Men’s D-II/III in general
A $2.5 million donation to the college’s athletics program has preserved men’s hockey at Skidmore. A group of alumni, parents and friends launched a fundraising effort in September after the college announced that budget constraints would force the elimination of men’s hockey after the 2003-04 season, and the use of the those resources for other … Read more
Is It February Already? It just seems that way. One of the major grudge matches in Division III hockey, traditionally reserved for the final showdown of the regular season, happens Friday night when Elmira invades RIT’s Ritter Arena for the 65th meeting between the two schools. The Tigers lead the series 31-29-4. Elmira is coming … Read more
Starting on a High Note The D-III season got off to a lively start last weekend with a pair of marquee matchups. Elmira, ranked 10th in the USCHO.com preseason poll, played a home and away series with second ranked Oswego. Number three St. Norbert traveled to RIT for a pair of games. In each case, … Read more
Former Wisconsin-Superior goaltender David Harbinson has filed a lawsuit against Norwich University and former player Jason Lumsden. Harbinson charges that Lumsden’s stick struck Harbinson while Harbinson was seated in the Superior bench near the end of Norwich’s 5-4 overtime victory in an NCAA semifinal game, played at Superior’s Wessman Arena on March 17, 2000. Harbinson … Read more
Not that anyone would bet on Division III hockey, but if they did, then the USCHO.com Preseason Poll has been more accurate than many of those 800-number betting lines. The first edition of the poll has correctly picked the national champion in three of the past five seasons. It was incorrect in 1999 (RIT was … Read more
The dissolution of two D-I programs opened up a shopping spree of transfers in the D-III ranks this offseason.
Preseason coaches’ polls were released for the ECAC East, ECAC West, SUNYAC and NCHA, and in all cases the coaches don’t see a lot changing at the top in their respective leagues. Defending NCAA Division III champion Norwich is a near unanimous choice to repeat as league champs in the 2003-04 ECAC East Coaches’ Poll. … Read more
A group of Skidmore alumni is trying to raise enough money to save the school’s ice hockey team. President Philip Glotzbach said recently Skidmore would discontinue the team after this season, following a lengthy review of the school’s athletic and recreation offerings. Skidmore coach Paul Dion told the Albany Times Union that alumni have raised … Read more
Chris Potter, a former assistant at Brown and Connecticut, has been named to replace Buddy Powers as head coach at Wesleyan. The deal is on a one-year interim basis, pending a more exhaustive coaching search next offseason. Powers, originally named in May, had stepped down without yet coaching a game this year due to family … Read more
Buddy Powers has left his position as men’s coach at Wesleyan due to family reasons. Powers took the job in May, succeeding 32-year head coach Dave Snyder, who retired at the end of the 2002-03 season. Powers, a 1975 graduate of Boston University, has also served as head coach at RIT, Rensselaer and Bowling Green. … Read more
Skidmore has decided to eliminate men’s ice hockey following this season after a two-year, comprehensive study of its offerings in sports and recreation. It is the fourth school in six months to announce the dropping of men’s hockey. “Athletics in the broadest sense is a core aspect of a liberal arts education,” said Skidmore President … Read more
Neil Sinclair, the interim coach of the Middlebury men last year when long-time coach Bill Beaney was on sabbatical, has been named the head coach of the Williams women’s team. Sinclair, a 1993 graduate of Middlebury, was an assistant there for three years prior to last year. Sinclair then guided the Panthers to a regular-season … Read more
After playing their first six seasons in the ECAC Northeast, the Dutchmen will become members of the ECAC West in 2004-2005, giving that conference the seven teams required for an NCAA autobid.
Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts has dropped its men’s hockey program, effective immediately. Athletic director Scott Nichols said that the decision came in response to a significant budget reduction that the Division III NCAA institution will face this fiscal year. MCLA, formerly North Adams State College, has had a varsity program since 1971 and was … Read more
The Northeast-10 Conference announced that it will sponsor a postseason men’s Division II tournament in hockey beginning with the 2003-04 season. Six of the seven NCAA Division II schools that play hockey are also members of the Northeast-10, a Division II multi-sport conference. The six are: Assumption, Franklin Pierce, St. Anselm, St. Michael’s, Southern New … Read more
Wesleyan has named former Rensselaer and Bowling Green coach, Buddy Powers, to fill its vacant head coaching position. Powers replaces Dave Snyder, who retired at the end of this past season after 32 years at the helm. Powers “Buddy Powers is one of the most respected collegiate ice hockey coaches in the country, ” said … Read more
Princeton assistant coach Jim Ward has been named the new head coach at Connecticut College. He replaces Doug Roberts, who stepped down at the end of last season following 24 years at the helm. Ward, who has spent the last three seasons at Princeton, was previously the head coach at Northfield-Mount Hermon (Mass.) Prep School … Read more
Johnson and Wales has named Erik Noack its new coach. He replaces Lou Izzi, who resigned to devote himself further to his full-time job as the school’s compliance officer. A member of three NCAA Division III finalists while playing at RIT, Noack played in 200 professional games in the East Coast Hockey League and the … Read more
Brett Tryder has been named head coach at Plymouth State. The top assistant under previous coach Chris Hudon is the seventh coach in the program’s 33-year history.
George Roll, who led Oswego State to a 25-7-1 record and a berth in the NCAA championship game for the first time since 1987, has been named the winner of the 2003 Edward Jeremiah Award, given annually to the coach of the year in men’s Division III. Roll accomplished this feat with a young team … Read more