Tim Coghlin, head coach at Division III St. Norbert and the top candidate for Alaska-Fairbanks’ vacant head coaching position, turned down the university’s job offer Monday, the Fairbanks Daily Miner reported.
A perceived lack of institutional commitment to the hockey program was crucial in Coghlin’s decision, he said.
“I needed to see some more institutional support for hockey,” Coghlin told the Daily Miner. “[UAF] tend[s] to be underfunded in three or four critical areas that will make it difficult to compete in the CCHA. Once those issues are addressed, it will be a very attractive place to me.”
Specifically, Coghlin cited a lack of funding for recruiting, assistant coaches’ pay and scholarships as fundamental barriers. He went on to say that that the Nanooks are “not even on a level playing field” with the rest of the CCHA, noting that UAF currently supports well fewer than the 18 scholarship players allowed by the NCAA.
According to UAF assistant athletic director Kip Harmon, the remaining candidates are Guy Gadowsky, head coach and general manager of the West Coast Hockey League’s Fresno Falcons; Bowling Green assistant coach Brian Hills; and Boston College assistant coach Scott Paluch.
UAF is looking to replace Dave Laurion, who resigned following the end of this past season.
