Sacred Heart has announced the hiring of Steve Bergin as a new assistant coach.
Bergin comes to SHU after playing and coaching professionally.
“We are thrilled to be adding Steve to our coaching staff,” said Sacred Heart head coach C.J. Marottolo in a statement. “He has rapidly climbed the ladder and is highly respected in both the college and professional coaching circles.
“Steve’s experience will definitely impact our team on every level as we strive to win an Atlantic Hockey championship. Our student-athletes all have dreams of playing professionally, and to have Steve be part of our staff will be a tremendous resource for athletes who want to embark on pro careers. He has a terrific work ethic, communication skills and knowledge of the game, and he knows what it takes to be successful.”
Bergin’s responsibilities will include recruiting, working with the team’s defensemen, running the penalty kill, assisting in practice and game planning and quarterbacking all video operations.
“I am beyond excited to join the SHU family and be a part of the coaching staff,” Bergin said. “They have done a great job building a strong program. In talking with C.J. throughout this process, it was evident early on that we share a lot of the same core values and have a lot of similar philosophies when it comes to coaching.”
Bergin previously coached the ECHL’s South Carolina Stingrays and was the ECHL Coach of the Year for the 2019-20 season.
A 32-year-old native of Groton, Mass., Bergin played for Connecticut from 2007 to 2011, collecting six goals and 22 points over 131 games and serving as team captain his senior year. He went on to play five years for the SPHL’s Pensacola Ice Flyers.
“I’m especially looking forward to meeting and working with the players,” Bergin said. “A big reason that I wanted to coach a college team was that I could have more of an impact at this level. Being able to develop a student-athlete as a person and a player for four years really appeals to me.
“I’m looking forward to getting started.”
