Berard was the coordinator of men’s hockey operations at Providence last season after serving as the interim coach at UConn for most of the 2012-13 season following Bruce Marshall’s leave of absence and subsequent resignation.
He was an assistant at Providence from 1994 to 1996 and from 1998 to 2011. In between those two stints, he was an assistant at Lake Superior State for two seasons.
“I am honored to have the opportunity to be the next head hockey coach at Holy Cross,” said Berard in a statement. “I want to thank [Holy Cross director of athletics] Nate Pine for his confidence in me to lead the program into a new era. I am excited to build a championship-level program that attracts talented, hard-working student-athletes who relentlessly pursue academic and athletic excellence. Holy Cross is a special place. I am excited to be a part of such a prestigious academic institution that fosters the personal growth and development of each of our student-athletes. I look forward to building upon the rich tradition of the program and using it as a foundation to win championships. I share in Nate’s vision for the future and I am thrilled to be a Crusader.”
“I am excited to welcome David Berard to Holy Cross and to have him join our outstanding team of coaches,” added Pine. “His wealth of experience as a head coach, assistant and player along with his proven track record of success makes him the perfect person to lead Holy Cross men’s ice hockey. I am certain that our program and our student-athletes will prosper under his guidance.”
After leading UConn to a 16-8-3 record as interim head coach, he was considered for the full-time position that ended up going to Mike Cavanaugh.
A goaltender in his playing days at Providence, Berard was a member of one of the most successful classes to wear a Friar uniform, amassing a total of 87 wins over their four-year career. Berard was a member of three teams that reached the Hockey East tournament semifinals and two teams that qualified for the NCAA tournament.
