Potsdam hockey coach Glenn Thomaris announced today that he will step down as the Bears’ head coach at the close of the current season. Thomaris has coached at Potsdam for the past five seasons following a 14-year stint as head coach of the Elmira Soaring Eagles.
“At this time I would like to thank Athletic Director Jim Zalacca for giving me an opportunity to coach college hockey at SUNY Potsdam again,” said Thomaris. “His flexibility in allowing me to coach and spend time with my family in Elmira has been very much appreciated. I’ve decided however, that it is time to be with them full-time and let someone else take charge of the Bears. It has always been my intent to leave this program in better shape than when I arrived, and you will see that this goal has been met.
Thomaris picked up his 300th win in Dec. 2004 as the Bears defeated conference rival Brockport. His career record now stands at 319-182-25 after guiding the Bears to a SUNYAC tournament berth during each of the past four seasons.
In accepting Thomaris’ resignation, Zalacca said, “I’m extremely appreciative of Glenn’s work as our hockey coach. He has guided our team well over the course of his tenure here, developing not only excellent team play but individual performance as well. His teams were always in the play-off hunt, and our skaters received individual, conference and national accolades.”
A Potsdam native, Thomaris played varsity hockey for the Clarkson Golden Knights. Following his 1977 graduation, he began his college-coaching career as an assistant hockey coach at Potsdam. After three years at Potsdam, Thomaris coached two years at the Northwood School in Lake Placid then returned for four years as an assistant coach at Clarkson
In 1987, Elmira College provided Thomaris his first college head coaching position. While at Elmira, Thomaris was twice selected as the National Coach of the Year as his Soaring Eagles won five ECAC West Championships and made seven NCAA post-season appearances. He coached 13 All-Americans at Elmira and was twice named the ECAC West Coach of the Year.
A national search for Potsdam’s next head coach is expected to begin immediately with the new coach on-board well before the start of the 2007-08 season.
