Bill Mandigo, who led Middlebury College to a successful defense of its NCAA Division III Women’s Ice Hockey Championship, has been voted by his peers as the Division III Women’s Ice Hockey Coach of the Year for the second season in a row. Mandigo led Middlebury to a 26-3-1 record this season and the national crown.

Middlebury started the season 13-0, despite relying heavily on freshmen and sophomores. The Panthers also finished strong down the stretch ( 6-0), including a 4-3 win on March 19 in the NCAA Final against Elmira, played on Elmira’s home ice. The win avenged Middlebury’s last defeat, a 3-2 OT decision against Elmira on February 20.

Mandigo, who also received this honor in 2001, just completed his 17th year at Middlebury where he has achieved a record of 302-84-11. A 1988 Wesleyan graduate, he is the winningest coach in the history of NCAA Division III women’s ice hockey.

The Coach of the Year Award is chosen by members of the American Hockey Coaches Association and will be presented on April 23 at the Coach of the Year Celebration in Naples, Florida, as part of the annual AHCA Convention.

The runners-up for this year’s award were Mike Carroll of Gustavus Adolphus University and Kevin Houle of Plattsburgh State.