The Niagara University athletic department announced today that Niagara University men’s hockey head coach Blaise MacDonald has withdrawn his name for consideration from the head coaching vacancy at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst.
“It has been a privilege for me to be part of building the Niagara University hockey program,” said MacDonald. “It has taken a lot of hard work, dedication and pride from everybody involved and I want to continue to be involved in this project. There has been a terrific amount of commitment shown to the hockey program and to athletics by the University. We are very grateful for all their efforts to allow us to continue to dream big and realize our dreams. I am looking forward to the future at Niagara and especially next season.”
“We have a great admiration for Blaise and the program he has built at Niagara,” said Niagara President Father Joseph Levesque, C.M.. “We are very pleased that he has chosen to stay with the Niagara family.”
Earlier, UNH head coach Dick Umile withdrew his name from consideration for the position. The short list for UMass reportedly has Maine head coach Shawn Walsh, Princeton head coach Don “Toot” Cahoon, Merrimack head coach Chris Serino, Boston University assistant coach Brian Durocher, and former Lake Superior head coach Jeff Jackson.
Cahoon was interviewed on Monday by the chairman of the Hockey Coach Interview Committee, Thorr Bjorn, and UMass athletic director Bob Marcum.
The head coaching vacancy was created when Joe Mallen’s contract was not renewed.
