Schools with Native American mascots or nicknames may again find themselves in the NCAA’s crosshairs in the coming months, with possible consequences ranging from the loss of bids to host NCAA championships to an outright ban on such nicknames and mascots. The issue has been a hot-button matter for the NCAA for some time, including … Read more
When Mike Eaves was hired to coach his alma mater in 2002, two questions were raised. Could Eaves take Wisconsin back into national contention, and if so, would he stick around? The first question was answered in the affirmative when Eaves led the Badgers into the NCAA tournament each of the last two seasons. Now, … Read more
Eight current U.S. collegians and seven U.S. college alumni were among the 27 women selected by Hockey Canada for centralization in preparation for the 2006 Olympics. Six of the eight current collegians are underclassmen who will have to postpone their NCAA eligibility in their bid to make the Canadian Olympic team. The six are Ohio … Read more
Jeff Jackson, who led Lake Superior State to NCAA hockey championships in 1992 and 1994, has been named the new head coach at Notre Dame. Jackson spent nine years away from the college game since leaving LSSU after the 1996 season. In the last few years, Jackson’s name has been mentioned for just about every … Read more
Chris [nl]Brown, who served as an assistant coach for the Augsburg College men’s hockey team in the 1996-97 season, will return to Augsburg as men’s athletic equipment supervisor and men’s hockey assistant coach. Brown was head coach at Marian College for four seasons, 2000-2004, compiling a 65-36-7 record, and was head coach for the Hamline … Read more
Doug Palazzari, who has spent the last six years as executive director of USA Hockey, has resigned his position, effective immediately. “Under Doug’s leadership over the past several years, the national office has been successfully re-organized, the United States has been highly competitive in international play and financially, we are looked to with envy by … Read more
Mercyhurst College has announced contract extensions for men’s hockey coach Rick Gotkin and women’s hockey coach Mike Sisti. Both coaches’ contracts will extend through the 2008-09 season. Gotkin led the Lakers to their third conference championship this past season and first since the formation of Atlantic Hockey. The championship earned the Lakers their third berth … Read more
Less than a month after watching his conference become the first to place four teams in the Frozen Four, Bruce McLeod got a three-year extension to his contract as WCHA commissioner. McLeod, who has served in that position since 1994, now has a contract that runs through the 2008-09 season, the league announced. Terms were … Read more
In an effort to attract one or more new teams to its league, College Hockey America has passed a five-piece incentive package. The CHA will dip below six teams in 2006-07, when Air Force leaves to join Atlantic Hockey. Six is the minimum number of teams mandated by the NCAA in order to receive an … Read more
Hamline University has tapped Minnesota standout Scott Bell as its next head men’s hockey coach. Bell replaces Chris Brown, who stepped down earlier this month after coaching the Pipers for one season. Bell served as an assistant coach at St. Thomas from 2003-04, where the team won the MIAC playoff championship, and coached high school … Read more
Chris Serino made it official today, resigning from his position as head coach and athletic director at Merrimack. He will accept the same positions at Malden (Mass.) Catholic High School. Serino There were reports earlier in the month that Serino was asked to step down by unanimous request of his players, after a season filled … Read more
The U.S. National Under-18 Team topped Canada, 5-1, to win the gold medal at the 2005 International Ice Hockey Federation World Under-18 Championship in front of 4,169 fans at the Plzen Arena tonight. Jeff Frazee made 48 saves in net for Team USA, while Phil Kessel recorded four points (2-2) to lead the United States … Read more
Notre Dame coach Dave Poulin is stepping down after 10 seasons to take a position in athletic administration at the University. Poulin will become a special assistant to the senior associate athletic director for athletic development. Poulin Poulin, who jumped straight from the NHL to college head coaching, informed his team this morning of the … Read more
Canisius has found its man, and to many it comes as a bit of a surprise. Dave Smith, who was an associate head coach this past season at Mercyhurst College, leading the Lakers to this year’s NCAA tournament, has been hired by the Griffs it was announced at a news conference Friday. Smith replaces Brian … Read more
The NCAA Division I Men’s Ice Hockey Committee has named six finalists to host the Men’s Frozen Four from 2009-2011. They are: Boston – TD Bank North Garden (host: Hockey East/Boston University) Detroit – Ford Field (CCHA) (2010-2011 only) Philadelphia, Pa. – Wachovia Center (MAAC/Canisius/Niagara) St. Paul, Minn. – Xcel Energy Center (University of Minnesota) … Read more
For his efforts in leading Denver to back-to-back NCAA Division I titles, George Gwozdecky has been chosen winner of the 2005 Spencer Penrose Award as Division I Men’s Coach of the Year. The Pioneers went 32-9-2, finishing with a 4-1 win over North Dakota in the NCAA championship game. It is the second such honor … Read more
Northeastern has named Greg Cronin — former assistant coach at Maine and Colorado College and most recently the head coach of Bridgeport in the American Hockey League — the ninth head coach in the program’s history. Cronin will step down from his position in Bridgeport immediately. “A couple of things jumped at us,” said Northeastern … Read more
Atlantic Hockey will expand to 10 members beginning in the 2006-07 season when it will add Air Force, commissioner Bob DeGregorio announced at a news conference on the Air Force campus today. The league formerly had announced it will add RIT in the same season, which takes the total from the current eight members to … Read more
Atlantic Hockey is expected to announce Tuesday that Air Force will join the conference for the 2006-07 season. A press conference with both AHA and Air Force athletic department officials has been scheduled at the Air Force campus at 2 p.m. MT to make what the league calls “a major announcement.” Sources at Atlantic Hockey … Read more
For the first time ever, the U.S. is the World Champion of women’s hockey by virtue of a 3-1 shootout victory over Canada after 80 minutes of scoreless hockey. Recent Harvard graduate Angela Ruggiero ’04 and Minnesota junior Krissy Wendell, the past two Patty Kazmaier winners, scored the two decisive shootout goals for the U.S. … Read more