By Cary Shuman
Anthony “Butch” Martucci, the local legend who built Winthrop High School girls hockey into one of the state’s most successful programs, will be standing behind a new bench next season.
Martucci has been named as the new head coach of the Salem State University women’s hockey team and is set to sign a contract this week. Interestingly, Butch will be reunited sports-wise with his daughter, Talia Martucci, who just completed a record-setting freshman season as a left winger for the SSU Vikings following her All-Scholastic career in Winthrop.
“I’m extremely excited to be the new coach at Salem State,” said Martucci. “I’m happy to be back coaching my daughter again, because it’s great to be with her.”
Martucci, 50, has other connections to the university as well. His wife, WHS Hall of Famer and coach Tracey Gigliello Martucci, and his sister, Maria Martucci Hodgins, are SSU alumnae. Several nephews are also graduates of the school.
“The school has a history in our family, so I’m very excited to go there and continue that tradition,” said Martucci. “Salem State has excellent facilities with its hockey rink right on campus. The athletic director (Nicole Wood) is a very, very nice person with whom my wife played college soccer. It’s a great situation for me. It’s tough to leave Winthrop, but this is a position I was offered in the past, and I felt now was the right time.”
Martucci’s record at Winthrop High was superb, leading the Vikings to seven conference championships and 17 state tournament berths. He guided Winthrop to back-to-back undefeated seasons in 2022 and 2023, a streak of 36 consecutive games. His career record was a superlative 227 wins, 89 losses, and 28 ties. Several of Martucci’s players went on to compete and excel in college hockey.
Martucci said he was grateful to the Winthrop athletic directors for whom he worked, including Rob O’Leary, who appointed him as head coach, Peter Gobiel, and Matt Serino, and current AD Mark DeGregorio.
Praise from Winthrop leaders
DeGregorio said, “I’ve had the pleasure of knowing Butch for a very long time. I’ve known him on a business level and a personal level. I consider him one of the better coaches to have come through here. It’s honestly a very tough loss for Winthrop High School. Any time you lose a good coach, it’s tough, but someone who has given as much time and dedication as he has to our girls hockey program and providing any resources they ever needed – he’s basically what you look for in a coach. I’m very excited for him being able to move on to the next level because I know that’s something he’s wanted to do for quite some time. And it’s not very often that you get to continue to coach your daughter the way he’s going to be able to do. I think this opportunity was too good to pass up.”
WHS boys hockey coach Dale Dunbar congratulated Martucci on his new position.
“I think it’s awesome for him,” said Dunbar. “He started a program here in women’s hockey that really flourished under his coaching. He put his heart and soul into it, and now he’s getting rewarded for it. I think it’s going to be a great fit for him and a great fit for Salem State. They’re lucky to have him, and I wish him well. He built Winthrop into a great program, and I’m sure he’ll do the same at Salem State.”
Recruitment efforts begin
Martucci has begun recruiting efforts for his 2026-27 team. One of the entering freshman players is Winthrop High’s All-Star goaltender, Riley Towse. Players from North Dakota and Canada are also committed to Salem State as well a talented senior from Newburyport.
Martucci has announced his incoming assistant coaches, former Winthrop and Salem State elite player Bella Perrotti, and former Malden Catholic and Wentworth star Dana Price, whose daughter, Mia Price, played at Winthrop High School.