RIT Heads Atlantic Hockey Coaches Poll

Defending champion and national semifinalist Rochester Institute of Technology has been picked to repeat as champions in the Atlantic Hockey coaches poll, announced Tuesday at the league’s media day, held at Blue Cross Arena, site of the 2011 league championships. Mercyhurst, which finished fourth last season, was picked to finish second and Air Force third. … Read more

Media, Coaches See Yale as Tops in ECAC Hockey

Two-time defending ECAC Hockey champion Yale is the pick of both league coaches and media to finish atop the standings in 2010-11. The Bulldogs got 11 of the 12 first-place votes from coaches and 25 of the 30 votes in the media poll, conducted through the ECAC Hockey Writers and Broadcasters Association. Cornell, Union and … Read more

Mercyhurst the Favorite in 2010-11 CHA Women’s Race

Mercyhurst is the choice of CHA women’s coaches to win the league’s regular-season title in 2010-11. The Lakers, national semifinalists last season, took four of five first-place votes in the balloting. Syracuse got the lone remaining first-place vote to finish second, followed by Niagara, Robert Morris and Wayne State. The full results follow: Team (first-place … Read more

Boston University Women Picked to Repeat in Hockey East

Defending champion Boston University is the favorite for the 2010-11 Hockey East women’s regular-season title, according to league coaches. The Terriers received six of the eight first-place votes in the preseason balloting, with second-place Boston College taking the other two. Providence, New Hampshire, Northeastern, Connecticut, Vermont and Maine were picked to finish third through eighth, … Read more

Battista Named to Key Role in Penn State Programs

Penn State is putting many of the key components of its transition to Division I status into the hands of a familiar face around hockey in the area. Joe Battista, the longtime men’s club coach and school employee, will be the associate athletic director for ice arena operations and the director of the Ice Arena … Read more

Wednesday Transplant Scheduled for Yale’s Schwartz

Doctors have set Wednesday as the day for a stem-cell transplant for Yale center Mandi Schwartz. That news came in an update on the Yale page dedicated to Schwartz’s battle with acute myeloid lymphoma. Schwartz had been scheduled for the transplant earlier, but that had to be postponed because she was no longer in remission. … Read more

Penn State Makes it Official: Varsity Programs on the Way

Penn State will start men’s and women’s varsity hockey programs and build an on-campus arena behind what the school’s president called an “unprecedented act of philanthropy.” An $88 million gift from alumnus Terry Pegula and his wife Kim is launching the men’s program and the project to build an arena with a capacity of around … Read more

Coaches Pick Cornell Women to Repeat in ECAC Hockey

Cornell is the heavy favorite to repeat its ECAC Hockey women’s regular-season title from a year ago. The Big Red gained 11 of 12 first-place votes in the league’s preseason coaches poll. Clarkson, which lost an overtime game to Cornell in the ECAC tournament championship game last season, got the one remaining first-place vote and … Read more

College Hockey Inc. Plans Summit in Toronto

College Hockey Inc. is dipping its toes into Canadian waters. The informational and marketing arm of college hockey is holding an invitation-only collegiate hockey summit for 1994- and 1995-born players in Toronto on Saturday. Paul Kelly, the executive director of College Hockey Inc., said it’s the first such event the organization has staged in Canada. … Read more

Mercyhurst Women’s Assistant Critically Injured in Crash

Kristen Cameron, an assistant coach at Mercyhurst, was listed in critical condition Monday after she was hit by a car while riding her bicycle on Sunday, the Erie Times-News reported. Kristen Cameron was an All-American at Bowdoin. Cameron, 25, is in her second season on the Lakers’ coaching staff. According to the newspaper, citing police, … Read more

White House Visit Monday for Boston College

National champion Boston College will visit the White House along with other collegiate champions on Monday. Eagles players and staff members will visit Walter Reed Army Medical Center as part of the daylong visit. They also will participate in an alumni reception near the Capitol. At the White House, President Barack Obama will congratulate the … Read more

DeGregorio Tabbed as CHA Commissioner

Robert M. DeGregorio Jr., already the commissioner for Atlantic Hockey, will add the same duties for the CHA women’s league. Atlantic Hockey commissioner Robert M. DeGregorio is adding the CHA women’s league to his resume (photo: Ed Trefzger). “We want to place the management of our league in the hands of an experienced leader,” Niagara … Read more

St. Cloud State Hires Johnson as Assistant

St. Cloud State has named longtime USHL coach and former North Dakota player Steve Johnson as an assistant coach. Johnson replaces Eric Rud, who left the Huskies to become the head coach with Green Bay of the USHL. He coached Fargo in the USHL last season but is best known for a decade-long run with … Read more

Mercyhurst Tabs Rosso As Assistant Coach

Former Nebraska-Omaha player John Rosso has been named an assistant coach at Mercyhurst. Rosso was an assistant coach with Sioux Falls of the USHL for the last two seasons. He also has been an assistant in the NAHL and the Western Hockey League. “We’re really excited to welcome John Rosso to the Laker family,” Mercyhurst … Read more

Parker, York Named Lester Patrick Trophy Recipients

College hockey coaching institutions Jack Parker of Boston University and Jerry York of Boston College are among the recipients of the Lester Patrick Trophy for outstanding service to American hockey. York and Parker rank first and second, respectively, in college wins among active coaches. They trail only Ron Mason on the all-time coaching wins list. … Read more

Early Departures 2010

NCAA players who have signed professional contracts in the 2010 offseason with eligibility remaining: Player Pos School Year Pro Team 2009-10 stats Jordan Schroeder F Minnesota So. Vancouver 9-19-28 in 37 GP Casey Wellman F Massachusetts So. Minnesota 23-22-45 in 36 GP Matt Irwin D Massachusetts So. Worcester (AHL) 7-17-24 in 36 GP Jake Newton … Read more

Daigneau Named Assistant Coach at Canisius

Former Harvard goaltender John Daigneau has joined the Canisius staff as an assistant coach. Daigneau will work with Canisius’ goaltenders and in recruiting, video operations, academics and community outreach. “We are extremely excited to have John join our staff,” Canisius coach Dave Smith said in a statement. “He comes very highly recommended from his coaches … Read more

Pirri Signs With Chicago, Leaves Rensselaer After One Season

Rensselaer has seen a second player this offseason sign a pro contract after just one season in school. Brandon Pirri’s contract with the Chicago Blackhawks was finalized Tuesday. “It is a terrific opportunity as I continue to work toward my ultimate goal, which is to play in the NHL,” Pirri said in a statement. “Signing … Read more

Former Wayne State Player Frakie Dies

Former Wayne State forward Brandi Frakie has passed away. She was 22. Brandi Frakie played for Wayne State from 2006 to 2009 (photo: Wayne State Athletics). Frakie, who played for the Warriors from 2006 to 2009, died Wednesday, according to an obituary in the Star Tribune of Minneapolis. She had 22 points (11 goals, 11 … Read more