Red Berenson will be honored for his 33 seasons of coaching Michigan hockey when Red Berenson Rink will be officially dedicated in his honor on Friday, Jan. 5 at Yost Ice Arena.
Michigan will be hosting Notre Dame in a Big Ten contest with puck drop scheduled for 6:30 p.m. EST.
“Red Berenson is a legend in the sport of ice hockey, a tremendous educator of young men and someone who has made a significant impact at the University of Michigan,” said Michigan director of athletics Warde Manuel in a statement. “He has dedicated much of his adult life to develop hundreds of young men here at Michigan. This is an honor befitting his exceptional commitment to intercollegiate athletics and his championship success in the sport of hockey as both a player and a coach.”
At Michigan, Berenson was a two-time All-American, the 1962 WCHA Most Valuable Player and team captain. Following graduation, his NHL career spanned 17 years and included winning the Stanley Cup as a member of the Montreal Canadiens in 1965 and 1966. He went on to coach in the NHL for three years and was named the Jack Adams Award winner (NHL Coach of the Year) in 1981.
Upon returning to Michigan in 1984 as the head coach, Berenson immediately brought Michigan hockey back to the forefront of the NCAA, guiding the Wolverines to national championships in 1996 and 1998 while winning 21 conference championships.
The fourth all-time winningest NCAA hockey coach (848-426-92, .654), Berenson developed two Hobey Baker Memorial Award winners (Brendan Morrison, 1997; Kevin Porter, 2008), 140 Academic All-Big Ten selections and five Big Ten Distinguished Scholars.
After retiring from coaching following the 2016-17 season, Berenson continues to serve the department as he works to fulfill his goal of endowing all Michigan hockey scholarships. Current financial commitments exceed $20 million.
