Andy Jones, most recently the associate head coach at UMass Lowell, has been named the head hockey coach at Bentley.
Jones takes over for Ryan Soderquist, who departed in April after 21 seasons with the Falcons.
Jones, a 2000 graduate of Amherst, has spent the last eight years on the River Hawks staff, including the last five as associate head coach. His time at UMass Lowell included three NCAA tournament bids, five Hockey East semifinal appearances, three Hockey East championship games and a championship win over Boston College in 2017.
All told, Jones has more than 20 years of coaching experience at various levels. Eighteen of his former players have gone on to compete in the NHL.
“I am honored and excited to be named the next head coach at Bentley University,” said Jones in a statement. “I believe there is tremendous opportunity here for the ice hockey program to grow into a formidable force in Atlantic Hockey and NCAA Division I. The energy and vision of director of athletics Vaughn Williams and president E. LaBrent Chrite, coupled with the support of the diverse and dynamic Bentley community and the state-of-the-art Bentley Arena, demonstrate a clear commitment to the success of Bentley ice hockey.
“I am deeply appreciative that I have been entrusted with the task of leading the Bentley ice hockey program into its next chapter. I look forward to building a program centered on positivity, intensity and determination that will reflect the high standards of excellence and innovation that represent Bentley University.”
“As we prepare for our 25th season of Division I hockey, we’re looking for our program to move to the next level,” added Williams. “Coach Jones is the right man to help us build a championship program as he brings enthusiasm, energy and experience to Bentley. I can’t wait to see us get started.”
At UMass Lowell, Jones was involved in both player and leadership development. He oversaw the defense and worked with the penalty kill unit. Last winter, the River Hawks were eighth nationally in scoring defense and 11th best in penalty killing percentage.
“UMass Lowell hockey is proud that Andy Jones will be the next head coach of Bentley University,” said River Hawks coach Norm Bazin. “He has worked extremely hard to earn this opportunity and Bentley will be adding a terrific person/coach to their athletic department. He was a valuable part of our staff for eight years and we wish he and his family the best as they start a new chapter in their lives.”
“Playing for Andy Jones is playing with structure and competing. Andy doesn’t care if you have 15 goals or no goals, if you compete and show up every day to work, you put yourself in a situation to be successful,” said Lucas Condotta, UMass Lowell’s 2021-22 captain now with the Montreal Canadiens organization. “Playing for Andy through college, he helped me so much personally. If I wanted to shoot pucks, work on something, do extra video or had any questions, he was always there for me and for his players. I know he’s going to be an amazing head coach, and I can’t wait to see what the future holds.”
Before joining the River Hawks, Jones spent four years as an assistant coach at Clarkson (2011-15) and five seasons as an assistant coach with the USHL’s Sioux Falls Stampede.
The Golden Knights had 21 wins during the 2013-14 season, their most wins in seven years, and the Stampede had a .620 winning percentage during his tenure and brought home the Clark Cup in 2007. Jones also helped create a unique leadership development program that produced college captains at twice the rate of other teams in the USHL.
Jones represented his country in 2009 as an assistant coach on the gold medal-winning team during the World Junior A Challenge in Summerside, Prince Edward Island.
Jones was a two-sport athlete (hockey, baseball) and a hockey team captain at Amherst. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology in 2000 and his MBA from UMass in 2004.
A native of Excelsior, Minn., Jones resides in Nashua, N.H., with his wife Tracy and their daughters Acadia and Maya.
