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With Robert Morris dropping men’s, women’s hockey, university’s unpopular decision ‘affecting people’s families’

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Derek Schooley was the only coach Robert Morris ever had in its 18-year existence (photo: Jason Cohn).

Those of us who have been associated with Atlantic Hockey of the years understand the league’s differences from its peers.

The teams aren’t massive superpowers, but the hockey is as good as anywhere in the sport. There’s unparalleled parity, and the deep rivalries are tempered by an “all for one, one for all” mentality gripped by the constant fight for national respect.

That unity lives in Atlantic Hockey’s undercurrent, and it’s why all 11 teams root for one another whenever they step into nonconference games. They all understand how people saw the conference as an island of misfit toys or a place for teams nobody else wanted, but the more recent era shows constant growth among each of its member institutions.

So that’s why anger and sadness ran recently when Robert Morris University unexpectedly dropped both its men’s and women’s hockey programs. The announcement came out of nowhere and was part of a release further highlighting the university’s strategic initiatives, but it meant the end of hockey programs widely regarded as a rising star for both men and women. Two decades of progress and growth were reduced to rubble, and a tradition of excellence simply disappeared with the snap of fingers.

It’s a cruel irony because RMU fought to assume its cornerstone status in both Atlantic Hockey and the women’s College Hockey America leagues. The men joined the AHA with Niagara because the CHA imploded, but they quickly established a tradition of success with seven consecutive .500 or better seasons. They infamously won the 2014 Atlantic Hockey postseason championship after starting the season in last place, and their pistol-hot second half ranked as one of the best memories in conference history. It jumpstarted a run of six consecutive trips to the Atlantic Hockey semifinals that also included two regular season championships.

The Colonials men won 20 games in three straight seasons, but they defeated a litany of star-studded programs in non-conference play. They used their central location in Pennsylvania to play and beat teams both from the east and west and built a trail lined with wins over Penn State, Michigan State, Ohio State, Dartmouth and Quinnipiac. They additionally hosted a four-team holiday tournament at PPG Paints Arena, a bracket they won three on separate occasions, while serving as host institution for two separate Frozen Fours, including the most recent championship this past April.

“We had a tremendous relationship with the Pittsburgh Penguins,” RMU men’s coach Derek Schooley said. “We have a corporate partnership with the Penguins, and we played games at their practice facility. It’s going to be a challenge because of the support that we had from the Penguins and the great partnership we had with (them). Not everybody got the support of the NHL team like we did. They were outstanding to us.”

That success shifted the perspective from the admissions-based addition of athletics in the mid-2000s. Schooley was the only head coach the program ever knew after he accepted the position one year prior to the team hitting the ice during the 2004-2005 season. He built the team from scratch and spent a year recruiting a roster that didn’t hold ties to the less-established club team on campus, and RMU entered the first season with a new program that joined the CHA following Findlay’s decision to drop hockey.

Robert Morris toppled Syracuse for the 2021 CHA playoff championship, its first since 2017 (photo: Justin Berl).

The subsequent implosion of the league resulted in the shift to Atlantic Hockey, and Robert Morris instantly found itself in a position to challenge its new league’s established block. The Colonials had their own building, which was a rarity in that era considering a good chunk of teams played in underfunded municipal buildings, and their home-ice performance challenged the top tier blockade set by Air Force and RIT.

That’s what makes this decision so mercurial. Its head coach was instrumental to its success, and dozens of former Colonials skated among the professional ranks both in North America and in Europe. The arena needed a facelift, but RMU owned the Island Sports Center and recently completed a $50 million basketball arena at the UPMC Events Center in 2019, one year before the rest of the Colonial athletic programs moved from the Northeast Conference to the Horizon League.

“Our building was fine for what we accomplished,” Schooley said. “We have very nice locker rooms and a nice players’ lounge. Is it the Taj Mahal? No, but it was a nice building. We had good crowds. The fans were right on top of you. We didn’t play in front of fans this year, but we were going to have a really good team.

“The building hasn’t been affecting our product. We won the West Division in Atlantic Hockey, and the women won the [CHA] playoff championship [this season]. I had one coach tell me they felt we were going to be one of the top two or three teams in the league this coming year.”

It makes virtually no sense to drop hockey when both the men and women were surging to that degree. RMU routinely swirled in the ever-present realignment conversation, at least anecdotally, and felt miles from the looming decisions that eventually swallowed Findlay, Iona, Fairfield and Wayne State. The team didn’t have the same geographic issues that faced down the Alaska schools or Alabama Huntsville from their recent rounds battling contraction, and their overall location, presence and culture as a top-ranked team in both genders made it feel like it was a heartbeat away from jumping to the CCHA or ECAC or some other prolific conference.

And it is worth noting the historical success of the women’s program. RMU likewise held multiple 20-win seasons over the past five years and won three consecutive CHA regular season championships prior to the 2019-20 season. Colonials women’s coach Paul Colontino finished under .500 only once in his tenure and registered wins over more powerful national brands. A handful of former players turned pro to play in both the CWHL and NWHL, and goalie Brianne McLaughlin won two silver medals with the United States in 2010 and 2014. This past year marked the third CHA tournament championship and second trip to the NCAA Tournament for that program.

It all fed to the belief that RMU was a very healthy program. A conversation about contraction in Atlantic Hockey has existed among the fans and analysts, but the Colonials never lived in that conversation. They simply didn’t have the economic issues facing Alaska Anchorage, which is still in a fight to save its program for the upcoming season, or Alabama Huntsville, which suspended its team because it lost its league affiliation and has stared into the contraction spotlight multiple times. RMU had substantial community support in a major hockey market, and its built-in rivalries against Penn State and its AHA brethren made for an extremely competitive culture.

But now good people are going to lose their jobs and student-athletes are losing the opportunity to play the sport they love. Both Schooley and Colontino each had to deliver the dreadful news to their respective teams, players who put their trust in the school to stand behind them much like they have done representing the institution. It’s a painful pill to swallow.

“We’ve been up front and honest with the players, and we said that we’re working on some things to keep the program alive,” Schooley said. “But they have to do what they have to do for themselves. They have to take care of themselves.

“The players are just as in shock as [the coaches]. I spoke to someone who thought they were going to be told they thought they had to be vaccinated [to play next season], or there was going to be some new COVID protocol or something. Nobody saw this coming. In fact, the women’s team thought they were getting a sneak peak of their CHA championship rings.”

Removing the women’s team is actually more devastating for the college hockey landscape because the CHA now drops to five teams. The NCAA Tournament threshold for an automatic bid is six, and while adding a new team is always an option, simply adding just to maintain numbers might not always be the best option if the team that’s added can’t compete at a similar level to what RMU established.

There is, of course, hope for the future, and both petitions and fundraising are kicking into high gear to save the RMU programs. There’s just no way of knowing what will happen in the coming months and if that’s even a possibility.

Two solid programs are gone, and that’s simply not a good thing for college hockey. Everyone involved on both the inside and out after left with one simple question: “Why?”

Nothing seems to add up and the administration has been irresponsibly silent since issuing a tone-deaf press release. The coaches, players, history, alumni and tradition deserved better, and that by itself is simply just sad.

“I’ve gotten a tremendous amount of texts and phone calls,” Schooley said while fighting back tears. “The reality is that I’ve been here since 2003. I’ve been here for almost 18 years, and it’s the only home my kids have known. It affected 55 student-athletes and seven staff members, but it’s affecting people’s families. This is the only place that we’ve known as a family, so it’s a challenge.

“This was a labor of being here from the start and you start getting emotional because it’s been hard. I don’t wish this on any student-athlete, any staff member, any coach. You go through hard games and hard things that you deal with as a coach and in your personal or professional life, but this is a combination of all of it. It’s hard.”

UConn’s new crown jewel of an arena set to prove that bigger isn’t always better

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An artist’s rendering of how the new rink in Storrs, Conn., will look upon completion in 2022 (photo: UConn Athletics).

When one thinks of big-time college hockey, 1998 was the Year of the Arena.

Four different schools opened new, highly-touted buildings, all significantly increasing their capacity. Two were monstrosities – Wisconsin opened the Kohl Center seating 15,237 for hockey and Ohio State christened the Shottenstein Center, even larger with as many as 18,809 seats available.

Both were and continue to be multi-sport arenas, hosting both hockey and basketball, and both were significant upgrades to the predecessors – Wisconsin moving from the 8,600-seat Dane County Coliseum and Ohio State making a massive upgrade from a 1,400-seat OSU Ice Rink.

In Colorado Springs, Colorado College was settling into the new Broadmoor World Arena, an 8,100-seat facility upgrade from its predecessor, which sat about 3,000. And UMass Lowell, which for years played at the Tully Forum about eight miles off campus, more than doubled its capacity when it moved to the Tsongas Center, which currently seats a little more than 6,000.

Those who love big arenas were in their heyday. Even those venues were topped when North Dakota opened what many considered a palace, Ralph Engelstad Arena, three years later. The 11,640-seat venue has been at, near (and sometimes probably above) capacity nearly every North Dakota men’s hockey game since.

Sadly, though, “the Ralph,” as it is affectionately known, is pretty much the only one of this group of large arenas that in recent years has posted anywhere near capacity. Add to that lists buildings like 3M Arena at Mariucci, home of Minnesota; Agganis Arena at Boston University; and the Mullins Center in Amherst, Mass.

Sure, there are nights when these buildings approach or reach capacity. But on the average night, even reaching two-thirds of capacity can be a struggle.

Thus, we’re seeing a new building trend, one that was on display last Saturday morning when Connecticut broke ground on its first high-end on-campus arena, the final building block in an impressive athletics campus that athletic director David Benedict refers to as UConn’s “Olympic Village.”

Similar to the buildings of the late ’90s, UConn’s facility will come with a high price tag, reportedly $70 million if things stay on budget.

But unlike its 20th century counterparts, UConn won’t sport a massive capacity.

Instead, this arena will feature a little more than 2,600 seats with a standing-room capacity that will push 3,000. That doesn’t mean that this won’t be an attractive venue for future Huskies.

A focus on amenities

Like a fine resort, UConn isn’t focused on volume as much as it is the experience. Despite a smaller capacity than the average arena in Hockey East, no coach would be ashamed to show this building to recruits. Locker rooms will feature high-end elements with sport-specific training facilities just yards away from the locker rooms, a training room with hot and cold tubs and an area specifically dedicated to players working on shooting.

Fans will also be treated to the best, including a club area that men’s hockey coach Mike Cavanaugh thought was important after seeing Notre Dame’s Compton Family Ice Arena in South Bend.

“I thought it was important – and I saw this at Notre Dame – they have a super club room and I wanted to make sure we have one of those,” Cavanugh said. “We were able to put one of those in and it will double as a place for a pregame meal and any type of banquet [space] we might [need].”

Fitting in by being different

In June 2012, the UConn men’s team announced that it would transition its membership into Hockey East beginning in 2014. The university’s women’s team was already a Hockey East member.

At the time, there was a commitment by the school to build an on-campus facility while beginning play at the XL Center, the former home of the NHL’s Hartford Whalers. Needless to say, things didn’t exactly move swiftly. Despite promises of state funding, final commitment didn’t come until just months ago, though administrators last Saturday often referred to the multitudes of meetings and planning that has occurred during that time.

“The league and member schools showed a lot of patience,” said Benedict. “Something things take longer than you expect, but I assure you the wait will be worth it.”

When UConn entered the league, the commitment was for a 4,000-seat facility. When it was announced the final count would be closer to 2,600, criticism across the board was swift, though when one sees the final plans, that’s likely unjustified.

The 4,000-seat capacity number was established in years past when the league was looking for new membership. The reality, though, is even that number might not be an overreach.

Taking the attendance from the 2019-20 season in Hockey East, the average attendance at all games in Hockey East buildings was 3,650. Now if you’re not familiar with college athletics and reporting of attendance, particularly at the more popular sports, schools typically inflate attendance numbers, sometimes heavily.

At an average of 3,650, that’s still an average of just 66.45% of total capacity.

And one thing that was left out was postseason attendances as, you may recall, the 2020 postseason was canceled due to COVID.

One thing some don’t know about the postseason is that schools are incredibly honest in reporting attendance for postseason home games. The reason? Well, the league is given the ticket sales proceeds in the postseason, thus every person you report in the building translates to a dollar figure you must pay the league.

(For a matter of comparison, the 2018-19 season that included on-campus playoffs in the quarterfinal round had a season-long average attendance of 3,326).

So, for the sake of argument, let’s say that on average a school may mark up attendance by 20%. If your league average is 3,650, mark that down to 3,041 to account for that attendance “fluff.”

That 4,000-seat minimum doesn’t necessarily make sense.

UConn still will have the option to play games in downtown Hartford at its current home, the XL Center, but according to the UConn AD, that’s not necessary in many cases.

“That number that was a requirement is no longer a requirement,” said Benedict. “We’ll be able to play here whenever we want to play here.

“We talked to a lot of our peers in Hockey East and in this region. The people that I spoke with, the athletic directors at all these programs, I think we’ve picked a size arena that is going to be appropriate for our area and our program.

“It’s going to allow us to sell it out whenever we play in it. I’d rather play in an arena that is sold out every game than play in a facility that is half empty all the time. It’s going to be a loud facility.”

A benefit to the women’s side

UConn women’s coach Chris Mackenzie, whose team lost to national runner-up Northeastern in the most recent Hockey East title game, joins those excited by the UConn arena.

Prior to the 2020-21 season, when COVID forced both the men’s and women’s teams in Freitas Ice Forum, the current on-campus facility that resembles more of a high-end youth hockey arena rather than a proper Division I building, Mackenzie’s women’s team was the only team skating on campus.

He has no problem sharing the new space when the arena opens, particularly given the size, something he sees fitting of most any women’s program in the nation.

“When you look at attendance, historically we’re going to have a smaller crowd than the men’s [team],” said Mackenzie. “This arena is an ideal size for any women’s team. We’re really happy with that.

“If we can get our regular crowd of 300 to 500, it’s going to feel like there are people in the building. It’s going to be a great venue for a student-athlete.”

Setting, or maybe following, a trend

When you look at the most recent arenas that have been opened across college hockey, smaller seems like the future.

The largest of the recent arenas are Notre Dame’s Compton Family Ice Arena and Penn State’s Pegula Ice Arena. Sure, each has a capacity north of 5,000 with Pegula able to seat a little more than 6,000, but in comparison to the rest of the Big Ten – particularly Minnesota, Wisconsin and Ohio State – these buildings are smaller.

But in other leagues you have Quinnipiac, which plays at the People’s United Center, a 3,386-seat building known for generating one of the better atmospheres in college hockey.

Colgate recently opened the Class of 1965 Arena, capacity 2,222. Bentley Arena at Bentley University boasts a capacity around 2,000.

And then we can circle back to one of the schools that called home of the great 1998 arenas: Colorado College.

While the 8,000-plus-seat facility has been a great home, the school decided almost two years ago to build a smaller on-campus facility, Robson Arena, which will seat just 3,407. The odds of that facility being near or at capacity in the future is much better than at the Broadmoor World Arena.

But in a day and age where competing for every entertainment dollar is becoming increasingly more difficult, it’s likely when it comes to arenas that smaller may be better.

With NCHC postgrad scholarship in hand, Western Michigan’s Bennett finding life after hockey means surgeon dreams, off-ice impact

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Kale Bennett served as an alternate captain in 2020-21 for Western Michigan (photo: Western Michigan Athletics).

By Al Daniel/Special to USCHO

Kale Bennett tends to send his regrets when people want him anywhere outside a rink, fitness center, lecture hall, library, or lab.

But to his credit, he tends to ensure that everyone’s patience pays off.

That was the pattern when he figuratively penned his story as a student-athlete at Western Michigan. Why shouldn’t it have been the same when that chapter started literally being written on amidst a rare intermission?

A medical school candidate and aspiring orthopedic surgeon, Bennett reprised his calculated disappearing act by taking off on a mid-May vacation the day after turning in his MCAT. It was the culmination of, by his estimate, “studying for three months, five or six hours a day.”

That said, two days after returning home, he was ready to reflect publicly on his title of NCHC postgraduate scholar and what went into it. The conference bestowed its annual $7,500 assist for a senior’s continuing education March 30, just 17 days after Bennett’s final game.

Those door-shutting and –opening milestones overlapped with his MCAT cramming sessions. But with the latter, residual ice chips are sure to resonate, especially with the NCHC’s fingerprint on the financial cushion.

“Nice recognition,” Bennett said of the scholarship. “But also a push to keep going.”

At least there is some measure of continuity in there. In between his 113 career games of stay-at-home defense for the Broncos, Bennett kept going for rigid objectives by not going along when the other Kalamazoo campus pucksters went on the downtime kill.

“The course load that I had was definitely a little more advanced than some other guys,” he said. A troika of minors in chemistry, psychology, and sociology joined his concentration in biomedical science, which he settled on after swiveling his head between that or engineering during his first month at WMU.

As certain as we was about his post-playing goals by the time he first wore Bronco game garb, Bennett was not always immune to hesitation. The son of an NHL assistant coach father and a nurse mother, he initially looked at hockey and medicine alike through the typical children’s all-glory lenses. But it did not take long for the grunt side of the two fields to come into view.

At least hockey was still a fun pastime he could continue through college, and maybe beyond. Medicine meant, well, more school on top of the standard student’s storybook, which Bennett admits “didn’t seem that appealing to me.” So he “would kind of brush it off” when his mother plugged the profession and cited what she saw as his compatibility with it.

Little did he know where and how he was logging the requisite intangibles to transfer from dad’s domain to mom’s. He was a frequent guest at his father Ray Bennett and future WMU bench boss Andy Murray’s Los Angeles Kings and St. Louis Blues practices. That is, he clarified, “when I didn’t have school” and before he entered competitive age groups that took his own ice itineraries on weekend road trips.

Bennett remembers feeling mesmerized as he watched his idols feed their own insatiable craving for perfection. To try to tally a given player’s self-assigned overtime and total reps on a given drill was to induce a headache and miss out on a life lesson.

Spoiler alert: The moral did not elude Bennett.

“Most people don’t realize how serious it is,” he said. “Nothing is too small to worry about.”

With that, his pond of dreams functioned as an early lecture hall. It yielded an appropriate, relatable introduction to the importance of mastering the minutest details.

That principle only gets more urgent as Bennett turns to face and embrace his transformation from Moonlight to Doc Graham.

“Going forward, I hope to be a surgeon someday,” he said. “Obviously in that profession, it can be a difference between life and death sometimes, or possibly a patient being able to walk or not.”

Even in less dire scenarios, it has been Bennett’s nature to demand seamless outcomes. After he conceded that Mother knew best and mapped his preferred path, he duplicated his career-long all-in-or-out spirit for his studies at WMU.

“Growing up I’ve always been competitive,” he said. “Sometimes people might argue a little too competitive.”

He added that even his parents suggested he tone down a tad now and then. Easy for them to say, as they were not the ones who had to bounce back from getting cut their first year in junior to score a Division I slot.

In four seasons with the Broncos, Bennett collected 17 points in 113 games (photo: Western Michigan Athletics).

Later Bennett’s teammates missed his physical presence for portions of every road trip when he made a carrel out of bus seats, airplane seats, and hotel room desks. Filling every non-practice, -meeting, -game, -grooming, -eating, or –sleeping minute with his schoolwork was so routine he could not recount a particular moment. The sum of the parts, the whole hodgepodge of every last detail, was what mattered.

“Anything less than an ‘A’ wasn’t acceptable,” he said.

Was a college career GPA of 3.99 good enough? It’s a start, as is the resultant NCHC accolade, although that was barely on Bennett’s radar throughout his immersive quest.

“I kind of heard about it my freshman year,” he said.

Only when the time came to pen an essay was he expressly bent on the conference’s ultimate academic prize.

“Not my goal the whole way through, but it’s huge coming from them,” Bennett said. “Going beyond hockey, I have their support.”

Granted, the scholarship will not cover the full package, and where those bucks go is still to be determined. As he winds up to one-time his MCAT results to prospective schools, Bennett will pursue real-world experience and additional money by shadowing veterans in the field for at least the next year.

If he has it all his way, he will max out the paradoxical adage on things shifting while keeping their old form. Consumed by contact sports as a kid, Bennett understood physicians to be “the guy that fixes the bones, fixes knees, and stuff like that.”

He can still become that innocent, inspiring childhood impression, and he could work with another. One more A-or-bust grind could circle him back to a literal arena as a sports medicine specialist — another unsung, unseen, and unquantified but indispensable role on the team.

“I understand those kind of jobs are highly sought after, but that would be for sure a dream job,” he said. “Having an impact that way is exactly where I would want to be.”

Due to ‘series of strategic initiatives,’ Robert Morris dropping men’s, women’s college hockey, effective immediately

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Robert Morris University announced today it will no longer field NCAA Division I men’s and women’s hockey teams as part of a “series of strategic initiatives” intended to “position the university to be amongst the most agile and professionally focused schools in the nation” as it prepares for its upcoming 100th anniversary.

The university’s senior leadership team shared these strategic initiatives, collectively called “RMU: Beyond 100,” at the RMU Board of Trustees annual retreat last week.

According to the announcement, the university “will honor all scholarships currently being received by the student-athletes whose sports are being discontinued and will assist those who wish to transfer. Under NCAA rules, student-athletes who transfer from schools that have eliminated their sport do not have to sit out a season at their new school. The university has pledged to put all of its support services at the disposal of student-athletes, including academic, eligibility, and career advising.”

“We are saddened for the student-athletes who will be unable to continue in their sport at Robert Morris University and are committed to assisting them during this difficult time,” said RMU president Chris Howard in a statement. “However, this is the best course of action to leverage our strategic assets and position us for future growth.”

By discontinuing Division I hockey, the university puts itself in closer alignment with similarly sized institutions, according to the announcement. Approximately 55 student-athletes and seven staff positions will be impacted by this decision, which is effective immediately.

Former Patty Kazmaier Award winner Giguère to join Minnesota Duluth as graduate transfer for 2021-22 season

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Elizabeth Giguère registered 233 points over four seasons at Clarkson (photo: Clarkson Athletics).

After four successful seasons at Clarkson, forward Élizabeth Giguère will join the Minnesota Duluth women’s hockey team as a graduate transfer for the 2021-22 school year.

Giguère won the 2020 Patty Kazmaier Award as the nation’s top player in women’s college hockey. A three-time All-American selection, Giguère was the 2020 ECAC Player of the Year. She secured the 2018 NCAA title for the Golden Knights after scoring the game-winning goal, and has compiled a whopping 233 points (99 goals, 134 assists) in 137 games to date.

“Over the past four seasons, Élizabeth has shown herself to be one of the top players in college hockey,” said Bulldogs coach Maura Crowell in a statement. “She is a proven winner, elite goal scorer, and part of a prestigious sorority in women’s hockey as a Patty Kazmaier Award winner. She has also performed extremely well in the classroom and will be an asset to the Labovitz School as a bilingual student. We are thrilled to welcome her to Bulldog Country.”

Giguère leaves the Golden Knights as the program’s all-time leading scorer. During her Kazmaier-winning junior campaign, the second-time First Team CCM/AHCA All-American led the nation with 37 goals over 37 games — seven more goals than any other player at the Division I level and picked up every national and ECAC award available.

As a sophomore in 2018-19, she was a Top-10 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award finalist, the USCHO.com Player of the Year, and earned a CCM/ACHA First-team All-American nod. Giguère led the country in points with 73 and was the nation’s top playmaker with 47 assists, while having added 26 goals.

During her freshman season, Giguère was named a Second Team All-American and the ECAC Hockey Rookie of the Year, nearly doubling the point total of all the other conference freshmen. She shattered the Clarkson freshman scoring mark with 71 points on 27 goals and was the nation’s second-leading playmaker with 44 assists.

The biggest goal of her career came in the final game of her rookie season. Giguère was named to the 2018 Frozen Four All-Tournament Team after she scored the deciding goal at 7:55 of overtime in the 2-1 NCAA championship game to push the Golden Knights over Colgate on March 18, 2018 at Ridder Arena in Minneapolis, Minn.

Bailey named executive director of Colorado College’s Ed Robson Arena

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BAILEY

Colin Bailey has been named the executive director of Colorado College’s Ed Robson Arena.

Bailey comes to Colorado College after serving as the assistant athletic director for event management and operations at St. Lawrence.

His responsibilities at SLU included game management for the school’s 35 NCAA intercollegiate athletic programs, oversight of men’s and women’s Division I hockey ESPN+ broadcast operations, coordination and scheduling all facilities and executing necessary building protocols, and managing all maintenance, capital projects and renovation initiatives of the athletic facilities.

“We are excited to bring Colin to the CC community as we prepare to open the doors of our new arena this fall,” said Colorado College VP and director of athletics Lesley Irvine in a statement. “Colin’s skillset is a fantastic match, however, his excitement to help us introduce the new arena to the campus and community set him apart. He understands the importance and potential of the facility and is passionate about the building’s ability to impact in so many ways and his role as a leader in that process.”

Prior to joining the St. Lawrence athletic department, Bailey was the director of athletics operations at Bloomsburg (Pa.) University. He coordinated all competition logistics for the 20 intercollegiate teams and was accountable for all facilities during home athletic events, outside rentals and community engagement activities.

“I am extremely grateful to Lesley Irvine, Scott Lowenberg and the search committee, and excited to join the athletics department at Colorado College,” Bailey said. “Ed Robson Arena will be transformative to CC, the community and serve as one of the premier facilities in all of college hockey. I am truly honored to contribute to the excitement and passion surrounding this arena. I cannot wait to work with local leadership to continue to cultivate and enhance the vision of this facility.”

Bailey, who also has event and facilities experience at Northern Arizona University, the University of Arkansas and North Dakota State University, received a bachelor’s and master’s degree in sports management from West Virginia University.

Ed Robson Arena is scheduled to open this fall in Colorado Springs. It will serve as the new home of the Colorado College hockey program and allow the Tigers to play regular-season games on campus for the first time in the program’s 80-plus year history.

Boston University associate women’s hockey coach Keady Norton named new head coach at Dartmouth

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Liz Keady Norton coached the past three seasons at Boston University (photo: BU Athletics).

Dartmouth has announced that Liz Keady Norton has been named head coach of the women’s hockey team.

She is the Big Green’s 11th head coach in the program’s 44-year history and sixth in the last 35 years.

“Liz brings unique experience to Dartmouth women’s hockey,” Dartmouth interim director of athletics Peter Roby said in a statement. “She was a successful student and athlete while attending Princeton, so she appreciates and believes in the Ivy model. She has coached at the highest level of college hockey and is a role model for current and future women at the college. We are excited to welcome her to Hanover.”

Keady Norton comes to Dartmouth from Boston University, where she spent two seasons as assistant coach before being elevated to associate head coach in May 2019.

“It’s truly a privilege to be named the next women’s hockey coach at Dartmouth,” Keady Norton said. “Throughout this process, I have been impressed with every aspect of the school, athletic department, and community at Dartmouth. What stood out to me most was Dartmouth’s commitment to excellence and a world class student-athlete experience. I want to thank Peter Roby and his staff for the opportunity and their dedication to the success of this program.

“I am grateful for my time at Boston University and the support I received for the last four years from the BU athletic department. I’m excited and honored to be back in the Ivy League and cannot wait to get started.”

No stranger to ECAC Hockey, Keady Norton spent one season as an assistant at Union (2014-15) and two years at Harvard (2015-17) before making her way to BU.

Keady Norton graduated from Princeton in 2008 with a degree in psychology. A native of Braintree, Mass., she ended her career with 79 points on 38 goals and 41 assists in 118 games. Named team captain for the 2007-08 season, she led the team in plus/minus (plus-15) in 2004-05, short-handed goals in 2006-07 and game winning goals in 2007-08.

Former Princeton women’s hockey assistant Ruzzi takes over as head coach at Brown

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RUZZI

Brown has hired Melanie Ruzzi as the Bears’ next women’s hockey head coach.

No stranger to the ECAC and Ivy League, Ruzzi comes to Brown with seven years of coaching experience in the conferences.

“We are delighted to welcome Mel to the Brown Athletics community,” said Brown vice president for athletics and recreation M. Grace Calhoun, PhD in a statement. “Through her background locally at Providence College, in addition to her experience at three Ivy League institutions and USA Hockey, Mel quickly rose to the top of an extremely strong and competitive candidate pool. We feel that she is the perfect fit to restore Brown women’s ice hockey to prominence and cannot wait to welcome her, along with her partner Katie Guay, when they arrive on College Hill.”

Ruzzi most recently enjoyed two successful seasons as an assistant coach at Princeton. In her time with the Tigers, Princeton set a program wins record with 26, reached the ECAC tournament final for the first time and won the ECAC tournament title for the first time in 2019-20. The team qualified for the NCAA quarterfinals, but the event was canceled by the NCAA due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I am grateful to Dr. Grace Calhoun, Kim Insalaco and members of the search committee for the opportunity to lead this storied hockey program,” said Ruzzi. “Brown University is a prestigious institution with a uniquely welcoming campus and community. I am proud that I get to introduce Brown to prospective student-athletes and engage the incredible women’s hockey alumnae as we work to return the team to the top of the Ivy League and the ECAC. More than anything, I can’t wait to get to know the team, build our staff and enjoy every step of the journey we are taking together.”

Ruzzi began her coaching career at Amherst in 2005, where she acted as an assistant coach for two seasons. From 2007 to 2011, she was an assistant coach at Harvard before returning to her alma mater, Providence, for six years as associate head coach.

Her involvement in hockey exceeds the collegiate ranks. She has been involved with USA Hockey since 2006, and is currently an assistant coach for the USA Under-18 World Championship Team.

A 2003 graduate of Providence, Ruzzi was team captain in 2002-03 and helped the Friars to the ECAC Eastern title as a junior and the inaugural Hockey East title in 2003.

Citing racist past, Michigan considering removing Fielding Yost’s name from hockey arena

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Yost Arena has been home to the Michigan hockey team since 1973 (photo: Michigan Athletics).

A committee commissioned by the University of Michigan has recommended that the school remove Fielding H. Yost’s name from its hockey arena, citing a history of racial issues involving the former football coach and athletic director who worked at the school from 1901 to 1941.

According to published reports, an eight-person panel of university historians recently made the unanimous preliminary recommendation after a year-long review of Yost.

The school said the committee started looking into Yost after it received requests in 2020 to review the name on the home rink of the Wolverines.

“Even at that time, Yost’s racist beliefs were known; Yost’s racist policies were enacted,” reads one request, published in the committee’s final six-page report. “In naming the Field House after Yost, the University chose to place one man’s contributions to football and to athletics above the profoundly deep and negative impact he had on people of color.”

YOST

The report also mentioned Yost’s “record of upholding the ‘gentleman’s agreement’” to help draw a color line with football at Michigan,” pointing to just one black athlete (Willis Ward) who lettered in football at Michigan from 1901 to 1932. Ward, of Detroit, was later held out of a game by Yost in 1934 following a protest from Georgia Tech, a school that was reportedly reluctant to play Michigan with a black player on the field.

“While we acknowledge that Yost had both successes and failures in his career, our historical analysis suggests to us that the benching of Ward was not an aberration but rather epitomized a long series of actions that worked against the integration of sports on campus,” the committee’s report reads. “When the Regents declared in 1870 that the University was open to ‘any person who possesses the requisite literary and moral qualifications,’ they meant to remove all barriers to admission based on non-academic background factors and so set a very high aspiration for the institution.

“The University has not always met this aspiration, but in our time, it has firmly and decisively rejected in principle the racist value system of Yost’s time. Part of this rejection must include historical reckoning. This is hard and controversial work. But without this reckoning the path forward is obscured.”

Michigan is seeking public feedback now through June 7.

Massachusetts names former hockey ops assistant Trachtenberg new director of hockey operations

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TRACHTENBERG

Massachusetts hockey has announced the addition of Steve Trachtenberg as the team’s director of hockey operations.

Trachtenberg, a 2018 UMass graduate, previously served as a hockey operations assistant for the Minutemen while working towards his sport management degree.

“We are excited to name Steve Trachtenberg as our new director of hockey operations,” said UMass coach Greg Carvel in a statement. “Steve has worked closely with our program in the past as an undergraduate so we are fully aware of the commitment and attention to detail that he will bring to our program. Steve is a driven and impressive young man who will be a great addition to our culture.”

Prior to rejoining the UMass hockey program, Trachtenberg spent two years as a partnership services coordinator with Learfield IMG College: UMass Sports Properties and Army West Point Sports Properties, managing contracted partnership elements and overseeing fulfillment for in-game promotions and assets for corporate sponsors.

As an undergraduate, Trachtenberg worked as a member of the UMass hockey equipment staff and supported the director of hockey operations with video and hockey analytics for coaching staff and NHL teams. He also served as a corporate sponsorship intern with the Philadelphia Flyers in the summer of 2018 and was a ticket and fans services intern with the Philadelphia Eagles from 2016 to 2018.

After one season at Dartmouth, assistant coach Paskaris takes same position at Bowling Green

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PASKARIS

Bowling Green has announced the hiring of Stavros Paskaris as a new assistant coach for the Falcons.

Paskaris brings 13 years of collegiate coaching experience to the Falcons’ bench after three previous stops at Adrian, Princeton and Dartmouth.

“We are really excited to add Stavros Paskaris to our staff,” said BGSU head coach Ty Eigner in a statement. “He checked every box that (assistant coach) Curtis (Carr), (director of hockey operations) Nathan (Phillips) and I were looking for in terms of adding to our staff. He is highly respected across college hockey and brings a ton of college hockey recruiting and coaching experience.”

“I’m honored to be joining Ty, Curtis and Nathan at Bowling Green State University and to be part of such a historic hockey program,” added Paskaris. “Shannon and I couldn’t be more excited to raise our family in the Bowling Green community.”

Paskaris spent the 2020-21 season with the Dartmouth hockey program, joining the staff in July of 2020. Due to the Ivy League canceling sports during the past year, Paskaris didn’t appear on the bench during his season with the program.

Prior to Dartmouth, Paskaris was part of the Princeton hockey team, serving as an assistant coach from 2014-20. He began his coaching career with nearby Adrian, serving as an assistant on the staff for five seasons under Ron Fogarty, the same coach that hired him at Princeton.

Paskaris earned his bachelor’s degree from Wayne State and a master’s degree from Ohio. While at Wayne State, Paskaris was a four-year member of the now-defunct Warriors, being named the CHA rookie of the year in 2005.

Mercyhurst women’s hockey assistant coach Steadman leaves Lakers, ‘excited to start this next chapter of my life’

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Kelley Steadman played four seasons at Mercyhurst and also coached with the program for four seasons (photo: Mercyhurst Athletics).

After four years on the ice with the Mercyhurst women’s hockey team and four behind the bench, assistant coach Kelley Steadman is leaving the Lakers.

Steadman oversaw the defense this past season, and the Lakers allowed just 2.06 goals per game while holding opponents to just 27.5 shots a game. Mercyhurst also posted three shutouts thanks to the solid defense corps. In her four seasons behind the bench, the Lakers won the CHA championship twice with the first one coming in 2018 and the second in the 2020 season.

Mercyhurst also made the NCAA tournament in 2018 and were set to make another appearance in 2020 before the COVID-19 pandemic canceled the tournament.

“Kelley was a terrific student-athlete for us at Mercyhurst and fantastic hockey coach for our program,” said Lakers coach Michael Sisto in a news release. “Over the years, she has contributed greatly to our program, on and off the ice. Kelley has been part of numerous championship teams and NCAA appearances in her time at Mercyhurst. She is an amazing ambassador for our university and hockey program. Kelley has a long list of accomplishments, and we are very proud of her and wish her all the best in whatever she does down the road. She is an outstanding person and a great role model for our players. We want to thank her for all her dedication and hard work. We were proud to have her be part of our program.”

Steadman was very grateful for her time at Mercyhurst.

“As I look back on my time here at Mercyhurst, as a player, and as a coach, it’s hard to put into words how much this program and this university means to me,” she said. “I was 15 the first time I stepped on campus and little did I know how much Mercyhurst and the women’s hockey program would shape my life. On the ice, I have been able to experience numerous CHA championships, NCAA tournaments, Frozen Fours, and major program milestones like Coach Sisti’s 500th win. I have been fortunate to work with an amazing staff and with so many dedicated student athletes over my four years, who made coming to the rink enjoyable. I will miss so many things about this place and this program, but I am excited to start this next chapter of my life.

“Mercyhurst will always be the place I shared thousands of memories with teammates, friends, and players, the place where I won some of my most memorable games as a player and a coach, and most importantly, the place where I met my wife. There is nowhere else I would have rather been these last four years. I want to thank athletic director Brad Davis and the entire athletic department for their support of the women’s hockey program and for giving our student-athletes the platform to succeed on and off the ice. Thank you to every player that has been in our program these last four years for the memories they have given me. Thank you to my fellow assistant coach Beth for all of her hard work and for making the rink a fun place to be. Lastly, thank you to Coach Sisti, for taking a chance on the 15-year-old kid from upstate New York (Plattsburgh) all those years ago, for allowing me to come back to my second home, for his lifelong dedication to this school and program, and for the countless things I have learned from him.”

After playing 140 games for Mercyhurst and scoring 78 goals and 54 assists from the blue line, Steadman went on to play four seasons of professional hockey and five years of playing for the United States National Women’s Team.

After delay due to pandemic, NCHC official Binda recognized with 2019-20 Mark Rudolph Officiating Achievement Award

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Geno Binda is presented his Mark Rudolph Award by his wife Mary and their two daughters at their home in Massachusetts (photo: NCHC).

After not being able to be presented his award in person last year, Geno Binda has been named the seventh annual recipient of the NCHC’s Mark Rudolph Officiating Achievement Award for the 2019-2020 season.

Binda, who has been an NCHC referee for six seasons, was presented his award on Monday, May 17. Due to the pandemic, Binda was unable to work for the NCHC during the 2020-21 season.

“Geno has been one of the top referees on our staff, year in and year out,” said NCHC director of officiating Don Adam in a statement. “His leadership, passion, dedication and officiating knowledge are off the charts. For the success that he has experienced, Geno is a very professional and humble individual. Every NCHC game is better when Geno’s on the ice and he is a very worthy recipient.”

The presentation of the award took place with Adam via a Zoom call, while the physical presentation of the award was made by Binda’s wife, Mary, and his father, Geno Binda Sr., who is the supervisor of officials for Atlantic Hockey. The presentation in Massachusetts was attended in person by Binda’s family and friends, while members of the NCHC officiating staff and officials in the region were able to join in celebration on the Zoom call.

“The presentation would have been completed much sooner had it not been for the pandemic and some unforeseen circumstances along the way,” Adam said. “The timing of the presentation in no way detracts from the meaning of the award.”

A mainstay on the NCHC’s officiating staff since 2014-15, Binda worked three NCHC Frozen Faceoff championship tournaments (2017-19), including two championship games. What was sure to be a fourth Frozen Faceoff assignment was nullified by the cancellation of the 2019-20 NCHC tournament due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Binda has also been selected to work multiple NCAA regional tournaments and has represented the NCHC in two NCAA Frozen Four championships — Tampa, Fla. in 2016 and Saint Paul, Minn. in 2018.

“We are honored to present the Mark Rudolph Officiating Award to Geno for his dedication and service to the NCHC,” said NCHC commissioner Josh Fenton. “Living in New England and traveling long distances most weekends to our member school locations showed Geno’s tremendous commitment to our conference.”

The award, officially established prior to the 2014-15 season, is named in honor of Mark Rudolph, a longtime official and distinguished administrator who resides in Colorado Springs and established USA Hockey’s National Officiating Program, among many other accomplishments.

Feasibility study exploring possibility of Tennessee State joining men’s, women’s college hockey ranks

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Tennessee State University could become the first historically-black institution to have varsity men’s and women’s ice hockey teams.

A feasibility study is exploring the possibility that would also make the university the first in the state to establish a program in Tennessee. TSU, in partnership with the NHL, Nashville Predators and College Hockey Inc., is hoping the study will be a favorable one, leading to the historic expansion of intercollegiate athletics.

“The idea of establishing a collegiate hockey program at TSU is a tremendous opportunity as the nation’s first HBCU to take on this endeavor,” said TSU president Glenda Glover in a news release. “This allows us to expand the sport, increase diversity, and introduce a new fan base.

“Our partnership with the Nashville Predators and Sean Henry continues to cultivate groundbreaking programs that will have a lasting impact on the university and our students. We are appreciative for the leadership from the National Hockey League and NCAA College Hockey Inc. in helping to lay the foundation for this process with hopes of bringing college hockey to TSU.”

Since 2017, the NHL and NHL Players Association have sponsored feasibility studies to U.S. colleges and universities that are interested in exploring the addition of NCAA D-I men’s and women’s hockey to their athletic offerings. The study helps guide the schools through the planning, processes, and requisites for establishing a varsity hockey program. This project was launched to aid the development of high-level hockey across the United States, which will provide more opportunities for elite players, access and exposure to new families, and new facilities.

The feasibility study will answer questions about how viable hockey is at TSU, and what needs to happen to put teams on the ice.

“Despite the absence of a Division I hockey program, the state is filled with talented prospective student-athletes that could build a winning program at Tennessee State University,” said Tennessee State director of athletics Dr. Mikki Allen. “We are extremely excited about the prospect of adding men’s and women’s ice hockey to our athletics programs. Having the support of the Nashville Predators and the NHL is truly phenomenal and it speaks to the commitment that these two organizations have to growing the game of hockey.”

Over the last decade, Middle Tennessee has seen the second-highest percentage increase in youth hockey in the United States. In the past six years alone, there have been four new facilities – and seven sheets of ice – that have been built or are in the process of being built in Middle Tennessee.

“Taking this initial step with Tennessee State University, led by their ambitious and visionary leadership, awakens thought on potential playing opportunities, new facilities, and new avenues to watch live hockey, all driven by an HBCU and NHL club in the heart of Nashville. This could be a game-changer.” said Kevin Westgarth, VP of hockey development and strategic collaboration with the NHL

“The passion and vision of President Glover, Dr. Allen and all of Tennessee State University’s leadership in pushing to make hockey a more diverse and inclusive sport through this feasibility study is both inspiring and humbling,” said Predators president and CEO Sean Henry. “Through their passion and track record they will be able to create another success story for other schools and communities to chase and ideally emulate. Pair that with our incredible community, our fan base and wealth of community corporate partners and we will collectively take SMASHVILLE and our sport to new heights because of their pursuit of excellence on all fronts.”

Last year, TSU and the Predators partnered to promote student success through scholarships for retention, along with educational and employment opportunities.

Jamie Isabel, TSU’s associate vice president of institutional advancement, corporate relations and foundations, facilitated the partnership. Isabel said the college hockey teams would benefit the city of Nashville.

“This relationship is certainly indicative of the commitment to the city of Nashville and support of the community by Mr. Herb Fritch, board chair and its members, and Sean Henry, president and CEO and staff,” said Isabel. “Each and every time we called the Predators, they showed up.”

The Predators’ partnership with TSU falls in line with the NHL’s “Hockey Is For Everyone” initiative, and the Predators’ effort to create positive change with their GUIDER (Growth, Understanding, Inclusion, Diversity, Equality and Representation) initiative, founded with the objective of diminishing the prevalence of social injustice.

Results from the feasibility study are expected late fall.

READ MORE (April 28, 2021): Tennessee State University reportedly looking into starting new NCAA Division I hockey program

North Dakota, Penn State to play U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Game Oct. 30, 2021 at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena

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North Dakota announced Friday the confirmation of the 2021 U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Game in Nashville, Tenn., which will be played on Saturday, Oct. 30, 2021 between the Fighting Hawks and Penn State.

“I couldn’t be more pleased to confirm our Nashville game next season,” said UND coach Brad Berry in a statement. “The pandemic has taken a toll on everyone and I can’t wait for us to gather in Nashville with the most passionate and loyal fanbase in all of college hockey. The Nashville destination game is going to be a great return to normalcy for all of us.”

The Metro Public Health Department in Nashville recently announced that all COVID-19 pandemic restrictions have now been lifted within the city of Nashville, including the use of masks. The recent changes in Nashville eliminate capacity limits, curfews, masks, and all other prior event restrictions. These changes allow for a full seating capacity of approximately 17,500 for the hockey game inside Bridgestone Arena, as well as the full fan experience in Nashville that is now synonymous with UND destination games.

Bars and restaurants in Nashville are now allowed to operate at full capacity. Fans will have the opportunity to experience everything that the city of Nashville has to offer, including the event’s social gatherings, without restrictions.

A limited quantity of tickets remain for the game. Tickets, hotel reservations, flight updates and event information can be found at theralph.com/nashville.

Ferris State athletics director Weisenburger, who has served the Bulldogs the past 11 years, announces retirement

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WEISENBURGER

Ferris State athletics director Perk Weisenburger, who has guided the Bulldogs to historic championship success over the past 11 years, announced his retirement May 21 after more than 40 years of high-level achievements and service as an administrator in intercollegiate athletics.

Weisenburger’s retirement is effective Oct. 1, 2021, with the university slated to begin a search for a new athletic director in the near future.

“Perk Weisenburger has been an outstanding champion for Bulldog Athletics, and I am very grateful for his service to Ferris State University,” said Ferris State president David Eisler in a statement. “His passion for Ferris has greatly impacted the trajectory of our athletic programs, and his leadership efforts have changed the lives of countless student-athletes.”

Since taking over the Bulldog program in the fall of 2010, Weisenburger has led Ferris State athletics to many major accomplishments, including 23 conference regular-season titles, 17 conference tournament championships, eight NCAA regional crowns, six national semifinal appearances, three berths in a national title game and the school’s first national championship.

Overall, all 17 of the Bulldogs’ varsity athletics programs have had representation in NCAA postseason competition at least once during the Weisenburger era while eight of FSU’s 10 current head coaches were also hired during his time as the school’s athletics director.

“I have thoroughly enjoyed working with Perk for the past 11 years,” said Ferris State hockey coach Bob Daniels. “His dedication to Ferris State’s student-athlete experience and his desire to assist all the athletic programs has been a driving force for the department’s success. All of the department’s championships across all the programs has sometimes overshadowed the tremendous success our student-athletes have enjoyed in the classroom. Perk’s well-balanced approach to athletics has led the way.”

The many highlights under Weisenburger’s direction include the school’s first-ever NCAA Division I Frozen Four showing and national championship game appearance in men’s hockey in 2012.

“The decision to step away from Bulldog athletics was very difficult but it became increasing clear that now is the right time for a new vision that will create fresh energies and perspectives,” Weisenburger said. “After 11 very productive years at Ferris State and 40 years total as an intercollegiate athletic administrator, it is time to pass the baton, move on and for me to focus on other priorities and opportunities. My time at Ferris State has been some of the most rewarding as a professional and it has been extremely gratifying to work with such an outstanding group of coaches, staff and student-athletes. I will always be grateful for and extremely proud of who we are and what we stand for.

“I want to thank President Dave Eisler, former vice-president Jerry Scoby and current vice-president Jim Bachmeier for their trust, support and guidance as we charted multiple pathways for growth and success. Additionally, a heartfelt thanks to all the talented and dedicated Bulldog student-athletes past and present, our outstanding coaches, the hardest working staff in athletics plus the university and Big Rapids communities at large for their support. To our alumni, sponsors and donors, we cannot do what we do without your support and contributions. Thank you.”

Weisenburger has also played a lead role in several major facility upgrades, highlighted by the recent announcement of the new $15.3 million Center for Athletics Performance (CAP) project, which will equip FSU’s talented student-athletes with championship-caliber training and conditioning facilities for years to come. The Bulldogs also opened the new South Athletic Complex and installed new synthetic turf surfaces in three venues with Weisenburger at the department’s helm.

Under Weisenburger’s leadership, the Bulldogs’ Division I hockey program made the transition from the former CCHA to the WCHA. He also recently guided FSU’s move back to the new CCHA, which begins play this fall, and chaired the search committee and process that led to the appointment of Don Lucia as the league commissioner.

Additionally, Weisenburger has worked closely with university administration on progressive initiatives in the gender equity area that have led to advancements for the entire Bulldog student-athlete population.

A Michigan native, Weisenburger was tabbed as the Bulldogs’ athletics director following a nationwide search and began his duties at FSU on Sept. 10, 2010, returning to his home state following more than five years (2005-10) as the associate athletics director for external operations at UNLV.

“I want to publicly express my love and gratitude to my spouse, Buffy, for her unconditional support and understanding of my passion for building teams, cultures and championship opportunities and for recognizing the time and energy that is required to do this job,” Weisenburger said. “I also want to thank our adult sons, Jack and Joe, for their support as Bulldog fans and for enjoying stadium food too often as a replacement for sit-down family dinners.”

Lake Forest coach Kelliher stepping down to relocate with family; Foresters’ assistant O’Malley to take reins in ’21-22

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Patrick Kelliher (left) will hand off the Lake Forest men’s hockey program to longtime assistant Sean O’Malley on June 1.

After 11 years as a member of the Lake Forest men’s hockey coaching staff, including the last seven as head coach, Patrick Kelliher is resigning to relocate with his family.

He will be replaced by Sean O’Malley, the team’s top assistant for the last seven years, effective June 1.

Lake Forest is 87-64-16 overall and 66-47-9 in conference play since Kelliher took over as head coach and O’Malley became his assistant in 2014.

“It has been a privilege to be a part of Forester Hockey for the past 11 years and to serve as head coach for the last seven,” said Kelliher in a news release. “It is truly special to be able to help build something I believe in at a place where you don’t have to sacrifice athletics or academics. To see the culture that our team has created is something I will always be proud of. To all my former players, I appreciate everything you gave to this team and my hope is that you will always be proud alumni of the Lake Forest College men’s hockey program. In addition, I’d be remiss to not thank Blake and Jackie for trusting me to lead this program as a young head coach and for believing in our staff’s vision.”

“I look forward to watching Coach O’Malley lead this program to new heights in future years. There could not be a better or more deserving person to take over the helm. Sean’s tireless efforts over the past seven years have been a huge part of where this program is today.”

The Foresters reached the semifinals of the 2018 and 2019 NCHA Harris Cup playoffs and qualified for the NCAA Division III tournament for the first time in 29 years in 2019-20. The team has been nationally ranked on several occasions and listed as high as No. 6 in the nation during his tenure.

“Coach Kelliher has done a tremendous job with the Forester men’s hockey program throughout his time at the College,” said Lake Forest VP for athletics and career advancement Jackie Slaats. “His teams have been competitive in the NCHA and on a national level while representing Forester athletics extremely well in the classroom and community. We appreciate his contributions to the men’s hockey program and department as a whole and wish Pat and his family the best as they move on to the next chapter in their lives. We are also fortunate to have a person of Coach O’Malley’s caliber to continue moving the program forward.”

O’Malley, who has also been the Foresters’ head women’s golf coach since 2017, came to Lake Forest from Potsdam, where he served for two seasons as an assistant coach, recruiting coordinator, and academic advisor.

After four years playing at Brockport, O’Malley pursued a professional career with the ECHL’s Wheeling Nailers and various minor league teams.

“While he certainly has big shoes to fill, we are confident Coach O’Malley will do just that,” Lake Forest interim director of athletics Blake Theisen said. “He has been a big part of the program’s success since he arrived on campus in 2014 and the team will continue to benefit from his talent, work ethic, and experience as a coach, as well as the continuity he provides during this transition.”

“I am extremely humbled and honored to be the next head men’s ice hockey coach here at Lake Forest College and remain involved in the campus community,” said O’Malley. “I am eager to get started and thankful to the college’s administration for giving me this opportunity.

“It has been a pleasure to work alongside Coach Kelliher the past seven years. His vision and values for this program has created a tremendous culture at the rink and in the classroom. I will always be thankful he brought me to Lake Forest College. Moving forward, we want to continue the tradition of excellence and hold the same values and standards for our program. I will continue to work diligently to provide our players an opportunity to be successful, both on and off the ice.”

Lake Superior State extends Whitten to stay Lakers’ coach through 2027-28 college hockey season

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Damon Whitten led Lake Superior State to a season full of highlights in 2020-21, including a WCHA championship (photo: LSSU Athletics).

Lake Superior State coach Damon Whitten has agreed to terms on a six-year contract extension to stay with the Lakers through the 2027-28 season.

Whitten, who was named the tenth head coach in program history in April 2014, has led the team to six WCHA playoff appearances, including the program’s first WCHA championship in 2021. In addition, Whitten guided the team to its first NCAA tournament appearance in 25 years during the 2020-21 season as well as the first Great Lakes Invitational championship in program history.

In his seven seasons at Lake Superior State, Whitten has led the program to a 99-133-27 overall record.

“My family would like to express our sincere appreciation to President Dr. Hanley, director of athletics Dr. Paitson, and the leadership team at LSSU for their trust and belief in our staff,” said Whitten in a statement. “I would also like to acknowledge our alumni, donors, students, and fans, and our Laker hockey team, both past and present, who have supported me and my family during the past seven years. As a family, we are excited to continue growing our lives in the Sault while competing for championships with Laker hockey. Above all, we cannot wait to see and hear you all back at Taffy. Go Lakers.”

“I am excited to have Damon Whitten continue as the head coach of our Laker hockey program,” added LSSU president Dr. Rodney S. Hanley. “This is a well-deserved extension as Damon has led us back to national prominence, and I am confident that he will remain committed to Lake Superior State’s proud hockey tradition, not to mention our student-athletes’ academic achievements. I’d like to congratulate Damon and his family for this accomplishment, and look forward to the upcoming seasons of Laker hockey.”

The 2018-19 season marked Whitten’s highest single-season win total behind the bench as the team compiled a 23-13-2 overall record and a 16-10-2 mark in WCHA competition. The 23 wins were the highest single season win total for the program since the 1995-96 season and the first time the team surpassed 20 wins in a season since the 2006-07 season.

On an individual level, Whitten coached forward Diego Cuglietta, who finished the season as the national leader in goals scored with 25. The Lakers hosted a WCHA playoff series for the first time in team history and captured the program’s WCHA playoff series win for the first time as the Lakers defeated Bemidji State in the quarterfinals.

During the 2020-21 season, Whitten guided the Lakers to an historic season as the team finished the regular season second in the WCHA standings, won the program’s first WCHA championship, advanced to the NCAA tournament for the first time in 25 years, posted the program’s 1,000th all-time win, and ended the season with the program’s highest win percentage in 25 years. The Lakers’ season came to a close in the NCAA tournament as the team fell to the eventual national champion UMass in the opening round of the East Regional.

“I am thrilled to have Damon continue his role as head coach of the Lakers,” said Paitson. “Damon has blossomed into a leader and evolved as a coach, becoming better with each passing season. His vision for Laker hockey has come to life as a result of his dedication to the program’s culture and his ability to find innovative ways to advance our program, including through international recruiting and surrounding himself with a skilled staff. I congratulate Damon and his family and look forward to his guidance of Lake Superior State hockey in the years to come.”

In addition to his coaching accomplishments, Whitten has established himself as a dedicated and involved member of the LSSU campus community as well as the greater Sault Ste. Marie region. Whitten has been committed to creating relationships with alumni, fans, and current Lake State students in order to continue the proud tradition of Laker hockey.

One of Whitten’s biggest initiatives has been the implementation of Laker Legion, a student-fan organization that aims to spread Laker pride from the stands of the Taffy Abel Arena to the campus and community. Whitten was heavily involved in advocating, planning, and promoting the Lakers regular season game that took place in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., at GFL Memorial Gardens in Feb. 2020.

Penn State’s Phillips, Pilewicz using fifth year of NCAA eligibility to return to Nittany Lions in 2021-22

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Clayton Phillips and Adam Pilewicz will don the Penn State colors once again in 2021-22 (Phillips photo: Craig Houtz; Pilewicz photo: Mark Selders).

Penn State senior defensemen Clayton Phillips and Adam Pilewicz will return for a fifth season of college hockey with the Nittany Lions for the 2021-22 season.

“I made the decision after the season ended,” Phillips said to gopsusports.com. “I talked with the coaches, my parents and Pittsburgh (Penguins). I love this place and feel like we have some unfinished business.”

Phillips was selected by the Penguins in the third round (93rd overall) of the 2017 NHL Draft. He also played at Minnesota from 2017 to 2019 before transferring to Penn State.

“The end of the year left a sour taste in our mouth,” Pilewicz added. “We felt like we could have done more this year with the team we had.”

During the 2020-21 season, Phillips collected three goals and seven points in 20 games, while Pilewicz was held pointless in 12 games.

Penn State lost 4-3 in overtime to Wisconsin in a Big Ten tournament semifinal back on March 15.

Craggs returning to Bowling Green in ’21-22 to use fifth year of collegiate hockey eligibility

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Sam Craggs recorded 12 points for Bowling Green during the 2020-21 season (photo: Isaiah Vazquez).

Bowling Green senior forward Sam Craggs will be returning to the Falcons for the 2021-22 season, using his extra year of eligibility.

Over his four years as a Falcon, Craggs has totaled 50 points (21 goals, 29 assists) over 144 games.

During the 2020-21 season, Craggs tallied four goals and eight assists for a total of 12 points. Craggs also scored at least a point in five of the last six games of the season, including three assists in the second WCHA semifinals game against Northern Michigan.

“We couldn’t be happier to have Sam back for a fifth year,” BGSU coach Ty Eigner said in a statement. “Sam has already started training for next year and we believe it will be the best year he has had yet.”

“I’m extremely excited for having the opportunity to play a fifth year as a Falcon,” added Craggs. “Bowling Green is like a second home to me and I can’t wait to be back next year.”

Over his tenure with the Falcons, Craggs has registered six multiple-point outings with a career-high of three points in a game, doing so twice in his career. Of those six, one was also a multiple-goal game while he has had two multiple-assist games, including the three-assist game against Northern Michigan in the WCHA playoffs.

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