Nine coaches who have enjoyed on-ice success in 2008-09 have been named finalists for the Spencer Penrose Award, given annually to the NCAA Division I men’s ice hockey coach of the year. Finalists were those either voted Coach of the Year in their conferences or who guided their teams to the NCAA Frozen Four.
Noteworthy among this year’s finalists:
• The list includes two former Penrose winners: Enrico Blasi of Miami, who won in 2006, and Jack Parker of Boston University, the 1978 honoree. With two wins last weekend, Parker now has 813, third on the all-time coaching list behind Ron Mason (924) and Jerry York (814).
• Repeat finalists include Dave Hakstol of North Dakota, Tom Serratore of Bemidji State, and Kevin Sneddon of Vermont.
• Serratore is the only finalist who is both a conference coach of the year and coach of a Frozen Four semifinalist.
The award is named in honor of the former Colorado Springs benefactor who built the Broadmoor Hotel Complex, site of the first 10 NCAA hockey championships. It will be presented at the American Hockey Coaches Association (AHCA) Coach of the Year Banquet on Saturday, April 25, in Naples, Fla.
2008-2009 Spencer Penrose finalists
Keith Allain, Yale*
Enrico Blasi, Miami#@
Greg Cronin, Northeastern*
Dallas Ferguson, Alaska*
Dave Hakstol, North Dakota*
Jack Parker, Boston University#@
Tom Serratore, Bemidji State*#
Kevin Sneddon, Vermont#
Ryan Soderquist, Bentley*
* Conference coach of the year
# NCAA Frozen Four participant
@ Previous winner
Recent winners
2000 Joe Marsh, St. Lawrence
2001 Dean Blais, North Dakota
2002 Tim Whitehead, Maine
2003 Bob Daniels, Ferris State
2004 Scott Sandelin, Minnesota-Duluth
2005 George Gwozdecky, Denver
2006 Enrico Blasi, Miami
2007 Jeff Jackson, Notre Dame
2008 Red Berenson, Michigan
