Blaise MacDonald Wins Edward Jeremiah Award As 2017-18 AHCA Division II-III Men's Coach of the Year

Edward Jeremiah Award to be Presented on April 25 in Naples, FL

For leading Colby College into the NCAA Division III Men's Ice Hockley Championships, Blaise MacDonald has been named winner of the Edward Jeremiah Award as the CCM/AHCA Division III Men's Coach of the Year. The Mules will meet St. Norbert College in the NCAA Semifinals at Herb Brooks Arena in Lake Placid, NY, on Friday night at 6:30 p.m.

Colby enters Friday's contest on a nine-game unbeaten streak (7-0-2) and brings a 17-10-2 overall record to the event. That streak followed a 10-10-0 start that accounted for Colby's fifth place regular season finish in the NESCAC. But the post-season has been anything but average. The Mules swept through the NESCAC Tournament, outscoring three opponents by 14-3, in leading Colby to its first NESCAC championship. To reach the NCAA semifinals, Colby defeated the University of New England, 4-2, and Geneseo State, 2-1, the latter with a GWG at 19:58 of the third period. Since the unbeaten streak began on February 10, Colby has only allowed 11 goals in those nine games (1.22 GAA.)

MacDonald is the former head coach of Niagara University and UMass Lowell. He was the founding coach of Niagara's varsity hockey program, leading the Purple Eagles into Division I hockey in their third year. In 1999-2000, he led Niagara to a mark of 30-8-4 and was voted College Hockey America Coach of the Year. MacDonald won 145 games during his decade at UMass-Lowell.

His 15 seasons with those varsity programs followed 11 years as an assistant coach at Dartmouth (1985-87), Princeton (1987- 88), UMass-Lowell (1988-90) and Boston University (1990-96.) Working alongside legendary Terrier head coach Jack Parker, MacDonald helped Boston University to a national championship at the NCAA Frozen Four in 1995 as the associate head coach. Overall in 21 seasons, he has compiled a record of 298-311-79.

A native of Billerica, Mass., MacDonald, was a four-year letterwinner at Rochester Institute of Technology, graduating in 1985. He helped lead RIT to NCAA Division III championships in 1983 and 1985. MacDonald was an All-American defensemen and was inducted into the RIT Hall of Fame in 1991. At the time of his graduation, he held RIT records for career assists (106) and points (119) by a defensemen. MacDonald and his wife, Carol, are the parents of four children – sons Cam, Joseph, and Jacob, and daughter Carly. Cam plays for his father at Colby.

The Edward Jeremiah Award is named in honor of the great Dartmouth College head coach and was first presented in 1970. MacDonald was assisted this year by Chris Hall and Mike Latendresse. The runner-up for the Jeremiah Award was Zech Klann of Salve Regina University.

MacDonald and his staff will receive their awards at the annual AHCA Celebration of Men's Ice Hockey Banquet, held in conjunction with the AHCA Convention in Naples, FL. This year's banquet is scheduled for Wednesday, April 25.

CCMThe CCM AHCA COACH of the YEAR AWARDS are sponsored by CCM HOCKEY and chosen by members of the AMERICAN HOCKEY COACHES ASSOCIATION. CCM is the legendary hockey brand dedicated to the endless pursuit of performance by delivering game-changing, head-to-toe innovative hockey equipment to players worldwide.

Winners of the Edward Jeremiah Award
(Division III Coach of the Year)
1970 Sid Watson, Bowdoin
1971 Sid Watson, Bowdoin
1972 Jack Canniff, Massachusetts
1973 Jim Cross, Vermont
1974 Barry Urbanski, Boston State
1975 Wendall Forbes, Middlebury
1976 Don Roberts, Gustavus Adolphus
1977 Bill Riley, Jr., Lowell
1978 Sid Watson, Bowdoin
1979 Don Brose, Mankato State
1980 Steve Stirling, Babson
1981 Herb Hammond, Plattsburgh State
1982 Steve Stirling, Babson
1983 Mike Gibbons, Bemidji State
Peter Van Buskirk, Holy Cross
1984 Bob Peters, Bemidji State
1985 Rob Riley, Babson
1986 Terry Meagher, Bowdoin
1987 Tony Mariano, Norwich
1988 Glenn Thomaris, Elmira
1989 Terry Meagher, Bowdoin
1990 Bill Beaney, Middlebury
1991 Glenn Thomaris, Elmira
1992 Bruce Marshall, Connecticut
1993 Joe Baldarotta, WI-Stevens Point
1994 Jeff Meredith, Fredonia
1995 Bill Beaney, Middlebury
1996 Dean Talafous, WI-River Falls
1997 Mike McShane, Norwich
1998 Mike Schwartz, Augsburg
1999 Mike McShane, Norwich
2000 Mike McShane, Norwich
2001 Wayne Wilson, RIT
2002 Dan Stauber, WI-Superior
2003 George Roll, Oswego State
2004 Bill Beaney, Middlebury
2005 Terry Skrypek, St. Thomas
2006 Bill Beaney, Middlebury
2007 Ed Gosek, Oswego State
2008 Tim Coghlin, St. Norbert College
2009 Dominick Dawes, Neumann College
2010 Mike McShane, Norwich
2011 Tim Coghlin, St. Norbert College
2012 Jack Arena, Amherst College
2013 Matt Loen, UW-Eau Claire
2014 Chris Schultz, Geneseo
2015 Jack Arena, Amherst College
2016 Chris Schultz, Geneseo
Peter Belisle, UMass Boston
2017 Mike McShane, Norwich
2018 Blaise MacDonald, Colby College