Tom Serratore was named as men’s hockey coach at Bemidji State.
Serratore, an associate head coach at Bemidji since 1998, succeeds Bob Peters, who retired at the end of the 2000-01 season following 35 years at the helm of the Beavers.
Serratore is a 1987 graduate of the school and helped the Beavers to the 1986 NCAA Division III Championship. Prior to joining the Bemidji staff in 1998, he served as associate head coach at St. Cloud State, which has earned a bid to each of the last two NCAA Division I tournaments. Serratore recruited many of those players while at St. Cloud.
“I’m excited about the opportunity to coach the Beavers and continue the work of building a Division I program at Bemidji State, and to compete in the College Hockey America conference,” Serratore said in a release issued by the school.
“I hope to continue the tradition of Beaver Hockey that Coach Peters built during his many years at BSU.”
Peters retired as the second-winningest coach in NCAA history with 744 victories, 702 of those at Bemidji.
“Tom will bring continuity to the men’s hockey team and continue our development in Division I hockey,” said Dr. Jim Bensen, BSU president. “He is familiar with the team and the CHA, and knows what is needed to be successful as a head coach.”
Bemidji began transitioning to Division I in 1998 and became an inaugural member of the CHA the following year. The Beavers finished last in the CHA in 2000-01 with a record of 4-12-3, 4-26-4 overall.
