The Boston University men’s hockey team will add another national champion to its coaching staff as 2011 graduate Joe Pereira will return to BU as associate head coach.
Pereira joins new head coach Jay Pandolfo’s staff after spending the past nine seasons at UConn, including the last four seasons as associate head coach.
“I’m excited that Joe is joining our staff,” Pandolfo said in a statement. “He is an outstanding recruiter who has established himself as one of the top young coaches in college hockey. As a former captain and national champion here, Joe knows what it takes to win at BU and understands what it means to be a Terrier. He will be a terrific addition to our program and I’m looking forward to working with him.”
Pereira was a member of the Terriers’ 2009 squad that claimed the program’s fifth national title, in addition to that year’s Beanpot and Hockey East regular-season and tournament trophies. He led the team in goals as a senior and finished his collegiate career with 27 goals and 34 assists for 61 points in 139 games.
Pereira was a two-time recipient of the team’s Bennett McInnis Memorial Award for Spirit and was also selected as the Friends/Albert Sidd Unsung Hero as a senior captain. Additionally, Pereira earned Hockey East all-academic honors and received the Regina Eilberg Scholarship, which is presented to the player who combines the highest standards of Terrier athletics and academic performance. Pereira graduated in 2011 with a degree in business management.
“I’m thrilled to come back to BU,” Pereira said. “I’d like to thank Coach Pandolfo and director of athletics Drew Marrochello for this opportunity. I plan to bring my knowledge and love of the great sport of hockey to this role and help Coach Pandolfo and the student-athletes develop a hockey program the entire BU community will be proud of and support.”
Pereira began his coaching career with the club hockey program at Sacred Heart during the 2012-13 season, leading the Pioneers to their first-ever Northeast Collegiate Hockey League championship. Pereira also served as director of scouting for Madison Avenue Sports and Entertainment.
Professionally, Pereira played with the AHL’s Worcester Sharks and the Bridgeport Sound Tigers during the 2010-11 season before a stint with Tingsryds AIF in Sweden. Pereira then skated for the ECHL’s Idaho Steelheads and South Carolina Stingrays in 2011-12.
