 1995-96 campaign. He was the CCHA Rookie of the Year in 1993, Asst. Captain in his Sr. season and finished as the Broncos 8th all-time leading scorer with 184 points. Brooks also played professionally after Western Michigan for the Amarillo Rattlers of the CHL/WPHL where he was named WPHL League MVP in 1997, and for Mobile in the ECHL. He also saw playoff action in the AHL with Springfield.
Brooks, originally from Stratford, Ontario, received his MA in Communication in 2007 and a BA in Organizational Communication in 1996 both from Western Michigan University. Brooks lives in Potsdam with his wife Jeannine. They have a daughter Bryar and son, Barrett. Barrett is a member of the Mercyhurst Men's Hockey team.
