Freshman center Jenny Schmidgall, who led Minnesota in scoring during the 1998-99 season, and sophomore defender Brittny Ralph, have left the Gophers with the intention of transferring, the school announced Friday. Both players have been granted full releases, including waivers of the NCAA’s one-year residency requirement. “It’s unfortunate that Jenny and Brittny have chosen to … Read more
At its annual meetings in Florida on Thursday, the WCHA gave final approval, via a unanimous vote, to the new WCHA women’s league. “This is indeed a significant development for the WCHA,” said association chair Darrell Smith. “We are all looking forward to playing a major role in the continuing evolution and development of women’s … Read more
Notre Dame has signed four players, including three members of the national junior development program, to national letters of intent during the spring signing period. The signees include forwards Connor Dunlop (St. Louis, Mo.) and John Wroblewski (Neenah, Wis.), defenseman Paul Harris (Ridgefield, Conn.) and goaltender Tony Zasowski (Darien, Ill.). Zasowski is wrapping up a … Read more
Tim Coghlin, head coach at Division III St. Norbert and the top candidate for Alaska-Fairbanks’ vacant head coaching position, turned down the university’s job offer Monday, the Fairbanks Daily Miner reported. A perceived lack of institutional commitment to the hockey program was crucial in Coghlin’s decision, he said. “I needed to see some more institutional … Read more
As expected, Colorado College named former assistant Scott Owens as the Tigers’ new head coach Saturday. Owens succeeds Don Lucia, who left to take the top job at Minnesota. Owens, 43, was associate head coach under Lucia from 1993-95, and most recently served as head coach and general manager of the United States Hockey League’s … Read more
Former Colorado College assistant Scott Owens appears to be the frontrunner for the Tigers’ vacant head coaching position, the Colorado Springs Gazette reported earlier this week. Officially, the university is looking at two candidates — Owens and New Hampshire head coach Dick Umile — but sources say that Owens, currently head coach and general manager … Read more
Dick Umile, who led New Hampshire to the Hockey East regular-season championship and its first-ever appearance in the NCAA national title game, is the recipient of the 1999 Spencer Penrose Award, given by the American Hockey Coaches Association to the men’s Division I coach of the year. Umile’s Wildcats went 31-7-3 on the season, setting … Read more
Norwich forward Keith Aucoin has been selected as U.S. College Hockey Online’s Division III Player of the Year for the 1998-99 season. The sophomore from Chelmsford, Mass., scored 33 goals and 39 assists to lead the Cadets, a total which included an amazing seven shorthanded goals, tops in college hockey. The runner-up for the award … Read more
Bill Wilkinson, who coached Western Michigan for nearly 17 years before being relieved of his duties midseason, will be behind the bench for Wayne State’s newly-reconstituted hockey program, the school announced. “This is a great opportunity for me and I’m excited to be part of this new program,” said Wilkinson. During his tenure at WMU, … Read more
Don Lucia, one of the leading candidates for Minnesota’s vacant coaching position since former coach Doug Woog’s resignation last week, was named the Gophers’ 13th head coach at a press conference Friday at Mariucci Arena. This is Lucia’s third head coaching position. He spent six years at Alaska-Fairbanks, where he led his team to four … Read more
Ohio State goaltender Jeff Maund announced Friday that he has signed with the NHL’s Chicago Blackhawks, forgoing his final two years of eligibility. The two-year deal struck Thursday — Maund’s 23rd birthday — includes a $700,000 signing bonus and a guaranteed $75,000 for minor-league play. “There’s an education clause so that I can finish my … Read more
Dean Blais has accepted a five-year contract to continue at North Dakota, the university announced Wednesday. The contract, part of which will be paid through private donations made to the UND Foundation, includes $115,000 each year, use of a car, a membership in the Grand Forks Country Club, and a deferred $500,000 annuity. “We have … Read more
New Hampshire head coach Dick Umile was named Tuesday as the 1999 All-New England Division I Coach of the Year, in balloting conducted by the New England Hockey Writers Association. Umile coached the Wildcats to their first-ever appearance in the NCAA championship game as well as the Hockey East regular-season title and a school-record 31 … Read more
Clarkson defenseman Willie Mitchell, the 1997-98 ECAC co-Rookie of the Year and a 1998-99 All-America, has opted to give up his remaining two years of collegiate eligibility, signing with the National Hockey League’s New Jersey Devils. After a rookie season in which he compiled nine goals and 26 points, the 6-foot-3, 215-pounder — an eighth-round … Read more
Following weeks of speculation about his job security after two consecutive sub-.500 seasons, Doug Woog stepped down Tuesday as head coach at Minnesota. “This is an end, and yet a beginning,” said an emotional Woog at an afternoon press conference at Mariucci Arena in Minneapolis. “It’s important for people to know it was a volunteer … Read more
Alaska-Anchorage goaltender Gregg Naumenko will renounce his remaining three years of collegiate eligibility to sign a two-year guaranteed contract with the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, the Los Angeles Times and the Anchorage Daily News reported Wednesday. Naumenko, the 1999 WCHA Rookie of the Year, led the conference in both goals-against average and save percentage, setting … Read more
Fourteen different Division I schools are represented, including all four Frozen Four participants, on the 1999 Titan University Division All-American teams, as announced today by The American Hockey Coaches Association. Nine All-Americans are playing this weekend: Brian Gionta and Mike Mottau of Boston College; Steve Kariya and David Cullen of Maine; New Hampshire’s Jason Krog … Read more
At a news conference held today here, award foundation officials announced the 10 finalists for the 1999 Hobey Baker Memorial Award, presented annually to college hockey’s most outstanding player. The finalists were determined by a vote of head hockey coaches from all Division I NCAA schools, and are listed below in alphabetical order: Name Yr … Read more
Eric Hoffberg, the winningest coach in RIT history, resigned today to pursue a position at the Division I or professional level. Hoffberg was 188-82-22 in his ten-year career at RIT, including 47-7-7 the last two seasons. The Tigers made the Division III NCAA Tournament five times during his tenure, including a fourth-place finish this season. … Read more
The NCAA Wednesday placed the University of Wisconsin’s athletic programs on two years’ probation, mostly for violations in the use of booster club money by various staff members. According to the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, 77 UW staffers received reimbursements from booster club accounts without proper authorization from the chancellor’s office. The payments themselves were for legitimate … Read more