Lance West

Lance West (born September 20, 1970) is a Canadian ice hockey coach who is currently the head coach of the University of Alabama in Huntsville Chargers.

Early life and playing career
West was born in Penticton, British Columbia, and began his hockey career in the British Columbia Junior Hockey League. He played for the Vernon Lakers in 1988–89, winning the BCHL playoff and the Abbott Cup, and the Kelowna Spartans from 1989–91. From 1991 through 1995, West played college ice hockey for the University of Alabama–Huntsville Chargers. While at UAH, West played in the 1994 Division II national championship, and was the team captain in his senior year.

Coaching career
After graduating, West took a position as a graduate assistant at UAH under head coach Doug Ross until 1998. During that time, the Chargers won two Division II national championships in 1996 and 1998. West returned to UAH as a full assistant in 2000, serving until 2007 when Ross retired.

West moved to Alaska–Fairbanks in 2007 as a volunteer assistant, video coordinator, and manager of the student recreation center. He was promoted to full assistant coach in 2008, and was named interim head coach for the 2017–18 season after the resignation of Dallas Ferguson. After an 11–22–3 season as Alaska's head coach, the Nanooks named Erik Largen as permanent head coach, and West returned to Alabama–Huntsville for the 2018–19 season as an assistant under Mike Corbett. After Corbett's departure following the 2019–20 season, West was promoted to head coach on July 22, 2020.