University of New England head women’s hockey coach David Venditti has stepped down from the position for “personal reasons,” according to a news release.
A national search for the Nor’easters’ next women’s hockey coach began in late June.
“David essentially built our women’s ice hockey program from scratch into a championship-caliber contender,” said UNE director of athletics Heather Davis. “I am so grateful for his commitment to UNE hockey over the past decade and wish him well in his future endeavors. This team has been and remains filled with excellent representatives of the Division III philosophy and of UNE and are well poised for future success.”
Venditti took over a one-year-old varsity program in the fall of 2013 and led UNE for the last 10 seasons. Aside from his first season, when the team was still independent of any conference, the Nor’easters made postseason appearances each time there was an opportunity. The first of four semifinal trips came in 2015-16 during the inaugural year of the NEHC, and Venditti was named NEHC coach of the year after guiding UNE to a 15-9-2 overall record.
The Nor’easters went 16-9-2 in 2019-20 (program-best .629 winning percentage), claimed the second seed with a 10-4-2 mark in CHC action, and reached a championship final for the first time. Following the pandemic year of just three games, UNE once again made an appearance in a league title match in 2021-22, this time as the fourth seed during the inaugural CCC season.
Prior to UNE, Venditti coached at Colby (2004-13) and Southern Maine (2000-04).
