Tim Ceglarski has been named to replace Glenn Thomaris as head coach at Elmira.
“I am very excited to take over a program so steeped in tradition,” said Ceglarski, a four-year assistant at Elmira. “It is an honor to be the successor of all the great coaches who have preceded me, especially coach Thomaris.”
Thomaris announced his resignation jointly with the college earlier this month after 14 years as head coach.
Soaring Eagle co-captains Steve Kaye and Eddie Caissie were part of a six-member search committee that named just the fourth head coach in the program’s 26-year history.
“We wanted a coach who knew the team,” said Kaye. “Coach Ceglarski is responsible for all of us being here. He knows us on and off the ice. This is a benefit we would not have found from an outside coach.”
Caissie added, “Coach Ceglarski is also responsible for recruiting all of the incoming players. These recruits will be crucial to our success next year.”
Pat Thompson, vice president of health services and athletics at Elmira, said that Ceglarski’s familiarity with the incoming class, “combined with his knowledge of the program and the College and his strong work ethic, provides for a smooth transition.”
Ceglarski will continue to be the program’s main recruiter, even after an assistant is named, at least for this coming season.
No candidates other than Ceglarski were considered for the position.
Ceglarski is a 1987 graduate of Boston College, where he played for his legendary father, Len, on three Hockey East championship teams and in three NCAA tournaments. Following his college career, he was an assistant coach for two years at Dartmouth, and, in 1990, joined his father at his alma mater as an assistant for two seasons.
In 1992, Ceglarski started the Rhode Island Sharks of the the Eastern Junior Hockey League, and served as that league’s president for two years. In five years as coach of the Sharks, Ceglarski helped place 72 of his players with college programs, including five at Elmira.
Ceglarski takes the helm as Elmira has improvements under way to its hockey facilities. This week, construction started on a million-dollar upgrade to the Murray Athletic Center, the team’s off-campus arena, located a few miles north of the college’s city campus.
Renovations include new team locker rooms and offices for both the men’s team and the new women’s program. A new training facility and four new locker rooms to be used by visiting teams are also in the works.
Last year, the Elmira hockey program opted to remain in its current facilities at the Murray instead of moving to a new arena in downtown Elmira closer to campus. The downtown rink is home to the UHL Elmira Jackals.
Ceglarski starts his new position July 1.
ECAC West correspondent Scott Biggar contributed to this report.
