The University of Maine released a statement Friday announcing that head men’s hockey coach Dennis “Red” Gendron experienced a medical condition Friday afternoon and has died. He was 63.
Bangor, Maine, television station WABI-TV reported that Gendron passed away while on the golf course.
“We are shocked and deeply saddened by Red’s sudden death,” says Maine president Joan Ferrini-Mundy. “He was a force in UMaine Athletics and in the legacy of our men’s ice hockey program. We mourn his passing and remember his many contributions to the generations of players he mentored and to the program that lit up Black Bear Nation and the state of Maine. Our thoughts are with his wife Janet, daughters Katelyn and Allison, his coaching staff and players. They have our support and respect for their privacy during this difficult time.”
“Words cannot express our deep sadness from the tragic, sudden loss of Red Gendron,” says Maine director of athletics Ken Ralph. “Our community and the entire UMaine Athletics family mourn the loss of Coach Gendron and we ask you all to keep him, his family, his friends, and our hockey staff and student-athletes in your thoughts through this agonizing time.”
“College hockey lost an absolute giant in the game today,” said Hockey East commissioner Steve Metcalf. “Red was a coach, mentor, colleague and friend to so many. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and his team.”
In eight seasons as Black Bears head coach, Gendron compiled a 103-137-32 record. Gendron succeeded Tim Whitehead as head coach in 2013.
Before being named the head coach of the Black Bears, Gendron was associate head coach at Yale, which won the 2013 NCAA Division I National Championship. Prior to Gendron’s two seasons at Yale, from 2005-11, he was an assistant coach at Massachusetts.
