The 2004 NCAA Division III Women’s Tournament field was announced this evening with no real surprises. Manhattanville (23-2-2), the champions of the ECAC East, was awarded the No. 1 seed and the bye straight into the Frozen Four. Manhattanville’s home facility of Playland Ice Casino did not meet the NCAA criteria for hosting the Frozen … Read more
The NCAA has announced the pairings for the 2004 Division III Men’s Hockey tournament. As correctly predicted by USCHO, the pairings are as follows: First-Round, Wednesday, March 10 #3W St. Thomas at #2W Wisconsin-River Falls Quarterfinals, Saturday, March 13 St. Thomas/Wisconsin-River Falls at #1W St. Norbert #6E Wentworth at #1E Middlebury #5E Hobart at #2E … Read more
The ECAC has reached agreement with regional cable channel CN8 to broadcast its men’s and women’s hockey championships live. For the men’s tournament, CN8 will carry one quarterfinal game on Friday, March 12 at 7:30 p.m. (ET) at a selected campus site and both semifinal games at the Pepsi Arena in Albany, N.Y. on March … Read more
Minnesota coach Don Lucia is expected to return to his team later this week after undergoing surgery to relieve and prevent permanent numbness in his right arm and hand, the school announced Wednesday. Lucia Lucia, who has led the Gophers to two straight national championships, had some of his cervical vertebrae fused Tuesday afternoon at … Read more
After scoring a Division III-leading 48 points during the regular season, Potsdam senior forward Chris Lee, of MacTier, Ont., has been named the 2003-04 SUNYAC Player of the Year, the league announced. The Bears also had the SUNYAC Rookie of the Year. Myles Palliser tallied 40 points in the regular season to lead all freshmen … Read more
Gary Strickler, who has served as Boston University’s Director of Athletics since 1989, has announced his retirement effective July 1, 2004. He will remain at BU for one year beyond that to serve as a consultant for the school’s new athletic director. It was not announced when Strickler’s successor will be named. “I am deeply … Read more
Quinnipiac University is going ahead with a $25 million basketball and hockey facility, according to the Hamden (Ct.) Chronicle. The zoning for the project was approved this month by the planning and zoning commission of Hamden. Among the conditions for approval, the school must ensure it will enhance the proposal for the road system around … Read more
The chairman of the Division III men’s ice hockey committee hopes the tournament will get better exposure when it’s played at a predetermined site in 2006, and the committee is looking for facilities that can seat between 3,000 and 4,000 spectators. “The hope is that by putting it in a larger venue and giving that … Read more
USCHO has released PairWise Rankings for Division III men’s and women’s hockey based on the NCAA’s new selection process for 2003-04. The PairWise Rankings (PWR) are a statistical tool designed to approximate the process by which the NCAA selection committee decides which at-large teams are invited to the NCAA men’s and women’s Division III tournaments. … Read more
Natalie Darwitz, who, it was feared, would miss the remainder of the 2003-04 season due to torn ligaments in her right elbow, has been cleared by Minnesota to play this weekend. The injury was suffered on Jan. 10 at Minnesota-Duluth. At the time, Darwitz, a sophomore forward, led the nation in scoring with 41 points. … Read more
Vermont backup goaltender Matt Hanson is recovering in a Vermont hospital after a scary injury during last Thursday’s practice. Hanson, according to Vermont school doctor Jon Porter, broke the fourth cervical vertebrae in his neck and had surgery Friday night to stabilize it. Hanson appears to have escaped any lasting paralysis. “He is currently in … Read more
Former Wentworth head coach Bill Bowes, who was fired on January 30, has issued a statement regarding his departure from the program. In a letter to USCHO.com, Bowes elected not to discuss at length the reasons for his dismissal, instead emphasizing his support for his players and thanking well-wishers who have supported him. “I want … Read more
Four-time nominee Angela Ruggiero of Harvard, Division I scoring leader Caroline Ouellette of Minnesota-Duluth, and the nation’s leader in save percentage, Northeastern goaltender Chanda Gunn, are among 10 nominees announced Monday for the Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award, given annually to the most outstanding player in women’s college hockey. Three finalists, as well as the recipient, … Read more
New Hampshire goaltender Mike Ayers, winner of last year’s award, and three-time nominee Ben Eaves of Boston College were among 14 semifinalists named Monday for the 52nd Walter [nl]Brown Award, presented annually by the Gridiron Club of Greater Boston to the top American-born player in [nl]New England. Eleven Hockey East players and three from the … Read more
Wentworth has announced that hockey coach Bill Bowes was fired Friday, for undisclosed reasons. In a press release issued Monday, Wentworth noted that assistant coach Jonathan Deptula has been named interim head coach. There was no official reason given for Bowes’ departure. Wentworth sports information director Bill Gorman told USCHO.com that the situation was “an … Read more
Massachusetts-Lowell was dealt a major blow Friday night when it was discovered that sophomore forward Paul Falco, a transfer from Maine, was not eligible to play when he began his tenure on the ice for Lowell about a month ago. As a result, the River Hawks are forced to forfeit nine games, five of which … Read more
Let the trash talking begin. Festivities officially got underway Wednesday afternoon for the 52nd annual Beanpot Hockey Tournament, college hockey’s longest-running and most well-known in-season tournament, with the Beanpot Luncheon held at Legends Restaurant inside the host establishment. Tournament play will begin next Monday night, February 2, with the semifinal round. This year’s edition will … Read more
Robert Morris University has accepted an invitation for its men’s hockey program, which will begin NCAA Division I play in 2004-05, to join College Hockey America. The Colonials will join current CHA members the United States Air Force Academy, University of Alabama-Huntsville, Bemidji State University, Niagara University and Wayne State University, as part of the … Read more
Minnesota captain Grant Potulny is expected to be out until early March after injuring his shoulder during the second period of Saturday’s game against North Dakota. This is the second straight season Potulny will miss significant playing time due to injury. The senior from Grand Forks, N.D., fractured his ankle in the 2002-03 season opener … Read more
Boston College senior forward and captain Ben Eaves is expected to be out four to six weeks with a fractured left kneecap. Ben Eaves will miss four to six weeks with a fractured kneecap. (Photo: Josh Gibney) Eaves suffered the injury in BC’s 4-0 win over Merrimack on Jan. 9. He has not played in … Read more