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

Huntsville Rounds Out Staff by Hiring Morgan

Alabama-Huntsville has hired Gavin Morgan as an assistant coach, rounding out incoming head coach Chris Luongo’s staff. Morgan, a former Denver forward, played 11 years in the pros before turning to coaching with the Chargers. “As a player, Gavin has achieved success through hard work and determination,” Luongo said in a statement. “His relentless work … Read more

Robert Morris, RIT Get Winter Classic Tuneup Spot

Robert Morris and RIT will play an Atlantic Hockey game at the new Consol Energy Center in Pittsburgh as part of the lead-up to the 2011 Winter Classic. The Colonials and the Tigers will play at 3 p.m. Eastern on Dec. 30, the first game in a doubleheader that also features an AHL game between … Read more

St. Cloud State Assistant Rud Heads to USHL

Assistant coach Eric Rud is leaving St. Cloud State to become the head coach and general manager of the USHL’s Green Bay Gamblers. Rud spent the last five years at St. Cloud State following one season at Colorado College, his alma mater. He was an assistant coach with the USHL’s Cedar Rapids Roughriders from 2002 … Read more

Alabama-Huntsville Adds Warde as Assistant Coach

Alabama-Huntsville has named former Iona and Army assistant coach Mike Warde as an assistant under new head coach Chris Luongo. Warde returns to coaching after several years in the health care sales industry. “I am very excited to have Mike Warde join our hockey team,” Luongo said in a statement. “He brings a wealth of … Read more

CCHA Will Continue Shootouts, Three-Point System

CCHA members have voted to continue using both the shootout to complete tie games for league standings purposes and the three-point-per-game system that goes with it. The CCHA Council made those decisions this week at a meeting in Dearborn, Mich. The league became the first in men’s college hockey to adopt the shootout when it … Read more

Robert Morris Women Add Bittle to Staff

Robert Morris has hired former Colonials men’s player Logan Bittle as an assistant coach with the school’s women’s team. After four years at Robert Morris from 2004 to 2008, Bittle played professionally in the ECHL and EPHL. “I am very excited to have Logan joining our program,” Robert Morris coach Nate Handrahan said in a … Read more

Providence’s Army Coaches U.S. to Second at Ivan Hlinka Tournament

The U.S. Under-18 Select Team coached by Providence coach Tim Army finished second at the Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament, falling 1-0 to Canada on Saturday in the championship game in Piestany, Slovakia. “Our guys gave it everything they had today,” Army said in a statement. “We couldn’t have asked for anything more from these players, … Read more

Setback for Yale’s Schwartz in Battle With Leukemia

Tests have indicated that Yale’s Mandi Schwartz is no longer in remission in her battle with acute myeloid leukemia, a development that has postponed her stem cell transplant. Schwartz needs to be in remission to have the transplant, so she will undergo more chemotherapy. Her doctors at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Care Center in Seattle have … Read more

Michigan Tech Sets Off on European Trip

Michigan Tech will play five games against professional teams from Germany and Austria as part of a 10-day European tour that started Wednesday. NCAA rules allow a team to take one foreign trip every four years. Only current, eligible players may go along; incoming freshmen are not eligible. “This trip will not only be a … Read more

Tinordi Backs Out on Notre Dame, Goes to OHL

A top incoming freshman has changed course, backing out of his commitment to Notre Dame to play major junior. Defenseman Jarred Tinordi has signed with the OHL’s London Knights, that team announced Wednesday. Tinordi, who made a huge jump in the rankings to go to Montreal at No. 22 in this year’s NHL entry draft, … Read more

D’Amigo Signs With Toronto, Leaves Rensselaer After Strong Freshman Season

ECAC rookie of the year Jerry D’Amigo is leaving Rensselaer after one season. The forward has agreed to terms on a three-year, entry-level contract with the NHL’s Toronto Maple Leafs, the team announced Wednesday. Related link: Early departures in 2010 offseason D’Amigo had 34 points (10 goals, 24 assists) in 35 games for Rensselaer last … Read more

Athletic Director James Leaving Maine

Athletic director Blake James is leaving Maine to join the athletic department staff at Miami (Fla.). James, who has served as the Maine AD since July 2005, will be the senior associate athletic director for external affairs at Miami. He joined Maine’s athletic department in 2003 as a senior associate athletic director, then became the … Read more

Duluth Equipment Manager Recovering After Bone Marrow Transplant

Chris Garner, the equipment manager for the Minnesota-Duluth men’s team, is recovering after a bone marrow transplant last week in his battle against myelodysplatic syndromes. Myelodysplastic syndromes, formerly known as preleukemia, describes a group of cancers of the blood and marrow. Garner had the transplant on Aug. 4 at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. … Read more

Former Duluth, Michigan Tech Coach Sertich Joins St. Scholastica

Former Minnesota-Duluth and Michigan Tech coach Mike Sertich has joined the St. Scholastica staff as an assistant coach. Sertich led Minnesota-Duluth for 18 seasons and Michigan Tech for three. Related link: Mike Sertich’s coaching history He has a 375-397-53 record as a head coach. Under Saints head coach Mark Wick, Sertich will work with the … Read more

Alaska-Anchorage Hires McKelvie as Assistant

Ryan McKelvie is joining Alaska-Anchorage’s coaching staff. McKelvie, a former Minnesota State player, has been named an assistant coach, replacing Regg Simon, who became the head coach and general manager with Des Moines of the USHL. From the archives: Ryan McKelvie’s Minnesota State statistics He was the associate head coach of the Wenatchee Wild of … Read more