Daniel Webster tabs former Norwich forward McCambly as first men’s head coach

Eric McCambly has been named head coach of the Daniel Webster men’s team, a new Division III team that starts play this fall as an independent.

“We are very excited to welcome Eric to the Daniel Webster College community and our athletics staff,” said DWC director of athletics Chris Gilmore in a statement. “He is a true student and teacher of the game and we are confident he will do a terrific job guiding the program through its transition from club to varsity status.”

McCambly returns home to the Nashua, N.H., area with the appointment as he was a standout at New Hampshire perennial powerhouse Bishop Guertin Catholic High School in the city, graduating in 1990.

“I am excited to join the Daniel Webster College community,” added McCambly. “As DWC expands the growth of NCAA Division III ice hockey in my hometown of Nashua, I’m equally excited to work with a supportive and innovative group of faculty and staff here at the college. I look forward to expanding the work of longtime program supporters and coaches, such as Paul Labarre, Jean-Guy Letarte and John McAnespie.

“My intent is to establish a strong foundation and field a competitive program with an emphasis on graduating outstanding civic-minded young men in four years. My goal is to create one of the most competitive ice hockey programs in the northeast that will vie for a conference and a national title in the years to come.”

McCambly served as the head coach and director of hockey operations at Canton for six years (2007-13), guiding the program from the junior college level to ACHA Division I and then to an NCAA Division III independent.

Over that span, Canton compiled an overall record of 115-40-5, which included three ACHA national championship tournament appearances and a pair of conference regular season and tournament titles. For his efforts, McCambly was named the ECHC coach of the year and was a finalist for ACHA Division I coach of the year honors.

Prior to his time at Canton, McCambly served as head coach at Penn State University at Berks for four seasons, compiling an overall mark of 116-19-2, gaining four conference titles, four national tournament appearances and two appearances in the ACHA national semifinals.

This past year, McCambly was the director of student activities and assistant athletic director at Carson Long Military Academy in New Bloomfield, Penn.

After his Bishop Guertin days, McCambly played four years at Norwich, graduating in 1994. With the Cadets, he posted 32 goals and 28 assists for 60 points over 82 career games.

McCambly’s coaching career began at Saint Thomas More Preparatory School in Oakdale, Conn., where he was head coach from 1999 to 2003, earning the Northeastern Atlantic Prep School Hockey Conference coach of the year award in 2001.