The NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel on Wednesday approved changes to the overtime format in men’s and women’s hockey, starting with the 2020-21 season.
Under the new rule, all teams tied at the end of regulation will play a five-minute, 3-on-3 sudden-victory overtime period to decide a winner. If neither team scores, a three-person shootout could be used in conference games or in-season tournaments for advancement purposes.
In addition, the “spin-o-rama” move, where the player with the puck completes a 360-degree turn while approaching the goal, will not be allowed in shootouts.
In regular-season nonconference games that go into overtime, teams are required to play a five-minute, 3-on-3 sudden-victory period. If neither team scores, the result of the game would be a tie.
The panel approved allowing teams to choose which faceoff circle the puck would be dropped in at the start of a power play or after icing violations, and also approved allowing officials to issue a warning on faceoff violations instead of ejecting the center. If a second violation by the same team occurs during the same faceoff, a two-minute bench minor penalty for delay of game will be called.
Committee members think this will speed up the pace of play.
As well, the Men’s and Women’s Ice Hockey Rules Committee voted to remove the rule that required team members to shake hands after a game. Committee members think it is best for conferences or schools to decide postgame sportsmanship protocols rather than for a national rule to establish the only postgame sportsmanship protocol.
Lance West spent the past two seasons as an assistant on Mike Corbett’s staff at UAH (photo: Doug Eagan).
Alabama Huntsville announced Wednesday the promotion of Lance West to head coach of the Chargers.
West, now the sixth head coach in program history, moves up to head coach after two seasons as an assistant under Mike Corbett and had been interim coach after Corbett stepped down in June.
“We are excited to officially announce Lance as head coach of the UAH hockey program,” UAH director of athletics Dr. Cade Smith said in a statement. “He has a deep understanding of what UAH hockey means to the community and an incredible pedigree within the college hockey landscape. We believe Lance will be successful in continuing the regrowth of the program and will attract successful student-athletes to UAH.”
“I am honored to be named head coach of the University of Alabama in Huntsville hockey program,” West added. “I want to thank President Dr. Darren Dawson and Dr. Cade Smith for the opportunity to lead the Charger hockey.
“I have spent 18 years either playing or coaching with the program, and I am very aware of and share the passion of our alumni and fan base for UAH hockey. The challenges that lie ahead are tough, but I am excited to work together with the young men, staff and The University that have committed to making this a successful program.”
West – a four-year letter-winner for UAH from 1991-95 – returned to Huntsville in 2018-19 as an assistant coach after a 10-season stint at Alaska where he was an assistant for nine campaigns before guiding the squad to the conference playoffs as interim head coach in 2017-18.
Prior to Alaska, West served as an assistant coach for UAH for a total of seven seasons from 2000 to 2007.
West was a volunteer assistant coach for the Chargers from 1995 to 1998 following his playing career, winning NCAA Division II national championships in 1996 and 1998.
During his playing career with the Chargers, the Penticton, British Columbia, native appeared in 106 career games and amassed 108 points on 43 goals and 65 assists over four seasons as a forward on the squad.
In response to ongoing health and safety concerns, the members of SUNYAC are suspending fall sports competition.
In addition, the winter conference and non-conference hockey schedules will be delayed until Jan. 1, 2021.
“Despite the absence of competition this fall, I am confident that we will be able to continue providing our student-athletes with an engaging athletic experience that includes a great opportunity for personal skill development and growth through small group workouts,” Mike Howard, the chair of the SUNYAC governing body and director of athletics at Plattsburgh, said in a statement. “Our coaches are some of the best in the business at seizing opportunity when options seem limited and this certainly will be no exception as they continue recruiting, mentoring and engaging safely in community service.”
“As a former student-athlete, I empathize with the disappointment our students must feel not being able to compete this fall,” added Erik Bitterbaum, the chair of the SUNYAC presidents. “But our priority is the health and safety of everyone involved with intercollegiate athletics, and we will continue to plan for a safe return to competition at the appropriate time.”
Northeastern goalie Craig Pantano turns aside a shot from New Hampshire’s Anthony Wyse during a 2019 Friendship Four game at the SSE Arena in Belfast (photo: William Cherry/Presseye).
The Friendship Four, a four-team tournament that has been held the past four years over Thanksgiving weekend in Belfast, Northern Ireland, has been canceled for 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The event had been scheduled to feature Army West Point, Mercyhurst, Quinnipiac and Sacred Heart.
Tickets purchased for the 2020 Friendship Four will be automatically refunded.
“The Odyssey Trust, along with the participants and league commissioners, will continue to explore all options to ensure the legacy of the Friendship Four tournament will endure through this challenging time,” said Odyssey Trust chairman Eric Porter in a statement. “The Friendship Four tournament and all of its wider community objectives would not be possible without the tremendous support from the Northern Ireland community and all of its tournament partners.”
Celeste Brown played at RIT from 2011 to 2015 before embarking on a pro playing career in the NWHL and NCAA coaching career.
Rochester Institute of Technology has announced former Tigers standout Celeste Brown has been named the next women’s head coach.
Brown was a member of RIT’s 2012 NCAA Division III national championship team before starring the next three seasons during the Tigers’ move to Division I.
The Montana native on to become the first player in program history to sign a professional contract before kicking off a coaching career, which included the last three years as an assistant coach at Penn State.
“I am truly proud to make this announcement to the RIT community,” said RIT executive director of intercollegiate athletics Lou Spiotti in a statement. “To bring one of our own alumna back to take over our proud women’s hockey program is indeed an exciting day. Celeste was one of the fiercest competitors our athletics program has ever known and has since become a stellar coach.”
“I would first like to thank Lou Spiotti, (senior VP for student affairs) Sandy Johnson, (associate director of intercollegiate athletics) Bethany Marren and the entire search committee on their diligent efforts throughout this process and the opportunity to return to RIT,” added Brown. “I would also like to thank my family and the unbelievable mentors I have had to help me get to this point.
“I am truly humbled and ecstatic to lead the next era of RIT women’s hockey. RIT is an unbelievable institution that offers elite opportunities in both academics and athletics. I look forward to joining an athletic department full of successful teams, coaches and student-athletes. These outstanding women at RIT are my No. 1 priority. I am excited to learn about each player’s individual experiences and outlooks. Those virtues will enhance our team identity.”
Brown played for the New York Riveters during the inaugural season of the NWHL in 2015-16 while also kicking off her coaching career as a volunteer assistant at Manhattanville. She played the following season with the NWHL’s Connecticut Whale while also serving as an assistant coach at Connecticut College.
Serving as team captain for both of RIT’s CHA championship runs in 2014 and 2015, Brown finished with 70 points on 42 goals and 28 assists in 139 games. In the classroom, Brown posted a 3.73 GPA while garnering CHA All-Academic Team honors on three occasions. She earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology and anthropology while also tacking on a minor in women and gender studies.
“I am counting down the days until the team returns to campus and the fun can begin,” Brown said. “We are going to approach each day with open minds, excitement and full effort. It feels fantastic to be back in the Tiger country.”
The Commonwealth Coast Conference made the decision Friday to suspend athletics for the fall 2020 semester.
Men’s hockey is affected, as is the new women’s league that was scheduled to start with the 2020-21 season.
“With improved public health conditions and relevant NCAA guidance, we hope to begin competition for winter sports athletic competition as early as January 1, 2021,” the conference said in a statement. “Spring sports currently remain on schedule as planned, with the exception of canceling their non-traditional fall play date. In addition, should NCAA legislation permit fall sports teams to conduct athletic activities and competition in the spring 2021 semester, CCC schedules and championships may be adjusted accordingly.”
The decision to suspend CCC play in the fall does not preclude individual CCC schools from making “institutional decisions to schedule some athletic competition,” the statement concluded.
Michael Gershon will start his first season behind the Chatham bench in 2020-21 (photo: Justin Cohn).
First-year Chatham coach Michael Gershon has been named head coach of the Open Team USA for the 2022 Maccabiah Games, set to take place July 12-26, 2022, in Israel.
Gershon came to Chatham this offseason from a successful four-year career as an assistant coach with Robert Morris.
“It is an honor to be named head coach for Team USA men’s ice hockey at the 21st Maccabiah Games,” said Gershon in a statement. “This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to represent the United States in Israel. These games will bring people together from 85 different countries to showcase their talents as well as their religious and national pride.”
The Maccabiah Games are the world’s largest Jewish athletic competition, which started in 1932 and takes place every four years in Israel.
“I am excited to go to Israel with a group of Jewish Americans and try to be the first USA team to win a gold medal at the Maccabiah Games,” said Gershon. “Team USA won a silver medal last time and I know that in two years, our goal will be to bring back a gold medal. For most of us, this will be the only time we ever get to put on a Team USA jersey. That is an honor that can never be taken away.”
The Northeast-10 Conference voted unanimously on Thursday, July 16, to suspend all NE10-sponsored competition and championships through Dec. 31, 2020, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The conference will work to provide a regular-season schedule and/or conference championships for its winter sport student-athletes during the spring 2021 semester, “with the intention of aligning with appropriate NCAA selection criteria and dates, as long as a return to competition can be safely executed,” according to a news release.
“The Northeast-10 Conference Council of Presidents is united in its commitment to supporting local and state efforts to curb the spread of COVID-19,” said the presidents in a combined statement. “Campus resocialization guidelines – including restrictions on student and staff travel, social distancing requirements and limits on group gatherings, are being undertaken so that campuses can support in-person engagement and education. Aiding our member campuses in their reopening efforts is critical and while athletics is an integral part of campus life, nothing is more important than the health and well-being of our NE10 community, including our student-athletes, staff and our towns and cities. As such, we have made the difficult decision that intercollegiate athletics competition has been suspended through December 31. We will strive to create meaningful competitive opportunities for our fall sports during the 2020-21 academic year, if it is deemed safe.
“We do not take this decision lightly and understand its impact. Our campus communities will do everything we can to support the well-being of our student-athletes this fall as we navigate these uncertain times together.”
Wyatt Kalynuk served as Wisconsin’s captain in 2019-20 as a junior (photo: Greg Anderson/Wisconsin Athletics).
Wisconsin defenseman Wyatt Kalynuk has given up his senior season with the Badgers to sign a two-year, entry-level deal with the Chicago Blackhawks.
The UW team captain last year, Kalynuk recorded a career-high 28 points (seven goals, 21 assists) in 36 contests during his junior season, earning All-Big Ten honors and finishing second among all Big Ten blueliners in points and tied for second in goals.
Kalynuk was named to the All-Big Ten Second Team during his sophomore season after notching 25 points (nine goals, 16 assists) in 37 games. As a freshman, he was selected to the All-Big Ten Freshmen Team and the All-Big Ten Honorable Mention Team after compiling 25 points (three goals, 22 assists) in 37 contests.
Overall, the native of Virden, Manitoba recorded 78 points (19 goals, 59 assists) in 110 games with Wisconsin.
Kalynuk, the first Manitoba native to play for Wisconsin since 1992 (Duane Derksen), was originally selected by the Philadelphia Flyers in the seventh round (196th overall) of the 2017 NHL Draft.
Jack Dugan paced the country in points during the 2019-20 season, going for 52 points in 34 games for Providence (photo: Rich Gagnon).
The Vegas Golden Knights have signed Providence sophomore forward Jack Dugan to a two-year, entry-level contract.
Dugan will give up his last two seasons of NCAA eligibility.
During the 2019-20 season, Dugan led the NCAA in points, recording 52 points (10 goals, 42 assists) in just 34 games. He also led all NCAA skaters in assists, points per game (1.53), assists per game (1.24), power-play points (22) and even-strength points (30).
As a freshman with the Friars, the Rochester, N.Y., native ranked second on the team with 39 points (10 goals, 29 assists) to go with 48 penalty minutes in 41 games and helped lead the team to a 2019 Frozen Four appearance. Following the season, Dugan was named to the Hockey East All-Rookie Team.
Dugan was originally selected by the Golden Knights in the fifth round (142nd overall) of the 2017 NHL Draft.
Harvard defenseman Jack Rathbone has signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Vancouver Canucks, forgoing his junior and senior years with the Crimson.
Rathbone was originally drafted by the Canucks in the fourth round (95th overall) of the 2017 NHL Draft.
“We’re excited for Jack as he takes the next step in his career,” Harvard coach Ted Donato said in a statement. “Jack was a great leader for our team, an excellent student, and a fantastic teammate. We look forward to following his success at the pro level.”
A native of West Roxbury, Mass., Rathbone is coming off his best season at Harvard as one of the top offensive defensemen in college hockey, recording 31 points (seven goals, 24 assists) in 28 games. He was named a CCM/AHCA Hockey First Team All-American in 2019-20 and was also an All-ECAC Hockey First Team pick.
An ECAC Hockey All-Rookie Team selection as a freshman, Rathbone totaled 22 points (seven goals, 15 assists) in 33 games for the Crimson in 2018-19.
He finishes his Harvard career with 53 points (14 goals, 39 assists) in 61 games.
Paul Kirtland has served as an assistant coach at Sacred Heart for the past two seasons (photo: Sacred Heart Athletics).
Paul Kirtland has joined the Yale staff as an assistant coach after spending the last two seasons as an assistant at Sacred Heart.
“We are excited to add Paul Kirtland to our coaching staff,” said Yale head coach Keith Allain in a statement. “He has been extremely successful wherever he has coached and is one of the brightest young minds in college hockey. Paul will spend lots of time developing our defensemen and working on the penalty kill, but his contributions won’t stop there. He is an excellent skills coach and has experience working in all facets of the game. Each one of our players will benefit from his presence on our staff.
“His hiring represents our deep commitment to the development of our people as we relentlessly pursue championships.”
“I am excited about the opportunity afforded to me by Coach Allain and the Yale University men’s hockey program,” added Kirtland. “I look forward to being part of a program with such prestigious history and am eager to work with the players and staff in order to contribute to the attainment of our goals, both individually and collectively.”
A 2013 Ohio State graduate, Kirtland skated in 49 games with the Buckeyes, registering three goals, before playing in the ECHL with three teams during the 2012-13 season. He started his NCAA coaching career in 2016 as an assistant with Trinity, and has also coached with the NAHL’s Fairbanks Ice Dogs and USHL’s Dubuque Fighting Saints.
Austin Albrecht posted 15 points in 33 games last season for AIC (photo: RJB Sports).
American International junior forward Austin Albrecht has signed with the ECHL’s Wichita Thunder, giving up his senior season with the Yellow Jackets.
Albrecht started at UMass in 2017-18 before transferring to AIC and sitting out the 2018-19 season due to NCAA transfer rules.
This past season, he recorded 15 points (five goals, 10 assists) in 33 games and helped the Yellow Jackets to the Atlantic Hockey regular-season title.
In 2017-18, he appeared in 28 contests and tallied six goals and five assists before leaving the Minutemen.
Jordan Renaud tallied 21 points for Brockport as a sophomore during the 2019-20 season (photo: Mathieu Starke/Brockport Athletics).
The Empire 8 Conference has announced it has canceled all fall sports.
UCHC men’s and women’s schools Elmira, Utica, and Nazareth are full members of this conference and SUNYAC schools Brockport and Cortland are for football.
Decisions surrounding winter sports competition will be made at a later time.
Wayne Dean (left) poses with longtime Yale hockey SID Steve Conn (photo: Yale Athletics).
Wayne Dean, a former NCAA hockey committee chair who ran numerous regional tournaments, has retired.
Dean had been at Yale since 1986 and most recently served as the school’s deputy director of athletics. He was also the sport administrator for men’s and women’s hockey and oversaw Ingalls Rink.
Also the chair of the NCAA men’s and women’s hockey rules committee from 2018 to 2020, Dean was a member of the men’s hockey championship committee from 2001 to 2005, chairing the group during the 2004–05 season. He also served as the co-director of the regionals at the Webster Bank Arena in 2009, 2011, 2012, 2014 and 2018.
During the 2014 Frozen Four held at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, he served on the tournament organizing committee. In addition, he served as the tournament co-director for the 2004 women’s Frozen Four.
Dean served on the Board of Directors for College Hockey Inc. and the ECAC and is an ECAC past president.
A 1977 graduate of Lyndon State College, where he is a member of its athletics hall of fame, Dean has an MS and CAS from Springfield. He and his wife Betsy live in Westbrook, Conn. They have three children, Amy (Springfield), Matt (Quinnipiac) and Jake (Cornell).
The Ralph Engelstad Arena is located in Grand Forks, N.D. (photo: Bradley K. Olson).
The 2020 U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Game originally scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 17, at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville has officially been postponed and moved to the new date of Saturday, Oct. 30, 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We have been closely monitoring the situation with the COVID-19 pandemic and have tried to work through multiple scenarios, but after much consideration, we have made the decision to officially postpone the Nashville event and reschedule it to October 30, 2021,” said Ralph Engelstad Arena GM Jody Hodgson. “We are still going to Nashville, we’re just going a year later than we had originally planned. The philosophy that the show must go on is in our DNA and we never imagined postponing this event only a few short months ago.
“However, postponing the event is clearly the most prudent thing to do based on the information available to us today. All of our options were complicated and uncertain. We tried to approach it in a methodical way and think we’ve done that.”
The 2020 version of the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Game will now be played at Ralph Engelstad Arena in Grand Forks, N.D., on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2020. The opponent for the 2020 event in Grand Forks has yet to be determined.
“Our hockey program is very much looking forward to the rescheduled Hall of Fame Game in Nashville,” UND coach Brad Berry said. “We are grateful to our loyal and passionate fans that will proudly participate in this unforgettable experience with us. Thank you for your patience and understanding.”
Penn State will be UND’s opponent at the 2021 Hall of Fame Game to be played in Nashville. Game time in Nashville for the 2021 game is set for 7:07 p.m. CST. The Fighting Hawks and the Nittany Lions will square off at a sold-out Bridgestone Arena in Nashville.
“The Nashville game is not a normal regular-season game because of all that is involved with a destination event, including the extensive travel required for fans that have already purchased game tickets,” said UND director of athletics Bill Chaves. “With tickets sold to UND fans in 45 of 50 states and five of 10 Canadian provinces, our destination games have become national events and our fans deserve the opportunity to gather and celebrate en masse without limitation, restriction, or fear for their health and safety. We believe that moving the Nashville game to October of 2021 was the only way to check all of the boxes necessary to have another great destination event.
“We intend to continue to be patient with the rest of the 2020-2021 schedule while the pandemic evolves, but felt it was imperative to give our fans at least 90 days of advance notice for the Nashville destination game.”
All fans who purchased tickets for the original 2020 event in Nashville need to hold on to their tickets as all tickets purchased for the 2020 event will now be honored for the rescheduled 2021 game in Nashville.
St. Thomas finished 12-10-4 during the 2019-20 season, losing in the first round of the MIAC playoffs to St. Mary’s (photo: St. Thomas Athletics).
The WCHA women’s conference will grow by one member as the league’s board of directors has voted unanimously to add St. Thomas as the league’s eighth program beginning with the 2021-22 season.
“On behalf of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association, I am pleased to welcome the University of St. Thomas to our league,” WCHA women’s chairman and Wisconsin senior associate athletic director Jason King said in a statement. “As we’ve gone through the membership process with St. Thomas, I have been impressed with their leadership at all levels, as well as their vision for their university, their athletics programs and their women’s hockey team.
“This is a big win not only for our league, but also for the sport of women’s hockey.”
St. Thomas will join current WCHA member Minnesota as the second Division I athletic department in the state of Minnesota. In addition to its membership in the WCHA, 19 of the school’s remaining 21 sports will join the Summit League while the school’s football program will join the Pioneer League.
Division I league membership for men’s hockey will be announced at a later date.
“We are thrilled to welcome the University of St. Thomas to the WCHA in 2021,” WCHA commissioner Jennifer Flowers said. “St. Thomas is a dynamic private institution that brings with it a history of excellence both academically and athletically. The addition of St. Thomas enhances the WCHA’s regional footprint and further diversifies our incredible league. We look forward to expanding our Twin Cities fanbase by welcoming the passionate Tommie fans. The WCHA is proud to be the women’s hockey home for the University of St. Thomas.”
Located in St. Paul, Minn., St. Thomas was a founding member of the MIAC in 1920 and will mark a century of membership in the MIAC when its programs compete in the league for the final time during the 2020-21 academic year. With 6,173 undergraduate students, St. Thomas will be the first private school to compete in the WCHA and the sixth league member located in the state of Minnesota.
“St. Thomas’ mission – to educate students to be morally responsible leaders who advance the common good – calls us to make an impact, and our reclassification to Division I allows us to broaden that impact,” St. Thomas president Dr. Julie H. Sullivan said. “We are thrilled to become part of the proud tradition of the women’s league of the WCHA. Competing against these prominent women’s hockey programs will help St. Thomas extend its reach and, ultimately, advance our mission.”
The Tommies have emerged as one of the top programs in Division III women’s hockey. St. Thomas boasts a 357-171-52 (.660) all-time record after posting its 20th consecutive winning season in 2019-20.
St. Thomas has appeared in two Division III Frozen Fours, finished in the top three in the MIAC 19 times in the last 20 seasons, claimed six MIAC regular-season titles, six MIAC postseason crowns and earned six NCAA playoff berths since the program’s first season of NCAA competition in 1998-99.
“I want to thank Commissioner Flowers and the WCHA Board for their support of our efforts to reclassify to Division I,” St. Thomas VP and director of athletics Dr. Phil Esten said. “We’re thrilled to join the country’s premier women’s college hockey conference and look forward to establishing new traditions and rivalries with some of the most historic hockey brands at any level. This decision aligns with our university’s bold vision to ever press forward. I am excited for the opportunity to compete at the Division I level, while keeping a watchful eye on ensuring conditions for our student-athletes to pursue comprehensive excellence.”
St. Thomas will be immediately eligible for the WCHA regular-season and postseason championships in 2021-22.
The addition of St. Thomas will return the WCHA to eight member institutions in 2021-22. The league was an eight-team circuit from 2004-05 through 2016-17 before the discontinuation of the women’s hockey program at North Dakota.
Derek Plante has coached with Minnesota Duluth on two previous occasions (photo: Jim Rosvold).
Derek Plante is returning to Minnesota Duluth as an assistant coach.
“I am very excited to be joining Scott Sandelin’s staff for my third stint as a Bulldog,” Plante said in a news release. “The program has clearly established itself as one of the top programs in all of college hockey over the last decade. When Coach Sandelin offered me the chance to come back and be a part of the program again, I was honored and jumped at the opportunity.”
Plante was a player development coach for the Chicago Blackhawks from 2015 until this past season.
“I am very excited to welcome back Derek to the Bulldog coaching staff,” added Sandelin. “Derek was an integral part of our first national championship in 2011 and brings a wealth of knowledge and passion to our program. He will step right in to continue the success we have had on and off the ice.”
College hockey’s signature opening weekend event — the Ice Breaker Tournament — which is scheduled to be hosted by Minnesota Duluth, will be postponed to 2021 due to COVID-19.
The event was slated for Oct. 9-10, 2020, at Amsoil Arena.
“Given the latest input and guidance from the university, local and state officials as well as public health experts, we have decided at this time it is not possible to host the 2020 Ice Breaker Tournament in a successful manner and have postponed the event to October of 2021,” said UMD athletic director Josh Berlo in a statement. “Ultimately, the health and well-being of the participants, staff, coaches, campus and community led us to this decision.
“We hope this postponement puts UMD, Amsoil Arena and Duluth in the best position to safely host the Ice Breaker Tournament in 2021 that will include an exceptional experience for the teams, a safe and fun atmosphere for the fans of Bulldog Country and beyond as well as significant economic impact for our community.”
The tentative rescheduled dates are Oct. 15-16, 2021.
Providence and Minnesota State have confirmed their ability to remain in the postponed event. Minnesota has indicated they will not be participating.
All UMD season ticket holders who have purchased tickets directly through the UMD ticket office will have the postponement credit automatically applied to the 2021 Icebreaker Tournament as part of the 2021-22 season ticket package, or they may request a refund.
Ryan Durocher spent the past two seasons as an assistant coach with the USHL’s Sioux City Musketeers (photo: Sioux City Musketeers).
Robert Morris has added Ryan Durocher as an assistant coach for the upcoming 2020-21 season.
“Ryan brings a lot of different experiences to our program while specializing in on ice skill development and video,” RMU head coach Derek Schooley said in a statement. “He has a tremendous amount of passion for teaching, and with his experience in college, junior and the New Jersey Devils organization, Ryan will help our players grow both on and off the ice. We are excited to welcome Ryan to RMU.”
Durocher joins Robert Morris after two seasons as an assistant with the USHL’s Sioux City Musketeers.
Before arriving in the USHL, Durocher served as a video coach with the AHL’s Binghamton Devils during the 2017-18 season and spent two years in a similar capacity at St. Lawrence from 2015 to 2017.
“I’m extremely excited for this opportunity to get back into college hockey and join the Robert Morris University hockey program as an assistant coach,” Durocher said. “The program has perennially been in the upper echelon of Atlantic Hockey and competed for numerous league titles. Both the campus and hockey facility impressed me during the hiring process.”
Prior to his coaching career, Durocher played at Cortland, where he graduated in 2012 with a bachelor’s degree in sports management. He went on to earn his master’s in sports management from Southern New Hampshire in 2014 where he began his coaching career at the D-II level before moving on to the EHL’s New England Wolves in 2014.
“I can’t wait to get started and make a positive impact on both the team and community,” Durocher said. “I’m very appreciative of head coach Derek Schooley and athletic director Chris King for giving me the chance to take another step in my coaching career.”
