While playing conference alignments have grown more prevalent across leagues and sports, case in point the newly formed CCC, the level of competition under any name or banner is what the real story should be for the teams that formerly competed in the ECAC Northeast. For Endicott coach RJ Tolan and Salve Regina’s Andy Boschetto, … Read more
The conference is going through some upheaval off the ice, what with the departure of the University of New England to the CCC, school solvency issues with the Daniel Webster College program, and, most recently, the decision to not renew St. Anselm and St. Michael’s conference participation for the 2017-18 season, making the conference an … Read more
The NEHC released its annual preseason coaches poll for the men’s conference on Thursday. The poll is compiled based on rankings from the league’s nine head coaches. Reigning league champions from Massachusetts-Boston were selected to defend their title, receiving four first-place votes. Perennial conference powers Norwich and Babson were selected to finish second and third, … Read more
According to the Union Leader out of New Hampshire, dozens of student-athletes peacefully protested potential changes to the St. Anselm hockey teams’ future conference affiliation during the school’s groundbreaking ceremony for a new student center on Thursday. Currently, the men’s team plays against both NCAA Division II and Division III teams. The Hawks are scheduled … Read more
Dan Allen has been named the top assistant coach for the St. Michael’s men’s team. “I am very excited about the opportunity to work at Saint Michael’s alongside Coach [Damian] DiGiulian,” said Allen in a statement. “I am looking forward to developing my coaching skills while also growing and advancing the men’s ice hockey program … Read more
Castleton announced Monday the hiring of DJ Fimiani as the head coach of the Spartans’ women’s team. Fimiani comes to Castleton after building the women’s program at Daniel Webster from scratch starting in April 2014. He was able to recruit young women from all over North America for the inaugural season of 2015-16, bringing in … Read more
Syracuse received five first-place votes in the annual CHA preseason coaches poll, which was released Monday, and was deemed the top team heading into the 2016-17 season. Mercyhurst garnered the other first-place vote and is slotted second in the poll.
Castleton announced Monday that Bill Silengo has been hired as the head coach of the Spartan men’s program. Silengo replaces Steve Moffat, who stepped down in August to take an assistant’s job at Plattsburgh. For the past two seasons, Silengo has been the assistant coach at Manhattanville, where he managed team practices, meetings and the … Read more
James LaCour has been hired as the new head coach at Johnson and Wales. LaCour is the fifth head coach in the program’s 23-year history and replaces Erik Noack, who left earlier this offseason to take a similar job at Massachusetts-Dartmouth. “We are excited to have James join our staff as our head men’s ice … Read more
Mike Nepsa and Dan Johansson have joined the Canisius staff for the 2016-17 season. Nepsa will serve as volunteer assistant coach working with the goaltenders and Johansson is the team’s equipment manager. In addition, former volunteer assistant coach David Smith will serve as director of player development/assistant strength and fitness coach with the Griffs. “We … Read more
Merrimack announced Wednesday the hiring of David Nies as the team’s video coordinator, where he will oversee all aspects of team video, including film breakdown/exchange, and will also assist in analytics. Nies, who was an assistant coach at Curry last season, also played at Southern Maine, captaining the club in 2012-13. “We are thrilled to … Read more
Massachusetts-Dartmouth announced Friday the appointment of Erik Noack to serve as the fourth head coach of the Corsairs. Noack joins UMass Dartmouth after spending the past 13 seasons as the head men’s coach at Johnson and Wales. Under his leadership, the Wildcats went 148-172-21 and Noack led them to the ECAC Northeast playoffs in 11 … Read more
Castleton head coach Steve Moffat has resigned his position after three seasons to take an assistant coaching position at Plattsburgh. Moffat will replace Mike Coppola, who was the assistant coach at Plattsburgh for the past three seasons. “I want to thank Steve for his work with our men’s hockey program over the past three seasons,” … Read more
Jordan Ernst, who played the second half of the 2015-16 season on the Bowling Green blue line, has left school and signed with the Ontario Hockey League’s Sarnia Sting. Originally selected fifth overall by the Madison Capitals in Phase II of the 2015 United States Hockey League Draft, Ernst played in 16 games with the … Read more
Massachusetts-Lowell announced Monday the hiring of Troy Thibodeau as the River Hawks’ director of hockey operations. He joins UMass Lowell after serving one year at Merrimack as video coordinator and director of analytics and replaces Sean Flanagan, who took an assistant coaching position in the spring with Cornell. His main responsibilities with the River Hawks … Read more
Sean Flanagan has been named an assistant coach for Cornell and joins the Big Red after serving as Massachusetts-Lowell’s director of hockey operations during the 2015-16 season. “Sean is an up and coming coach in college hockey,” said Cornell head coach Mike Schafer in a statement. “He has a great reputation for tireless work ethic … Read more
The Beacons fell short in the semifinals in their first NCAA tournament appearance.
Peter Belisle of Massachusetts-Boston and Chris Schultz of Geneseo have been named co-winners of the Edward Jeremiah Award, given to the STX/AHCA Division III Men’s Coach of the Year. It is the second such honor for Schultz, who also captured this award in 2014. Belisle led the Beacons to their most successful season in program … Read more
Babson senior goaltender Jamie Murray has been chosen as the 2016 winner of the Sid Watson Award, given to the best NCAA Division III men’s player. Murray went 14-5-3 this year with a 1.61 GAA and a .940 save percentage. He’s a three-time First Team All-American and recently signed a professional contract with the San … Read more
The Gridiron Club of Greater Boston announced Friday that Babson senior goaltender Jamie Murray is the winner of the 16th annual Joe Concannon Award, which recognizes New England’s best American-born hockey player in Divisions II and III. Murray is the first repeat winner in the award’s history. Murray, the reigning NEHC Player of the Year … Read more