College Hockey America announced the formation of a new four-team Division I women’s hockey league to serve as the counterpart to the men’s league created in 1999. The league will begin play immediately in 2002-03. The inaugural members of the women’s CHA are current men’s CHA members Findlay, Niagara, and Wayne State, as well as … Read more
The formation of a Hockey East women’s conference, expected to occur by 2004-05, could potentially be created in time for the upcoming 2002-03 season, USCHO has learned.
On Wednesday, Niagara head coach Dave Burkholder was suspended for one game by the CHA executive committee for inappropriate postgame conduct following the Purple Eagles’ loss Saturday at Bemidji State. Bemidji State won that contest, 3-2, on a pair of third-period power-play goals, taking a share of first place in the CHA as a result. … Read more
After a couple years of uncertainty, the CHA’s future was laid out a bit more clearly thanks to a recent ruling by the NCAA. With their ducks in a row, the CHA is on track for an NCAA tournament automatic bid by 2003.
Former assistant coach David Burkholder has been named the new head coach at Niagara. Burkholder, who signed a four-year contract, replaces Blaise MacDonald, who accepted the head coaching position at UMass-Lowell last Friday. “I am honored to have been selected as the next head coach and continue along our path of success,” said Burkholder. “Our … Read more
Blaise McDonald, a native of nearby Billerica, Mass., was named head coach at UMass-Lowell late Thursday. With the move, MacDonald leaves Niagara, a program he helped start from scratch in 1995.
Niagara’s Blaise MacDonald visited UMass-Lowell on Monday to interview for the head coaching position opened by the departure last month of Tim Whitehead. MacDonald Speaking to reporters Monday evening at Buffalo Niagara International Airport upon his return, MacDonald said his interest in the Lowell job is heightened by Niagara’s status as a member of College … Read more
Niagara and Canisius are looking into the possibility of formally submitting an application to join the ECAC. The schools would be the 13th and 14th league members.
Twenty-four hours before Niagara upset New Hampshire in the Western Regionals, Purple Eagles head coach Blaise MacDonald delivered two sentences that poked fun at a collective college hockey community that had yet to learn that the CHA team deserved its first-ever NCAA playoff berth. “I’m a little disappointed we’re not the number-one seed. I’m very … Read more
The Niagara University athletic department announced today that Niagara University men’s hockey head coach Blaise MacDonald has withdrawn his name for consideration from the head coaching vacancy at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst. “It has been a privilege for me to be part of building the Niagara University hockey program,” said MacDonald. “It has taken a … Read more
Regular-season and tournament champion Niagara dominated the inaugural College Hockey America postseason awards, as selected by the league’s head coaches, assistant coaches and sports information directors. The Purple Eagles boast the Player of the Year, Coach of the Year and four members of the CHA all-league first team. Niagara senior goaltender Greg Gardner was named … Read more
UMass-Lowell has selected Tim Whitehead and Blaise MacDonalad as finalists for the vacant head coaching position, according to the Lowell Sun. Both Whitehead and MacDonald have ties to the program and to other Hockey East schools. Whitehead, 35, has been an assistant coach at UMass-Lowell for the past five seasons. He was also an assistant … Read more