June 21-22 NASHVILLE — The following college players or recruits were chosen in the National Hockey League’s 2003 entry draft: (I) = Incoming Recruit Round One Pick NHL Team Name, Pos School (Conference) 5 Buffalo Sabres Thomas Vanek, LW Minnesota (WCHA) 7 Nashville Predators Ryan Suter, D (I) Wisconsin (WCHA) 12 New York Rangers Hugh … Read more
Skidmore has decided to eliminate men’s ice hockey following this season after a two-year, comprehensive study of its offerings in sports and recreation. It is the fourth school in six months to announce the dropping of men’s hockey. “Athletics in the broadest sense is a core aspect of a liberal arts education,” said Skidmore President … Read more
Colgate head coach Don Vaughan will serve as the school’s interim athletic director for the 2003-04 school year, while associate head coach Stan Moore will take the reins of the men’s hockey program as interim head coach. The announcement was made by Jack Dovidio, the school’s Dean of Faculty and Provost. In a related decision, … Read more
Michigan, the reigning conference tournament champion, was tabbed as the preseason league favorite in both polls at the CCHA’s 2003-04 Media Day.
Eddie Caron, who transferred from New Hampshire to Yale and then back to New Hampshire, has been cleared by the NCAA to play immediately. Caron played for New Hampshire as a freshman in 2001-02, then left for Yale where NCAA transfer rules required him to sit out a year before becoming eligible to play for … Read more
Massachusetts athletic director Ian McCaw has accepted the same position at Baylor. McCaw was AD at two Hockey East schools and assistant SID at a third. McCaw, the outgoing chair of the NCAA Men’s Division I Ice Hockey Committee, also served as athletic director at Northeastern prior to joining UMass in the summer of 2002. … Read more
Athletic directors from seven of the eight schools affected by the Division III proposal to eliminate athletic scholarships for members playing a Division I sport, met to plan their opposition to the proposal on the campus of Rensselaer. Those attending were Sean Frazier (Clarkson), Joel Nielsen (Colorado College), Betty Powell (Hartwick), Tom Calder (Johns Hopkins), … Read more
Ian McCaw, outgoing chair of the Division I Men’s Ice Hockey Committee and athletic director at Massachusetts, has accepted the job as athletic director at scandal-riddled Baylor. Baylor’s athletic program has been under increased scrutiny since the death of death of basketball player Patrick Dennehy, and revelations into potential major NCAA violations and even possible … Read more
Pat Ford was named as only the second head coach ever at Findlay, less than a week after Craig Barnett stepped down to become assistant athletic director and head coach at [nl]Lake Forest Academy. Ford Ford takes over after serving one season under Barnett as associate head coach. Barnett had recommended him for the job. … Read more
Dominic Smart, the team’s top goaltender as a freshman, has left Massachusetts-Lowell and will not return for his sophomore season. No reason was given for his departure, and there is no word on his hockey-playing future. The 6-foot, 188-pound Smart, from Millersville, Md., was 6-12-5 for the RiverHawks last season in 26 games. He had … Read more
Craig Barnett was the only coach Findlay ever knew. His departure opens the door for Pat Ford.
Former Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts men’s coach Kevin McGonagle has been named interim women’s coach at Bowdoin. Head coach Michele Amidon has received a one-year leave of absence for personal reasons. Also, athletics director Jeff Ward said men’s ice hockey coach Terry Meagher has been named the school’s director of hockey. McGonagle is a … Read more
Travis Weber, the Frozen Four all-tournament goaltender last season, is leaving Minnesota for personal reasons, taking another chip off the Gophers’ back-to-back national championship teams. Weber, who stopped 57 of 60 shots in last year’s Frozen Four as a sophomore, made no indication as to the precise reason why he was leaving in a statement … Read more
Robert Morris University has officially announced its intention to add men’s ice hockey in 2004-05, and named its first head coach, current Air Force assistant Derek Schooley. It has been assumed Robert Morris will look for acceptance into Atlantic Hockey beginning in 2004-05. The conference, however, has yet to officially deliberate about expansion. Last year, … Read more
In the latest of the growing list of college hockey defections to major junior, Michigan sophomore-to-be Danny Richmond, the 31st overally selection in last June’s NHL Draft, has left the Wolverines and will play for the OHL’s London Knights this fall. (List of Player and Coaching Moves) richmond The 6-foot-1, 185-pound defenseman was named to … Read more
Clarkson president Tony Collins became the latest school president to weigh in on the pending Division III NCAA legislation that would force “play-up” schools to stop awarding athletic scholarships. The four Division I hockey schools affected — St. Lawrence, Colorado College, Clarkson and Rensselaer — have all vowed to fight the legislation, which is due … Read more
Two stars of the CCHA have decided to forgoe their remaining years of eligibility to sign contracts with NHL teams. Nebraska-Omaha goaltender Dan Ellis has decided to forego his senior year of eligibility with the Mavericks to sign a professional contract with the Dallas Stars while Ohio State forward Ryan Kesler has decided to forgoe … Read more
The 2003 United States Under-18 Select Team claimed its first-ever championship at the Under-18 Junior World Cup, defeating Russia 3-2 in the gold medal game. Forward Eric Lampe of Madison, Wis., scored two goals, including the game winner, as Team USA completed the tournament with a perfect 5-0 record. Russia began the scoring in the … Read more
A service for Herb Brooks, the legendary coach at Minnesota, the U.S. Olympic team and the NHL, who died Monday in an auto accident, will be held Saturday at 10 a.m. CT at the Cathedral of St. Paul, Minn. In advance of that service, a wake will be held Friday from 3-8 p.m. CT, and … Read more
Rensselaer president Dr. Shirley Ann Jackson released the strongest statement yet in response to pending legislation that would eliminate the ability of Division III institution from awarding athletic scholarships in Division I sports. “If it is approved, this proposal could place Rensselaer’s well-respected hockey tradition in jeopardy, and hamper the ability of ice hockey players … Read more