The NCHC won’t be adding to its ranks in the upcoming campaign, or any other time soon. In August, the conference turned down applications for admission from independent Arizona State and the WCHA’s Minnesota State. NCHC commissioner Josh Fenton explains why.
Adam Rockwood has joined Northern Michigan as a junior transfer from Wisconsin. He will be eligible to compete for the Wildcats beginning in the fall of 2017. Rockwood is currently on campus and will practice with Northern Michigan in 2016-17. “It’s great to pick up a guy of Adam’s talent,” NMU coach Walt Kyle said … Read more
Recent news that Minnesota State and Arizona State have applied for membership in the NCHC prompted conference commissioner Josh Fenton to release a statement today. “After careful consideration and a thorough vetting process, the National Collegiate Hockey Conference’s Board of Directors announced the Conference will not move forward with membership expansion at this time. We … Read more
Wilkes University will add men’s and women’s hockey to its list of NCAA Division III varsity sports, effective for the 2017-18 school year, and also announced an affiliation with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins organization that will allow Wilkes to practice and compete at the Toyota SportsPlex at Coal Street Park. Wilkes University is located in Wilkes-Barre, Penn., … 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
The WCHA announced Tuesday three pivotal changes to take effect for the upcoming 2016-17 season. The changes include the introduction of 3-on-3 overtime and shootout (both if necessary) for regular-season league games, a three-point-per-game structure to the league standings and mandatory NHL nets in all arenas. “The WCHA is committed to evolving and adapting however … Read more
Finlandia is going to have a familiar face leading the team this season as the winningest coach in team history, Joe Burcar, has been hired as the Lions’ new head coach. Burcar replaces Dane Litke, who stepped down for personal reasons earlier this summer after two seasons with the Lions. “I am proud and excited … 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
Becker has announced the promotion of Michael Chartrand as the team’s new head coach. Chartrand, who has been a Becker assistant since the 2011-12 season, takes over for Steve Hoar, who passed away on July 11. “It has been a difficult three weeks for Becker athletics, particularly for our men’s ice hockey program,” said Becker … Read more
Former Ferris State volunteer assistant coach Vince Pietrangelo was named Tuesday as an assistant coach at Canton. Pietrangelo played 36 games at Finlandia from 2010 to 2013 and was an associate head coach for Big Rapids (Mich.) High School under former Ferris State assistant coach Tim Blashill from 2013 to 2015. “Vince has great experience … Read more
Lake Superior State has announced the appointment of Jamie Henderson as the director of hockey operations, beginning with the 2016-17 season. Henderson, a native of Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., most recently served as the general manager of the Soo Thunderbirds of the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League during 2015-16 after a season as the club’s … Read more
Bemidji State defenseman Ruslan Pedan has signed a two-year contract with HC Sochi of the Kontinental Hockey League, forgoing his final year of collegiate eligibility, to stay home and begin his professional hockey career in Russia. “Ruslan made an big impact on our team as a freshman and has been a consistent defensman for us … Read more
Bemidji State has announced the hiring of Eddie Olczyk as the team’s new assistant coach. The former NCAA Division I player joins the BSU coaching staff after coaching stops at Division I and Division III programs, including last year at Niagara. “Eddie has great presence and a great demeanor about him, qualities that have earned … Read more
Minnesota State announced Wednesday that it has applied for admission in the NCHC. School president Richard Davenport said in a statement that the school has a strong relationship with the WCHA, which it joined in 1999, but needs to be proactive in seeking what’s best for the university. Davenport said the school believes “that now … Read more
After nearly 20 years at Bemidji State, Ted Belisle has resigned from his position as assistant coach to join the scouting staff of the Los Angeles Kings. “This is a great opportunity for Teddy to advance his career at the professional level,” said BSU coach Tom Serratore in a statement. “He has a great eye … Read more
The most moving, appropriate tribute to Ron Mason was the gathering of people near center ice before the ceremony — family and friends and too many hockey people to mention, so many people whose lives Ron touched.
A public funeral service for former college hockey coach and Michigan State athletics director Ron Mason will be held on Thursday, June 16 at Munn Ice Arena in East Lansing, Mich. Mason, who played at St. Lawrence and later coached at MSU, Bowling Green and Lake Superior State, retiring as the winningest NCAA coach of … Read more
A collection of memories of Mason, who passed away at age 76.
Former Lake Superior State, Bowling Green and Michigan State coach Ron Mason passed away overnight at the age of 76. Mason also played at St. Lawrence in the early 1960s. He won 924 games over 36 seasons at LSSU (1966-73), BGSU (1973-79) and MSU (1979-2002), retiring as the all-time winningest college hockey coach. Mason led … Read more
Army West Point has announced the hiring of new assistant coach Chris McKelvie. McKelvie is the identical twin brother of current assistant coach Zach McKelvie, who has been on Riley’s staff for two seasons and is a 2009 graduate of the U.S. Military Academy. The brother combination joins the Granatos (Wisconsin) and Kyles (Northern Michigan) … Read more