Oswego has announced that Mark Digby has been named head coach of the women’s hockey team.
Digby was the associate head coach for the team during the 2019-20 season and served as interim head coach the past year, taking over for Diane Dillon in June 2020.
“This is a special day for me and my family,” said Digby in a statement. “I am very appreciative and honored to be named the second head coach in the modern era of Oswego women’s hockey. I love the progress we have made in my two seasons with the program, and I’m excited to see where we can go in the future.”
“Mark has been an integral member of the Oswego community for more than ten years,” added Dr. Mary Toale, Oswego’s acting VP for student affairs. “His coaching and service to the community is impactful and his commitment to holistic student success is inspirational. We are thrilled to appoint Mark as the women’s ice hockey head coach.”
Throughout the pandemic, Digby has remained focused on both the needs of his student-athletes and the campus community. He met weekly with players to check in and build relationships, and recruited eight student-athletes for next season. Digby continued the tradition of fostering academic success, with five players making the President’s List and five attaining Deans’ List status. Eight players also made the SUNYAC Honor Roll.
He programmed guest speakers, leadership seminars and culture-building activities to increase cohesion and retention on the team. Digby chaired the State Employees Federated Appeal Teddy Bear Toss (which collected toys for local children), volunteered for the COVID hotline and testing center, and served as a Quarantine/Isolation Buddy.
Digby was hired as the assistant coach at Oswego in August 2010. During his time as the assistant men’s coach, the team reached six NCAA tournaments, four Frozen Four appearances and competed for the national championship twice.
Prior to Oswego, Digby was an assistant men’s coach at his alma mater, Brockport (2006-10), where he earned his B.S. in Physical Education (2005) and M.S. in Recreation Management (2008).
Holy Cross has announced four new members of first-year head coach Bill Riga’s coaching staff.
Joining Riga during his first season will be assistant coaches Castan Sommer and Eric Sorenson, volunteer assistant coach Bobby Butler, and director of operations Blake Hailer.
Sommer rejoins the Crusaders as an assistant coach after playing for the team from 2012 to 2016. During his time at Holy Cross, Sommer helped the team to 66 victories, recording 29 goals and 35 assists for 64 points over his four seasons in Worcester.
Since graduating in 2016, Sommer has spent time as a skating coach at the San Jose Sharks Development Camp and, more recently, served as an assistant coach for the WHL’s Seattle Thunderbirds.
“Castan will bring a variety of experiences from his background,” Riga said. “Having coached at a high level in the WHL, he will have an immediate impact on our program on the ice. He has a background growing up in the pro hockey environment and has countless ties in key areas for recruiting. Then, add on the fact that he is a Holy Cross Hockey alum, and it just made him the perfect fit for the program.”
Sorenson will serve as an assistant coach at Holy Cross after coming from Rivier, where he was set to be the team’s first head coach, responsible for leading the launch of the young program. He was hired by Rivier in Nov. 2020.
Before Rivier, Sorenson served as an assistant coach at Williams from 2018 to 2020. Sorenson played college hockey as a goaltender at Western New England from 2010 to 2014. He holds the WNE program records for career wins, saves, and shutouts.
“Eric is a highly respected young coach with a versatile skill set,” Riga said. “He has experience recruiting at a competitive academic school, coaching and recruiting goaltenders and is excellent with video and game planning. He was a standout in the interview process and will be a great asset to our players.”
Butler joins the staff as a volunteer assistant coach and will bring a wealth of high-level experience to the Crusaders having played in both the NHL and AHL. Butler has seen time with the Ottawa Senators, New Jersey Devils, Nashville Predators, and Florida Panthers organizations. A three-time AHL All-Star, Butler most recently played with the Hartford Wolfpack during the 2018-19 season. He was also a part of the 2018 U.S. Olympic roster. Butler played for New Hampshire from 2006 to 2010 where he was named a First Team All-American, Hockey East Player of the Year, and Walter Brown Award winner in 2010.
“Bobby has NHL and Olympic experience that will have a tremendous impact on our forwards on day one,” Riga said. “His background in teaching at his hockey camps and clinics in the Worcester area give us great resources as well. This is home for him and he is highly respected in the hockey world. We are fortunate to have him join our staff.”
A 2021 graduate of Holy Cross, Hailer served as the team manager during his four years of undergrad in Worcester and will bring a great deal of familiarity and experience into his new role.
“Blake has been with the program for some time now and has experience handling the operations, video and travel logistics for the team, and will now be doing so on a full-time basis,” Riga said. “As an HC alum, his perspective on Holy Cross and its culture will have big dividends for us. He is excellent with the video system and breakdown and will have a lot of responsibility in that regard.”
TJ Manastersky (middle) has been behind the Curry bench since the 2012-13 season (photo: Curry Athletics).
TJ Manastersky has been named an assistant men’s hockey coach at Union.
“I am grateful to (Union head coach) Rick Bennett for the opportunity to coach at Union College,” Manastersky said in a statement. “I am thrilled to join a storied hockey program at an elite institution, and I am eager to get to work with Coach Bennett, Coach Ronan, and the exemplary student-athletes.”
“Our program is excited to announce TJ as the newest addition to the men’s hockey coaching staff,” added Bennett. “TJ’s passion and ability to connect with student-athletes was evident in the hiring process. His nine years of head coaching experience at Curry College and his numerous coaching accolades during that time speak volumes about him as a person and a coach. TJ is widely respected in the college hockey community and it will be an honor to work with him and John Ronan this upcoming season.”
Manastersky comes to Union following nine years as the head men’s hockey coach at Curry. During his time there, he led the Colonels to a 113-82-19 record, berths in all four Commonwealth Coast Conference tournaments, and seven postseason appearances in eight seasons overall. He was the youngest coach in the NCAA when hired before the 2012-13 season.
He was named CCC Coach of the Year in 2018-19, when he guided the Colonels to a 16-7-3 record, which included a 13-2-1 mark in the final 16 games of the regular season and a win at the season-opening Buffalo State tournament.
“TJ has done a great job here at Curry College,” said Curry athletic director Vinnie Eruzione. “His dedication and passion, not only for the sport of ice hockey, but for the immediate and future success of his ice hockey student-athletes was outstanding. His teams excelled not only on the ice, but just as importantly off the ice, in the community, and in the classroom. I wish TJ nothing but success as he moves on in his professional and personal life.”
Prior to his time with Curry, Manastersky spent three years as an assistant at Fredonia and two years at Canisius.
Manastersky played collegiately at Oswego and graduated in 2006 with a bachelor’s degree in English and a minor in athletic coaching. He also earned a master’s of science in health and physical education from Canisius in 2009.
After five seasons as the head coach of the Castleton men’s team, Bill Silengo has stepped down from the position “to pursue other opportunities,” according to a news release.
Silengo guided Castleton to a 28-67-16 record in the New England Hockey Conference during his tenure. He led Castleton to an 11-10-6 mark and an appearance in the NEHC semifinals in 2016-17, and made the NEHC postseason in three of the four years in which the league ran the tournament.
“It has been an honor to be the head coach at Castleton for the past five seasons,” said Silengo in a statement. “I would like to thank all of the great assistant coaches, trainers, administration and staff I have worked with for their hard work and dedication to the program. I would also like to thank our Blue Line Club for their unwavering commitment to the players. Most importantly, however, I want to thank our current and former players. These young men represented the hockey program, the university and the town of Castleton with pride and class. They excelled on the ice, in the classroom and in the community. It was a privilege to coach them.”
“Bill consistently recruited high-character individuals to Castleton, as shown in results on the ice and in the classroom,” added Castleton associate dean for athletics and recreation Deanna Tyson. “I wish him the best of luck as he moves on to the next step in his career.”
A national search for a new coach will begin immediately.
Representatives of the University of Alaska Anchorage and the University of Alaska Fairbanks recently voted to cease operations of the WCHA men’s league as a result of the departure of eight league members over the last two years.
The vote to cease all men’s league operations became effective July 1, 2021.
“I am honored and grateful to have had the special opportunity to lead the WCHA these past seven-plus years,” said Bill Robertson, who served as WCHA commissioner since 2014. “I consider my time with college hockey’s oldest and most distinguished conference one of the highlights of my sports career. As we mark the end of an era of college hockey, I wish the best to all ten outgoing institutions and all individuals who have contributed to the operations of the conference.”
“I want to thank the men’s league staff for their hard work and professionalism during the past two years of operations. In particular, Commissioner Bill Robertson led the men’s league through challenging times and is a champion for collegiate hockey,” added Dr. Dan White, chancellor of the University of Alaska Fairbanks. “We also want to lend our support to the WCHA women’s league as they continue the legacy of the WCHA. At UAA and UAF, we look forward to continuing our long histories of Division I hockey.”
As a result of the decision, Alaska Fairbanks will compete as an independent program during the 2021-22 season. Alaska Anchorage will not compete next season as the university works to reinstate its men’s ice hockey program after announcing in late 2020 that it was dropping the sport.
The dissolution decision comes following the departure of seven WCHA programs – Bemidji State, Bowling Green, Ferris State, Lake Superior State, Michigan Tech, Minnesota State and Northern Michigan – for the revived CCHA next season. Alabama Huntsville was granted their request to depart the league earlier this summer.
The WCHA will continue to sponsor NCAA D-I women’s hockey.
Longtime Mercyhurst coaches Rick Gotkin and Michael Sisti will be back behind their respective benches in 2021-22 (photos: Mercyhurst Athletics).
Mercyhurst announced this week contract extensions for men’s hockey head coach Rick Gotkin and women’s hockey head coach Michael Sisti.
“It is an exciting time for Mercyhurst Athletics as we prepare to resume normal operations this fall, while two opening two facilities that will rank among the best in our region,” said Mercyhurst director of athletics Brad Davis, who was also extended along with women’s basketball coach Brooklyn Kohlheim. “The commitment from the university with this wave of extensions is an affirmation of the work we are doing as a department as well as that of these individuals.”
Gotkin is set to start his 34th season behind the bench for the Lakers. One of the winningest coaches in college hockey history, Gotkin has recorded 572 career victories, six NCAA tournament appearances and five league championships. In 2020-21, the Lakers went 8-12-1 overall (7-8-1 Atlantic Hockey).
“For the past 33 years, I have had the privilege of being part of tremendous growth and success with the men’s ice hockey program at Mercyhurst University,” said Gotkin. “Mentoring and coaching our student-athletes and watching their success both on and off the ice has been a very rewarding experience for me. I would like to thank the university’s leadership for this extension. I am excited to have the opportunity to continue to lead the successful tradition of the hockey program. ”
Sisti enters his 23rd season and is the only head coach in Mercyhurst women’s hockey history. Last season saw Sisti become just the second Division I women’s hockey coach to reach the 500-win plateau. Under Sisti, Mercyhurst has won 17 regular-season conference championships, 15 conference tournament championships and had a streak of 10 consecutive NCAA tournament appearances from 2004 to 2013.
“Over the years, I have been fortunate to have so much support from many people on campus and in the Erie community,” said Sisti. “We have built something very special here at Mercyhurst University and I’ve had terrific players and coaches who helped us achieve great success. I want to welcome President Getz to our university and thank Brad Davis, Laura Zirkle, our board of trustees, and our administration for their continued support of myself and the Mercyhurst women’s ice hockey program. We are looking forward to this season with great excitement. I am thankful to continue to do what I love in Erie and at this wonderful university.”
Two former Boston University captains and teammates have joined the Terriers’ staff as Jay Pandolfo has been named the Terriers’ associate head coach and Doug Friedman has been hired as the director of hockey operations.
The team has also added Brian Daccord as goaltending coach and Jon Sherman as video coordinator.
Pandolfo, Friedman and Daccord have over 30 years of combined experience in the NHL as players and coaches and Sherman is a BU graduate student who recently finished a two-year coaching internship with the Washington Capitals.
“This is a great day for our program,” said BU head coach Albie O’Connell in a statement. “It’s an honor to welcome back two captains from our program’s incredible run in the 1990s who have excelled at all levels of hockey. Jay and Doug are great examples of the type of players and people that BU hockey prides itself on. We are also thrilled to add someone of Brian’s caliber and experience to our coaching staff. Jon has also spent time in the NHL and will be a great boost to our video operations.”
Pandolfo recently completed his fifth season as an assistant coach with the Boston Bruins.
Drafted by the New Jersey Devils in the second round (32nd overall) in the 1993 NHL Draft, Pandolfo played 899 NHL games with New Jersey, the New York Islanders and Boston and had career NHL totals of 100 goals, 126 assists and 226 points. He won two Stanley Cup championships with the Devils in 2000 and 2003 and formally retired as a player in January 2014 after playing his last season with Boston in 2012-13.
A standout for the Terriers during his four-year collegiate career, Pandolfo recorded 169 points (79 goals, 90 assists). He was a 1996 Hobey Baker Award finalist as a senior after recording 67 points (38g, 29a) and was an instrumental part of the Terriers’ 1995 national championship while helping lead the Terriers to four straight Frozen Fours, two Beanpot titles and two Hockey East championships.
“Jay is from one of the all-time great families who have been a part of BU hockey and we are thrilled to welcome him back,” said O’Connell. “He had a terrific career as a Terrier and then went on to play and coach at the peak of professional hockey. Through our recent talks, it’s clear that Jay shares the same vision and direction for our program. He was an outstanding captain my freshman year and I’m really looking forward to working with him.”
Friedman, a 1994 graduate of BU, returns to Commonwealth Avenue after serving as the program director and head coach of the USPHL’s Twin City Thunder.
Selected by the Quebec Nordiques in the 11th round (222nd overall) of the 1993 NHL Draft, Friedman played seven seasons of professional hockey, skating for the Edmonton Oilers and Nashville Predators of the NHL in addition to stints with four AHL squads and the Milwaukee Admirals of the IHL. Friedman won the 1997 Calder Cup as an alternate captain of the Hershey Bears and was also an assistant captain with Milwaukee, Cornwall Aces, Hamilton Bulldogs, Worcester Ice Cats and Kentucky Thoroughblades.
Friedman was a four-year standout for BU, leading the Terriers to three Frozen Fours and two appearances in the national title game. He captained the Terriers to the title game in 1994 after being named as the top collegiate defenseman in New England. Friedman also won two Beanpots and two Hockey East championships with BU.
“Doug is another former Terrier great as both a player and a person,” said O’Connell. “After reaching the NHL as player, he returned to the sport a decade ago and has had some great experience along the way, most recently in the USPHL. His skill set and work ethic will enhance our program in many ways and the BU community will be excited to get yet another former captain on staff.”
Daccord joins BU after spending the past season as the special assistant to the general manager/director of goaltending operations for the Arizona Coyotes. That stint came after five seasons with the Toronto Maple Leafs in their scouting and player development departments. Prior to joining the Leafs, Daccord was the goaltending coach for Adler Mannheim in the DEL for six seasons, winning the German championship in 2014-2015 He also served as the goaltending coach for the Bruins for two seasons from 2000 to 2002.
A 1987 Merrimack graduate, Daccord later earned a master’s degree in sport management from the United States Sports Academy. Upon graduation, Daccord played seven seasons in the Swiss National “A” League. He also served as an assistant coach at his alma mater for two seasons as well as one season as an assistant at Saint Anselm before he joined the Bruins.
“Brian has been involved in every level of hockey – playing, coaching, parenting and in business – and is one of the most organized and professional people I have come across in our sport,” said O’Connell. “Having Brian come on board is a huge win for our goalies and our entire program.”
Sherman graduated from Indiana University in 2018 and served as a student volunteer coach for the Hoosiers’ ACHA program. He spent the 2017-18 season with the USHL’s Waterloo Black Hawks as their hockey operations assistant before moving on to the Capitals, where he was involved with all aspects of team video from 2018 to 2020.
“Jon came highly recommended from the Capitals’ organization and his experience with video at the NHL level will undoubtedly be a huge asset for our team,” said O’Connell.”
With the calendar flipping to July, the NCHC has officially transitioned to new chairs for its board of directors, athletic council and coaches.
North Dakota president Dr. Andrew Armacost takes over as the chair of the NCHC Board of Directors and will serve in that role for the next two seasons through the 2022-23 campaign. He replaces Miami president Dr. Greg Crawford, who completed his term from 2019-21.
In addition to Dr. Armacost’s new role on the board, NCHC bylaws require the roles of vice chair, treasurer and secretary be filled with board members. St. Cloud State president Dr. Robbyn Wacker will serve as vice chair, Denver chancellor Dr. Jeremy Haefner will serve as treasurer and Western Michigan president Dr. Ed Montgomery will remain as the secretary.
The NCHC Board of Directors is represented by each member institution’s president or chancellor. The chair leads the board of directors and has a two-year rotation. The board has general oversight on all conference decisions, with specific attention to membership, financial matters, major conference contracts, and commissioner employment.
On the NCHC Athletic Council, which is represented by each member institution’s director of athletics, SCSU’s Heather Weems moves into the role of chair for the 2021-22 season. She replaces North Dakota’s Bill Chaves, who moves to past chair after serving as chair during the 2020-21 campaign. Western Michigan’s Kathy Beauregard will serve as vice chair of the athletic council during the upcoming season.
The athletic council has oversight on general, day-to-day conference policy decisions. The chair leads the athletic council and has an annual rotation, with the vice chair next in succession.
Denver head coach David Carle takes over as chair of the NCHC coaches for 2021-22. He replaces SCSU head coach Brett Larson, who served in that role this past season. The chair of the coaches is an annual rotation and represents the conference in national meetings, while also serving as a liaison between the coaches and conference office.
The chair of the faculty athletics representatives remains Omaha professor Dr. Bill Wakefield, who will complete his term as chair after the 2021-22 season. The chair of the FARs is a two-year position and represents the FARs on the NCHC Athletic Council, while also serving as the liaison between the FARs and the conference office.
Taylor Girard tallied 16 points in 15 games during the 2020-21 season for Quinnipiac (photo: Rob Rasmussen).
The National Women’s Hockey League held its annual draft Tuesday night, featuring collegiate graduates from across North America.
A total of 30 players were selected by the league’s six member clubs over the five-round process and were introduced live on Twitch for the first time in league history.
“These athletes represent the future of the NWHL and professional women’s hockey in North America who will help inspire the next generation of young girls and boys,” said NWHL commissioner Tyler Tumminia. “We are proud to celebrate all of the hard work, dedication, and resiliency that have driven their careers this far. I hope all of the players enjoy this special moment with family and friends, and we can’t wait to see you and all of our fans in Season 7.”
Forward Taylor Girard, who collected 16 points in 15 games this season for Quinnipiac, was selected first overall by the Connecticut Whale, who opened the draft for the first time in franchise history.
“It’s so special to be drafted by the Whale,” Girard said on the NWHL Draft Show. “I got to know the area of Connecticut the last few years and I love living on the East Coast. I’m really happy I can still be close to Quinnipiac and it will make the adjustment easier. I’m excited to really just contribute in any way that I can. I’m really excited to get to know my new teammates and start this next season with the Whale.”
Toronto led the way with eight total selections followed by Buffalo with seven, Minnesota with five, Connecticut and Metropolitan with four each, and Boston with two.
All picks in the NWHL Draft were announced by special guests representing female and male sports leaders, media personalities, league partners, and fans.
Draft round (overall selection)
Player's name
Position
2020-21 NCAA team
NWHL team
1 (1)
Taylor Girard
F
Quinnipiac
Connecticut
1 (2)
Emilie Harley
F
Robert Morris
Buffalo
1 (3)
Maegan Beres
D
Boston College
Toronto
1 (4)
Tatum Skaggs
F
Ohio State
Toronto
1 (6)
Mak Langei
D
Bemidji State
Minnesota
2 (7)
Anjelica Diffendal
F
Robert Morris
Buffalo
2 (8)
Emma Polaski
F
Syracuse
Connecticut
2 (9)
Annie MacDonald
F
Princeton
Toronto
2 (10)
Rachel Marmen
D
Mercyhurst
Toronto
2 (11)
Caroline Ross
D
Colgate
Metropolitan
2 (12)
Tina Kampa
D
Bemidji State
Minnesota
3 (14)
Anna Zíková
D
Maine
Buffalo
3 (15)
Missy Segall
F
Hamilton
Buffalo
3 (16)
Leah Marino
F
Robert Morris
Toronto
3 (17)
Julia Scammell
D
New Hampshire
Metropolitan
3 (18)
Taylor Wente
F
Minnesota
Minnesota
4 (19)
Allison Attea
F
Holy Cross
Buffalo
4 (20)
Hannah Bates
D
St. Cloud State
Connecticut
4 (21)
Finley Frechette
F
Cornell
Boston
4 (23)
Jordan Sanislo
D
Sacred Heart
Metropolitan
4 (24)
Jenna Brenneman
G
Penn State
Minnesota
5 (25)
Casey Traill
D
Castleton
Buffalo
5 (26)
Grace Middleton
F
New Hampshire
Connecticut
5 (27)
Abby Nearis
F
Brown
Boston
5 (28)
Daria Tereshkina
D
Maine
Toronto
5 (29)
Morgan Schauer
D
Long Island
Metropolitan
5 (30)
Kendall Williamson
F
Colgate
Minnesota
In addition to the 27 NCAA players, three players were taken from the Canadian college hockey ranks.
NWHL clubs will have a two-week window to exclusively sign their draft picks to contracts for the 2021-22 season. Any selected players who go unsigned in this timeframe will become eligible for free agency at 9 a.m. ET on July 14. Any unselected players immediately qualify for free agency beginning at 9 a.m. ET on June 30.
The inaugural NWHL International Draft will be held on July 25.
Dana Borges enters his fourth season at Colgate with the upcoming 2021-22 season (photo: Colgate Athletics).
Colgate has announced the promotion of Dana Borges to associate head coach for the men’s hockey team.
Now having wrapped up his third season, Borges joined the Colgate program as an assistant coach for the 2018-19 campaign after previously serving as a volunteer assistant coach for the Raiders in the 2016-17 season.
“Dana is one of the brightest young minds in college hockey and in my opinion, he is one of the very best coaches in the country,” Colgate head coach Don Vaughan said in a statement. “He is an excellent recruiter and clearly understands what it takes for a student-athlete to succeed at Colgate, both on the ice and in the classroom. He works incredibly hard and has helped us clearly define our culture. I am grateful for his loyalty and all he brings to Colgate hockey, and to the campus and Hamilton communities.
“Dana’s promotion to associate head coach and added responsibilities is just one more step towards his goal of becoming a head coach. I appreciate the support of our athletic director Dr. Nicki Moore and for her understanding like mine of the value Dana Borges brings to the Colgate hockey program.”
Borges is excited about the promotion.
“We talk about trust within our program on a daily basis,” Borges said. “To have earned the trust of Coach Vaughan, our administration, and our players to take on an expanded role is an honor.
“Coach Vaughan has provided me with incredible leadership and autonomy necessary to grow during my time at Colgate. Together, we have revamped our recruiting philosophies and installed a student-athlete centered development model and both are already yielding great results. Colgate has become my home and I am excited to see continued growth within the program.”
Prior to coming to Hamilton, Borges joined the Alaska Anchorage men’s hockey program as an assistant coach and spent the 2017-18 season at Williams as an assistant coach. Getting his start in collegiate coaching, Borges spent two and a half seasons as an assistant coach at his alma mater, Stonehill, where the Skyhawks went 42-25-8.
A four-year letter-winner at Stonehill, Borges served as a two-time captain and was named Northeast-10 Man of the Year in 2013, as well as a Capital One All-American. After his successful collegiate career at Stonehill, Borges played professionally for one season with the Evry Peaux Rouges in France
Borges graduated Magna Cum Laude from Stonehill in 2013 with a degree in sociology.
Mollie Fitzpatrick is leaving Norwich’s bench to join the staff at BU (photo: Norwich Athletics).
Norwich women’s hockey assistant coach Mollie Fitzpatrick is stepping down from her post to join the Boston University women’s hockey coaching staff.
Fitzpatrick has served as the assistant coach for the past six seasons, helping lead Norwich to the 2018 national championship under head coach Mark Bolding.
Fitzpatrick has spent 11 of the last 13 years in Northfield, playing women’s hockey and lacrosse from 2008 to 2012 and then serving as an admissions counselor for one year after graduating in May 2012.
“Words cannot express my gratitude for everything Norwich has blessed me with throughout the last 13 years,” Fitzpatrick said in a statement. “Norwich gave me the opportunity to expect challenges and achieve distinction to grow into the person I am today. I want to thank Coach Mark Bolding for giving me a shot to wear the maroon and gold all those years ago, to my teammates who gave me the best memories I could ever dream of, the staff and faculty for always being present and supportive, and to the Norwich community for letting me know what ‘Norwich Forever’ means.
“Coming back to coach at Norwich was life-changing. I have had the honor to serve some of the best players and more importantly people that have worn the maroon and gold, I am forever indebted to each and every one of them for their devotion to each other, the program, and the University. I want to thank athletic director Tony Mariano for his daily example of dedication to the athletic staff, students, and Norwich community. To Coach Bolding again for giving me a chance to coach, I cannot say how much his presence and support has propelled me to becoming the coach and person I am today. And to Coach Leclerc, I have learned so much in the years since knowing you as a teammate to now coaching together and cannot thank you enough for pushing me to keep growing as a person and coach alongside you the last two years.
“I am excited to take all that that Norwich has given me to Boston University and seeing what this next chapter has in store.”
Fitzpatrick skated in 70 career games, totaling six goals and 13 assists for 19 points splitting time between defense and forward. In her senior season, she established career highs with four goals and five assists for nine points in 22 games played.
She also spent a year at Endicott and the University of New England as an assistant coach.
Fitzpatrick earned her Master’s in Organizational Leadership from Norwich in 2017.
A prominent sports and anti-trust attorney suggests that Robert Morris University may have violated Pennsylvania law in the elimination of its men’s and women’s hockey programs.
USCHO.com has obtained a copy of a letter to Robert Morris University president Dr. Chris Howard in which attorney Jeffrey L. Kessler wrote that “The University’s concealment of its plan to eliminate the men’s and women’s hockey teams is a fraudulent misrepresentation under Pennsylvania law.”
Kessler is representing a “coalition” of Robert Morris men’s and women’s hockey players in an effort to have the programs reinstated.
Kessler is a partner in the New York City law firm of Winston & Strawn and has represented clients in several high-profile cases, including as lead plaintiff in the recent unanimous Supreme Court of the United States decision that the NCAA was violating antitrust law by limiting the education-related benefits that schools can provide athletes.
Kessler also successfully represented Tom Brady in overturning the National Football League’s four-game “Deflategate” suspension of the then-New England Patriots quarterback. Kessler has represented players’ associations in several major professional sports.
In the letter – which was also copied to vice president and athletic director Chris King, the Robert Morris University board of trustees, and Renee T. Cavalovitch, RMU vice president and general counsel, among others – Kessler stated that his clients would rather avoid litigation and instead seek to put a plan in place to restore the programs.
“To that end, they invite the University to engage in immediate discussions with the coalition so that the parties can work together to resolve this matter amicably,” Kessler wrote.
The letter suggests that the decision to eliminate the programs, which was announced on May 26, 2021, had been in the works in secret, characterizing it as “a lengthy and covert process.”
“It appears that the University surreptitiously planned to cancel these programs for an extended period of time before revealing this plan to either the adversely impacted athletes or even all members of the Board of Trustees,” Kessler wrote.
“Indeed, the student-athletes and recruits were left entirely in the dark and were thus induced to rely upon the false representations of the University about the purportedly bright future of their varsity programs. This situation puts the University at risk of significant legal exposure unless the varsity status of the hockey teams is maintained.”
Kessler noted that the lack of transparency by Robert Morris University was detrimental to student-athletes who would otherwise have had other options.
“The concealment of the plans to eliminate the varsity hockey programs, even from Board members, was made by senior RMU leadership even though they knew that this information was highly material to the affected student-athletes’ academic, athletic, and financial decision-making processes — i.e., whether to enroll or remain at Robert Morris or to accept or seek admission to another university which would maintain its varsity hockey program,” Kessler wrote.
“When the University finally revealed the devastating news that it would be cancelling its varsity hockey programs, it did so at a time when it knew it would be too late for many of the affected student-athletes to transfer and continue their varsity athletic careers at another institution. This deliberate lack of transparency has caused the student-athletes substantial harm, which will be irreparable if the University does not reverse course and reinstate the teams.”
Kessler cites several instances in which players and recruits met with coaches on the men’s team in March and with women’s players a few days before the May announcement that the programs would be discontinued.
The letter states that while Robert Morris University agreed to continue providing scholarships for displaced student-athletes, the university pressured students to graduate early, “including by registering some of them for summer classes without their knowledge or consent.”
In another letter obtained by USCHO.com, an additional request for information has been submitted on behalf of a former player by an Ohio law firm, stating that the decision to drop hockey was “surreptitiously planned.”
The letter requests:
1. All correspondence with the NCAA regarding men’s and women’s ice hockey for the last two years;
2. All correspondence with the athletic department for the last two years;
3. All records regarding donations to any NCAA college sport team over the last five
years;
4. All records and correspondence regarding the men’s track team for the last five years;
5. All cell phone records of Dr. Howard for the last two years;
6. All e-mails of Dr. Howard for the last two years;
7. Any and all social media accounts monitored and/or maintained by RMU relating to men’s and women’s hockey.
Jonathan Potts, vice president of public relations and marketing at Robert Morris University, responded to USCHO.com by email with a brief statement. “We have received the letter from Mr. Kessler, and it is under review.”
Mike Corbett spent seven seasons behind the bench at Alabama Huntsville and 10 seasons as an assistant at Air Force, as well as last season as an assistant at Robert Morris (photo: Bradley K. Olson).
Quinnipiac has named Mike Corbett as an assistant coach for its men’s ice hockey program.
“We’re excited to welcome Mike to the program,” coach Rand Pecknold said in a statement. “He brings a wealth of knowledge and experience due to years as a head coach and assistant with three division one programs. He is a proven recruiter and an elite coach.”
Corbett comes to Quinnipiac from Robert Morris where he coached three AHA All-League selections, two all-rookie selections, and the league’s rookie, defenseman, and co-player of the year.
Prior to Robert Morris, Corbett was the head coach at Alabama Huntsville for eight seasons. He was responsible for rebuilding the program after it was discontinued in 2011 and was able to produce three playoff berths, the program’s first playoff win and win over a top-10 opponent, and multiple all-league selections.
“It’s an honor to have the opportunity to join the Quinnipiac men’s ice hockey program,” said Corbett. “I can’t wait to get to work with Rand and his staff. I want to fit in and help the players and program accomplish their goals for the upcoming season, it is going to be a fun process! I am grateful to Rand and director of athletics Greg Amodio for this incredible opportunity.”
Prior to Alabama Huntsville, Corbett was an assistant coach and associate head coach at Air Force, where he worked for 10 seasons.
In addition to the collegiate level, Corbett also has experience with USA Hockey, where he has served as a coach for the 15-, 16-, and 17-year-old National Festivals for 23 years and will be heading to Switzerland in August as an assistant coach the U17 Team USA Five Nations Team.
Corbett has also served on the NCAA men’s Division I ice hockey committee.
Corbett graduated with a bachelor’s degree in management from the University of Denver in 1996 and went on to earn a masters of science in management in 1998. The two-time alternate captain at Denver was also a 1997 finalist for the Hockey Humanitarian Award.
Rochester Institute of Technology has appointed former Tiger goaltender Shane Madolora as volunteer goalie coach.
Madolora is RIT’s Division I era career leader with a .932 save percentage, which is tied for 10th in NCAA history. He is also tops with a 1.97 goals against average, which remains tied for 24th in the NCAA record book.
“Shane will be a great addition to our staff and we are excited to welcome him back to RIT,” said coach Wayne Wilson in a statement. “He was one of the best goalies to put the pads on for us, and we look forward to him sharing his wealth of knowledge and experiences as we further develop our goalies.”
Madolora established single-season program records as a junior which still stand, leading the nation with a .935 save percentage to go along with a stingy 1.93. GAA. The following year, he tied his own record with a 1.93 GAA to go along with a .931 save percentage while tying for first nationally with a program-record seven shutouts.
“I am extremely excited to come back to the RIT community to help the men’s hockey program,” said Madolora. “I look forward to the team returning in the fall when I can begin lending mentorship and guidance to our current goaltenders. I want to thank Coach Wilson, Associate Head Coaches Brian Hills and Dave Insalaco, and the rest of the staff for their support and guidance over the years and for the opportunity to join one of the best, long-standing coaching staffs in the country.”
Madolora remains first in Tiger history (and tied for 20th in NCAA history) with 13 career shutouts, as well as fourth with 1,727 saves, fifth with 36 wins, and tied for fifth with 65 appearances. His 18-9-5 record during the 2011-12 campaign tied for the second-highest single-season win total by a Tiger, completing his RIT career with a 36-14-2 record.
Madolora was voted the 2010-11 Atlantic Hockey Goaltender of the Year after landing the first of back-to-back first-team all-conference nods.
Madolora played professionally for four years following his RIT career and is the owner of Madolora Consulting and Development. He also previously served as head coach/director of player personnel for the Rochester Monarchs Tier 2 Junior A program and spent three seasons as an assistant coach with the RIT women’s hockey team from 2016-19.
Leon Hayward and Stu Bickel have joined Rico Blasi’s coaching staff at St. Thomas.
St. Thomas announced Thursday the addition of assistant coaches Leon Hayward and Stu Bickel to Rico Blasi’s staff in preparation for the Tommies’ first season of Division I play.
The pair brings a variety of coaching and instructional experiences from youth and preps to junior as well as Division I assistant roles. They each enjoyed on-ice playing success over several seasons in junior, D-I and professional hockey.
“We’re excited to have both Leon and Stu as part of the staff and joining the Tommie hockey family,” Blasi said in a statement. “Both coaches bring a wealth of experience and a passion for the game. They also share a commitment to our culture and the process we’re putting together as we transition into Division I hockey.”
Blasi likes that both have strong Minnesota hockey connections
“I really like Leon’s overall Division I recruiting experience, especially his familiarity to recruiting the Minnesota player,” Blasi said. “With Stu, I’m excited to have a Minnesota native on staff and have someone who played Division I and pro hockey for Minnesota teams.”
Hayward is starting his 15th season in coaching. He also built a deep playing resume, in Division I at Northeastern University, plus six years in professional leagues. The Seattle native served as assistant coach the last four seasons at Colorado College, working with defensemen and penalty kills on the ice while also coordinating the Tigers’ recruiting operations.
Hayward received a master’s degree in Leadership from Northeastern in 2014.
He played in 132 games as a forward at Northeastern (1998-2002), scoring 30 points (15 goals, 15 assists) and as a senior received the team’s Unsung Hero Award. He scored 85 goals and had 88 assists in six pro seasons, included four in the AHL. He led Trenton to an ECHL championship in 2005 and was named finals MVP as he finished with 11 points over 20 playoff games.
Bickel played in all 45 games and scored seven points in his lone season with Minnesota in 2007-08. The defenseman later had a 10-year pro playing career, including 85 total games over two seasons with the New York Rangers, and nine games logged in 2014-15 with the Minnesota Wild. He also played for AHL teams in Hartford, Iowa, San Antonio, Syracuse, Bakersfield and San Diego during his pro career.
The Chanhassen, Minn., native was a graduate assistant coach with the Gophers from 2018-20, and last season worked in junior hockey as the head coach and associate general manager with the NAHL’s Minnesota Magicians. In his first season as a head coach, the Magicians won the Midwest Division finals and advanced to the Robertson Cup semifinals for the first time in the franchise’s eight-year history.
Tyler Shelast has been named an assistant coach with the Michigan Tech hockey team after eight seasons as the program’s strength and conditioning coach.
He played for the Huskies from 2004-08.
“I’m excited to announce the hiring of Tyler Shelast,” MTU head coach Joe Shawhan said in a news release. “Tyler is a high-energy coach that is passionate about Michigan Tech hockey, the university, and our community. I’m looking forward to Tyler sharing his passion on the ice with our players, and in recruiting helping us re-establish our footprint in his roots of Western Canada.”
“I am honored and grateful to serve as an Assistant Coach with Michigan Tech Hockey, my alma mater,” Shelast added. “I would like to thank Dr. Suzanne Sanregret and Joe Shawhan for this extraordinary opportunity. As a former professional hockey player and collegiate athlete, I know firsthand how important development is at the collegiate level. I look forward to continuing to work alongside Joe and Chris [Brooks] and the student-athletes to achieve our ultimate goal of bringing a national championship to the Copper Country.”
Shelast tallied 87 career points (51 goals, 36 assists) in 151 games for the Huskies. He was an alternate captain as a senior and played five years of professional hockey, most notably signing a two-year contract with the NHL’s Dallas Stars.
Shelast earned bachelor’s degrees in business marketing (2008) and exercise science (2013) and a master’s degree in kinesiology (2014), all from Michigan Tech. He is certified as a strength and conditioning specialist by the National Strength and Conditioning Association and trains a number of former Huskies who are current professional hockey players during the summer months.
Dave Hakstol led North Dakota from behind the bench from 2004 to 2015 (photo: UND Athletics).
Former North Dakota coach and alumni Dave Hakstol was announced Thursday as the Seattle Kraken’s first head coach.
The Kraken start play in the NHL with the upcoming 2021-22 season.
Hakstol previously led UND to seven NCAA Frozen Four appearances in 11 seasons.
Hakstol, appointed head coach at UND on July 9, 2004 after four seasons as an assistant coach to Dean Blais, amassed a 289-143-43 (.654) overall record in his 11 seasons behind the bench of his alma mater and leaves as the second-winningest coach in program history.
UND won three regular-season conference titles under Hakstol, capturing the MacNaughton Cup as WCHA champion in 2008-09 and 2010-11 and the Penrose Cup as NCHC champion in 2014-15. He also led UND to four Broadmoor Trophies as WCHA playoff champion in 2005-06, 2009-10, 2010-11 and 2011-12. Hakstol was named NCHC Herb Brooks Coach of the Year in 2014-15 and WCHA Coach of the Year in 2008-09 and was an eight-time finalist for the Spencer Penrose Award as national coach of the year.
Prior to being named head coach at UND, Hakstol spent four seasons on Blais’ staff from 2000-01 through 2003-04. He was hired as an assistant coach on July 1, 2000, and was elevated to associate head coach in December of that same year.
Hakstol played at UND for three seasons from 1989-90 through 1991-92 and served as team captain in each of his last two seasons. He played in 107 games and registered 10 goals and 36 assists for 46 points. He went on to play professionally for five years with the IHL’s Minnesota Moose (1994-96) and Indianapolis Ice (1992-94).
Following his playing career, Hakstol served as head coach and general manager of the USHL’s Sioux City Musketeers for four seasons from 1996-97 through 1999-2000. He was named USHL Coach of the Year in 1997-98.
Hired in 2015 by Philadelphia Flyers, Hakstol was third-ever NCAA college coach to move straight to NHL heading coaching job, first since 1982. He led the Flyers to the playoffs in his first season (after Philadelphia missed the postseason the year before), and qualified for playoffs two of his three full seasons, finishing with a 134-101-42 record.
As assistant coach with Toronto (2019-21), Hakstol was largely responsible for team defense. During the 2020-21 regular season, Toronto was fifth-best in NHL for preventing shots against per 60 minutes of full-strength five-on-five play.
Saint Anselm has hired Jen Kindret to serve as the school’s head coach for women’s hockey, becoming just the third individual to lead the Hawks program since its inception.
Kindret comes to the Hilltop from Robert Morris where she served a two-year stint as the top assistant coach for the Colonials. Helping the team to 36 wins in just two seasons, Kindret was a part of the 2021 CHA title-winning program that made the institution’s second NCAA postseason appearance.
“Jen’s passion for coaching, and the sport, resonated with us during the search process,” said Saint Anselm director of athletics Daron Montgomery in a statement. “She will teach, lead, and mentor our student-athletes while building a championship culture on the Hilltop. We look forward to working side by side, collectively, with Coach Kindret to elevate the brand and profile of Saint Anselm women’s ice hockey, both within the NEWHA and on the Division I stage.”
“I am thrilled to be joining the Hawks family,” added Kindret. “I can’t thank Daron Montgomery, Phil Rowe, and Neil Duval enough for demonstrating their leadership and passion for athletics at Saint Anselm during the hiring process. Since I stepped onto campus, everyone that I met was energetic, completely supportive and, most importantly, proud to be a part of such a special place. I cannot wait to get started and become a part of this outstanding community on the Hilltop.”
Prior to joining Robert Morris, Kindret was responsible for starting the women’s hockey program at NCAA Division III King’s College in August 2016, building a team from the ground up.
She spent two years as a graduate assistant coach at Lindenwood from August 2014 to May 2016, supervising all of the team’s video-related efforts and developing scouting reports for the team’s opponents while earning an MBA in 2016.
During the 2013-14 season, Kindret volunteered with NCAA Division III Chatham.
The Winnipeg native was a four-year standout for Robert Morris before graduating in 2013 with a degree in Sport Management. A two-time CHA All-Academic Team selection, she helped the Colonials to their first CHA postseason title in 2012 and finished her career with 13 goals and 30 points in 121 games.
Joe Pavelski skated for Wisconsin from 2004 to 2006 while Matt Fornataro played for New Hampshire from 2004 to 2008 (photos: TorchPro).
The digital age altered the ways in which people interact with their professional heroes.
It built windows into accessibility through the advent of social media, and the permanently-open door became a viewing point for opportunities to build content.
Anyone with a phone or mobile device gained instantaneous access, and the athletes, celebrities and stars likewise obtained their own ability to respond in real time.
The ability to harness that power emerged as a unique way for hockey to further develop its community axis. A sport widely recognized for its community emotive base transformed into an interconnected universe built by the connections between professional superstars and the next generation. It was a way to give back, and it carried a unique business opportunity.
From land grew TorchPro, a digital website offering unfiltered looks into the off-ice training habits and lives of professional hockey players. The brainchild of former San Jose Sharks captain and current Dallas Stars forward Joe Pavelski and former New Hampshire captain Matt Fornataro, it’s a link for emerging hockey players to meet their icons on a different level while offering a new way to shape the game through a wide, full bodied range of interests.
“My favorite player growing up was Peter Forsberg,” Fornataro said. “To have any sort of access to what kind of shoes the guy wore, I would have been all over it. And so now there’s access that I don’t think has existed. The more consumers that we can bring to this platform and the more athletes that we can get, the more content we can create to spread our message.”
The idea for TorchPro originated from Fornataro and Pavelski, two former teammates with the Waterloo Blackhawks in the USHL. Both went onto play college hockey and reconnected after Fornataro retired in 2016 from a career spent playing overseas. They embarked on a new endeavor with Kompany39, another digital website founded in 2017, that would streamline the concepts of the more widely-used hockey camps for young players.
Kompany39 was the first phase of a rebranding of hockey’s social media because it extended beyond the physical walls of an actual rink, and it built on a roadmap traversed by both players into professional hockey. The recognizable elements harnessed the community feel of the game and touched on the stories less recognizable than simply goals and assists.
“I had retired and was looking for that next mission that I was going to go on,” Fornataro said, “and there was this market and value to be added for both sides (of our company). We wandered a little bit at times, but we learned a lot of key lessons in terms of marketing and social media and content creation and partnerships. All of those things, five years later, made us hungry and green but willing to work really hard.”
“Looking back, I’m glad I left (to play junior hockey) because I always questioned if I should stay or go,” Pavelski said. “I didn’t know a lot of people that had that experience through my hometown and through my inner circle, but I went to school and went to hockey. Practices were a little longer and information was coming at (everyone). That was something I fell in love with, and that’s what TorchPro is trying to create – to share those experiences. There are kids and families that don’t have resources that can turn to us right away and look for knowledge from people that have done it before them.”
That objective is where TorchPro lives and breathes its content. The site touches on a range of experiences by the athletes in order to allow viewers to live their stories, and the wide lens casts a spotlight on their workouts, training and lifestyle. By operating in those different arenas, subscribers can learn from a playbook developed to establish an unprecedented look at the hockey world from more than just YouTube clips of goals and celebrations.
It centralizes and builds a mass presence for athletes at a time when reaching the masses is a critical piece of digital branding. It breaches the limited capacities of a simple camp and shatters the generic concepts of a hockey tutorial video by personalizing the individual’s approach. There are options for viewers who are more drawn to defensemen over forwards or smaller, more agile players over power forwards, and each player’s individualized touch is the hallmark of their reach and a foundational piece for their life after playing the game.
“There are some good things you can use and learn from,” Pavelski said. “The biggest thing is that there’s an understanding that not everything has to be for everyone out there. Your audience that you’re trying to reach is what you can do a lot of good for. I think the cool thing about this platform is that it dives into more than just an Instagram account and there’s a deeper connection with fans. There’s more learning, and I think the stories go into a little bit more than a simple, quick little clip. That’s what we’re trying to drive home to have that connection that goes deeper than others.”
“(People) roll their eyes because they’ve heard me say it so often but the humble gene in hockey held it back from a marketing standpoint for a long time,” Fornataro laughed. “It’s just a mindset of the best people in sports, but a lot of people outside hockey’s bubble don’t know (about the game) because the players are so humble. I think that mindset shifted because it had to, and it’s just the world we live in, but we’re finding a way to do that while authentically building a team and service that we can provide. Every athlete is already a brand, but too many don’t know or aren’t sure how to build it consistently and authentically.
“The younger generation of hockey players grew up with this stuff,” he said, “so that mindset is starting to change, but there’s still a mentality that it takes some education. It’s a great point that not everything needs to be for everyone, but there are 20,000 kids out there who might have never known how someone like Joe Pavelski trained.”
Each athlete works with the company’s full-time employees and more specifically with the production team to introduce strategic branding to an individual person. They build a cross-section of both wants and needs and develop a game plan for publishing content while adhering to the pillars and values of the company. The lessons learned are then applied both retroactively to existing athletes while maintaining a fluid outlook on how to both recruit and enhance the current roster.
“Our production team is a big part of the onboarding and brand-building piece,” Fornataro said. “We use a framework of performance, purpose and person, and we try to really identify how those pillars can fit to athletes that are a little bit different. We’re not trying to put anyone in a box, but we do try to surround them with resources to help them better tell their stories. We feel super fortunate to have our team, and our head of content and production, TL Fielder, has been in the industry for 25-plus years. There’s a definite skill there to make athletes feel comfortable whenever there’s a camera around because we don’t want it to feel forced. But we’re fortunate about the team that we’re building.”
It helped TorchPro gain traction after its rebranding from Kompany39. It recently acquired Morning Blitz, a daily sports newsletter, and began staging its next phase of growth through the professional stars it added. Pavelski anchored the site’s roster from the start, but former Boston University and current Boston Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy joined to produce talent alongside another former Terrier, Brandon Yip. Yip played in the NHL but more recently spent time in Germany’s DEL and Russia’s KHL, and he deepened the bench with longtime NHL veterans Mike Green and Riley Sheahan.
But the company proudly determined itself to avoid boxing the game to just the next generation of NHL men’s players when it added Kacey Bellamy, Annie Pankowski and Megan Keller from the United States women’s national team. Bellamy and Keller were both part of 2018’s gold medal team at the Olympics, but all three are part of an equity explosion currently under development in the game’s current generation.
“At the start of this year, we looked at our values and leaned into women’s hockey,” Fornataro said. “Growing women’s hockey is one of our goals because it’s important, and these ladies finally have a place where they can play and be treated like the professionals that they are. Kacey was the first and best athlete we could ever partner with, and she’s so committed and respected by teammates.
“We want to do a lot of really cool things with women because we support them,” he said. “We’re giving them a platform to share some of the stories that oftentimes aren’t told or don’t have the resources. We’ve been to a PWHPA event to capture a bunch of stuff, and we want to share their voice. It’s a big, big thing for us, and we’re excited about that initiative.”
A new entity, the Pittsburgh College Hockey Foundation, released a statement Wednesday evening introducing itself and proclaiming its intentions to bring back the Robert Morris men’s and women’s college hockey teams.
The full statement from foundation president Dan Russell to media members is as follows:
A month ago today Robert Morris University announced that it was cutting the Men’s & Women’s D1 hockey programs, effective immediately.
The decision affects 55 athletes, seven staff members and countless alumni, program supporters and the community that surrounds it.
Two days after that decision a large group of Alumni met on a video call to discuss what we could do. The result is the newly created Pittsburgh College Hockey Foundation.
The goal is quite simple; to right this wrong and bring D1 College Hockey back to Pittsburgh.
We will also be seeking out larger donations from individuals and corporations as well as supporting any efforts that will help to bring D1 Hockey back to RMU.
We are working on receiving expedited approval for tax exempt status from the IRS so that all donations can be tax deductible.
I would like to thank you for all of the support you have shown this cause in your coverage thus far! Rest assured, we aren’t going anywhere!
If you have any questions, comments, suggestions or thoughts of support please feel free to email me!
A prominent sports and anti-trust attorney suggests that Robert Morris University may have violated Pennsylvania law in the elimination of its men’s and women’s hockey programs.
