With the NHL’s New York Rangers finally close to filling their coaching vacancy, Northern Michigan can finally move closer to filling theirs. Walt Kyle, a Northern Michigan graduate and assistant coach for the Wildcats’ 1991 NCAA championship team, has been a Rangers assistant. His contract expired May 31 and his status was up in the … Read more
The only Division I men’s hockey team without a head coach is moving closer to changing that distinction. According to the Marquette (Mich.) Mining Journal, Northern Michigan athletic director Dan Spielman will conduct telephone interviews with three or four remaining candidates during the week of May 20-24, with the hopes of naming a replacement by … Read more
Rick Comley jumps from Northern Michigan, where he spent 26 years, to Michigan State, where he takes over for long-time colleague and friend, Ron Mason.
VI Icicles filled the long windowWith barbaric glass.The shadow of the WildcatCrossed it, to and fro.The moodTraced in the shadowAn unpredictable cause. Rick Comley has commented in the past about his recruiting disadvantages. As the most remote team within the state of Michigan, Comley knows that he’s not likely to lure someone away from Michigan … Read more
Minnesota assistant John Hill and Northern Michigan assistant Dave Shyiak are the two finalists for the vacant head coaching position at Alaska-Anchorage, according to athletic director Dr. Steve Cobb. The vacancy was created when Dean Talafous was fired last month, after five years at the helm. Cobb, chair of the three-person search committee, received at … Read more
Rick Comley is a happy man. He’s no longer Athletic Director at Northern Michigan University. “It’s like a rebirth for me–25th year of the program, silver anniversary, and I’m back to being a full-time coach again. I can’t tell you how much that means to me, how much better I feel. “It’s great to go … Read more
After 13 years as both athletic director and head hockey coach for Northern Michigan University, Rick Comley will dispense with the AD role effective July 1 and concentrate on running the Division I hockey program he established at Northern in 1976. Comley and NMU President Judi Bailey announced the change at a press conference Thursday … Read more
Rick Comley pauses to think before he answers a question. Why did Northern Michigan leave the CCHA for the WCHA in the first place? Comley laughs. “I’m sure for lots of good reasons, when you think back.” The cover of this year’s Wildcats’ media guide says, “Charging back into the CCHA.” Maybe it should read, … Read more
The Northern Michigan University Board of Control has approved a plan calling for the construction of a new campus event center, slated to go up by mid-1999. Construction will begin on the $9.5 million project next spring. Of the new arena, Mike Roy, vice president for finance and administration, said, “It will offer individual seating … Read more
The WCHA announced Wednesday that the officiating crew of Buzzy Christensen, Jon Campion and Mark Nebel was suspended for one weekend, following a series they refereed in Marquette, Mich. The crew officiated both games of the Nov. 22-23 weekend between the Northern Michigan Wildcats and the Minnesota Golden Gophers, which the two teams split; Minnesota … Read more
The CCHA unanimously accepted Northern Michigan University’s application to return to the conference Monday. The Wildcats entered the CCHA in 1976-77, before leaving for the WCHA. “We are very pleased to be accepted back in the CCHA for the fall of 1997,” said NMU athletic director and head hockey coach Rick Comley. “We [our administration … Read more