DULUTH, MINNESOTA — For his efforts in leading St. Lawrence University to the 2012 ECAC Tournament Championship and a berth in the NCAA Quarterfinals, Chris Wells has been named by his peers as the AHCA Women's Division I Coach of the Year for 2011-12. The Saints compiled a record of 24-10-4 this year, their season coming to an end with a 6-3 loss at Boston College in the NCAA Quarterfinals.

Wells led St. Lawrence to an incredible streak from December 2 to March 2 where the Saints went 17-2-1, its only losses in that stretch coming at the hands of ECAC season-long front-runner Cornell. On Saturday, March 3, SLU ran the streak to 18-2-1 with a 3-1 win at Cornell to capture the 2012 ECAC Tournament title.

Through four seasons as the Saints' head coach, Wells has compiled a record of 80-53-16. He is a 1992 graduate of St. Lawrence where he played four seasons for men's head coach Joe Marsh. Wells was a key player in St. Lawrence's drive to the 1992 ECAC Championship, scoring the game-winning goal in overtime when the Saints downed RPI in the semifinals. After graduation, Wells played professionally in Europe before starting his coaching career with the Colgate men and later the St. Lawrence men.

Wells was assisted this season by Mare MacDougall and Ted Wisner. The runner-up for this year's AHCA Women's Division I Coach of the Year award was Brad Frost of the University of Minnesota.

The Coach of the Year Award winners are chosen by members of the American Hockey Coaches Association (AHCA). Winners will receive their awards at the annual AHCA "Celebration of Women's Hockey" Banquet, held in conjunction with the AHCA Convention in Naples, FL. This year's event is scheduled for Friday, April 27.