Matt MackinderQuinnipiac has signed head coach Rand Pecknold to a contract extension through the 2015-2016 season. “I’m very excited with my new contract extension,” said Pecknold in a statement. “I look forward to another five years at Quinnipiac, and hopefully beyond.” This past season, his 17th at Quinnipiac, Pecknold led the Bobcats to their 15th straight … Read more
Andy Jones has been named the new assistant coach at Clarkson. Jones just completed his fifth season as the assistant coach for the Sioux Falls Stampede of the United States Hockey League. “I am very excited to add Andy to our staff,” said Clarkson head coach Casey Jones in a statement. “He has all the … Read more
Don Granato, with 15 seasons of coaching experience at multiple levels and four years as a player at Wisconsin, has been named a head coach with USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program in Ann Arbor, Mich. Granato, as one of two head coaches at the NTDP, will guide the U.S. National Under-17 Team during the … Read more
A report on NCAA.org says North Dakota Governor Jack Dalrymple will push to resume the process of retiring the Fighting Sioux nickname and logo from the University of North Dakota after the NCAA reiterated its policy on Native American mascots, nicknames and imagery during a meeting Friday in Indianapolis. Dalrymple and a group of state … Read more
Ohio State will take on Michigan in an outdoor hockey game, the “Frozen Diamond Faceoff,” Jan. 15, 2012 in Cleveland, the MLB Cleveland Indians announced Thursday. The game, a CCHA contest slated for a 5:05 p.m. faceoff, will be part of Indians Snow Days at Progressive Field. “This is a great opportunity for our program … Read more
Former New Hampshire goaltender Mike Ayers has been named goaltending coach at USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program in Ann Arbor, Mich., and will also serve as coordinator of the organization’s Warren Strelow National Goaltending Mentor Program. “Mike brings the passion and knowledge to not only help mold our nation’s best goaltenders, but to also … Read more
Rochester Institute of Technology has announced that Chelsea Walkland will join the women’s hockey staff as an assistant coach for the 2011-12 season. “I’m excited that Chelsea is joining our hockey program this year,” said RIT head coach Scott McDonald in a statement. “I’ve followed Chelsea’s playing career for a number of years during her … Read more
Merrimack has added Youngstown Phantoms head coach Curtis Carr to the coaching staff as an assistant coach. “I am very thankful and I am extremely excited to have the opportunity to join the Merrimack program,” said Carr in a press release. “Coach (Mark) Dennehy has done a great job over the past seven seasons and … Read more
Boston Bruins goalie and former Vermont Catamounts’ star Tim Thomas announced Wednesday that he will be bringing the Stanley Cup to Burlington, Vt., for a public viewing event on Saturday, Sept. 3, 2011. Thomas was awarded a second date with the Cup and choose to bring it to Burlington, where he also runs a summer … Read more
Northeastern assistant coach Sebastien Laplante has left the Huskies to take a similar job with the American Hockey League’s Houston Aeros. Laplante spent the last three seasons with Northeastern, where he also played from 1989-1993 and posted 61 goals and 140 points in 134 games. On a related note, former Michigan defenseman Mike Van Ryn … Read more
College Hockey America and America One have announced a three-year partnership to show every game of the women’s league’s regular season and postseason on the broadband broadcasting network starting with the 2011-2012 season. “This is a great opportunity for College Hockey America and its members,” CHA commissioner Bob DeGregorio said in a statement. “We are … Read more
Denver assistant coach Derek Lalonde has been named the new head coach and general manager of the USHL’s Green Bay Gamblers. Lalonde spent the past five seasons at DU and prior to that was an assistant at Ferris State for four years. “I couldn’t be more excited to be coming to the Green Bay Gamblers,” … Read more
A published report in the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner Monday states WCHA commissioner Bruce McLeod will visit Alaska Tuesday to potentially discuss the Nanooks joining the league for the 2013-2014 season. “I haven’t been up there for a long time … and I’m going to get a sense of the program commitment. They’ve been fairly aggressive … Read more
Bowling Green forward Jordan Samuels-Thomas will be transferring to Quinnipiac for the 2012-2013 season, according to Chris Heisbenberg’s NCAA recruiting database. It was announced in April that Samuels-Thomas would not be returning to the Falcons this fall. Samuels-Thomas, a seventh round draft pick of the Atlanta Thrashers in 2009, was Bowling Green’s leading scorer in … Read more
Castleton State has announced the hiring of Bill Bowes as the new head coach for the women’s hockey team. Bowes, who was an assistant coach at Holy Cross for the past seven seasons, will also take over the Castleton State men’s golf team. Prior to his time at Holy Cross, Bowes was head coach at … Read more
There will be four on-ice officials for all SUNYAC games next season, new coordinator of officials Jeff Fulton told USCHO on Friday. League officials voted Friday to approve the four-man system for the regular season and playoffs. “This is significant for college hockey since we are the first NCAA D-III conference to adopt the 2-and-2 … Read more
Former New Hampshire All-American and Patty Kazmaier finalist Kelly Paton has been hired as a volunteer assistant coach for the Mercyhurst women. “We are excited to add Kelly to our staff,” Mercyhurst head coach Michael Sisti said in a press release. “Kelly has great enthusiasm to join our program and will be able to work … Read more
According to a published report in the Sentinel-Tribune, discussions regarding a merger of the CCHA and WCHA were held this past Tuesday in Chicago. Representatives of the two leagues met for “exploratory talks” about a merged 10-team league, CCHA commissioner Fred Pletsch told the publication. Pletsch said the league commissioners will go back to their … Read more
St. Cloud State has named Jim Fetter and Brita Schroeder as women’s assistant coaches for the upcoming season. “After a long process, I am very excited to have a full staff in place,” said SCSU head coach Jeff Giesen in a statement. “Jim and Brita will be a great coaching mix of knowledge and expertise … Read more
Wisconsin deputy athletics director Sean Frazier has been named chair of the Division I Men’s Ice Hockey Committee for the 2011-2012 season. Frazier’s one-year term will begin on Sept. 1. He succeeds Providence athletics director Robert Driscoll. “It is an honor to be named chair of such a prestigious committee,” Frazier said. “We are currently … Read more