Merrimack coach Chris Serino has been diagnosed with a malignant tumor in his neck. According to stories by Kevin Conway and Bill Burt in the Lawrence (Mass.) Eagle-Tribune, the decision as to whether chemotherapy or radiation treatments are needed is pending. The impact on Serino’s ability to coach full-time will depend on the treatment, but maintaining his usual schedule remains a possibility.
The coach, renown for his one-liners, informed his team by saying, “I have some bad news and good news. The bad news is I have cancer in my throat. The good news is I can’t yell at you anymore.”
Serino becomes the second active Hockey East coach afflicted with the disease. Maine coach Shawn Walsh has battled kidney cancer since being diagnosed last summer.
Serino is 36-63-11 in his first three seasons with Merrimack, his first college head coaching job. He came to the Warriors after two different stints as assistant coach at New Hampshire.
A 1971 graduate of American International, Serino joined UNH in 1991 after three seasons as head coach at the Northfield Mount Hermon School in western Mass., where his teams compiled a record of 47-21-3. From 1980-87, he was head coach at Saugus High School, and in 1986-87 he was named Eastern Massachusetts Coach of the Year. He posted a career record of 100-23-14 at Saugus, winning three conference titles.
Serino, 52, and his wife, Robin, have five sons, ranging in age from 10-22.
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