Finalists Announced for Spencer Penrose Award

Given to CCM/AHCA Men's Hockey Division I Coach of the Year

Ten coaches who have enjoyed on-ice success in 2018-19 have been named finalists for the Spencer Penrose Award, given annually to the CCM/AHCA Division I Men's Ice Hockey Coach of the Year. Voting will be conducted prior to this year's Frozen Four in Buffalo, and the winner will be announced on Wednesday, April 10.

The nominees represent any coach who won or shared Coach of the Year honors in his conference this past season, along with coaches whose teams have advanced to the NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey semifinals. This year, the AHCA Awards Committee has also nominated Greg Powers of Arizona State, an independent program that qualified for the NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey Tournament for the first time ever. Of this year's finalists, three are past recipients of this award: Mike Hastings of Minnesota State (2015), Nate Leaman of Providence (2011 while at Union College) and Scott Sandelin of Minnesota Duluth (2004).

Four schools have captured four Penrose awards: Boston College, Boston University, Denver and New Hampshire. The four Denver awards were presented to four different coaches: Murray Armstrong, Ralph Backstrom, George Gwozdecky and 2017 recipient Jim Montgomery. Four schools claim three winners: Clarkson, Colorado College, Harvard and North Dakota. Three different coaches received those awards at Clarkson and CC. For Clarkson: Bill Harrison, Jerry York and Bill O'Flaherty. For Colorado College: Cheddy Thompson, Tony Frasca and Don Lucia. From this year's finalists, no coach from AIC, Arizona State, UMass, Ohio State or St. Cloud State has ever won this award.

The Spencer Penrose Award is named in memory of the Colorado Springs benefactor who built the Broadmoor Hotel Complex, site of the first 10 NCAA championship hockey tournaments. The actual award will be presented at the AHCA Coach of the Year Banquet in Naples, Florida, on Wednesday evening, May 1.

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.

2018-2019 AHCA Men's Ice Hockey Spencer Penrose Award Finalists
(CCM/AHCA Division I Coach of the Year)

David Carle, Denver, Frozen Four Coach
Greg Carvel, UMass, HE Coach of the Year and Frozen Four Coach
Mike Hastings, Minnesota State, WCHA Coach of the Year*
Casey Jones, Clarkson, ECAC Hockey Coach of the Year
Eric Lang, AIC, Atlantic Hockey Coach of the Year
Brett Larson, St. Cloud State, NCHC Coach of the Year
Nate Leaman, Providence, Frozen Four Coach*
Greg Powers, Arizona State University
Steve Rohlik, Ohio State, Big 10 Coach of the Year
Scott Sandelin, Minnesota-Duluth, Frozen Four Coach*

* Past Spencer Penrose Award Winner

Past Winners of the Spencer Penrose Award
1951 Edward Jeremiah, Dartmouth
1952 Cheddy Thompson, Colorado College
1953 John Mariucci, Minnesota
1954 Vic Heyliger, Michigan
1955 Ralph "Cooney" Weiland, Harvard
1956 William Harrison, Clarkson
1957 Jack Riley, Army
1958 Harry Cleverly, Boston University
1959 John "Snooks" Kelley, Boston College
1960 Jack Riley, Army
1961 Murray Armstrong, Denver
1962 Jack Kelley, Colby
1963 Tony Frasca, Colorado College
1964 Tom Eccleston, Jr., Providence
1965 Jim Fullerton, Brown
1966 Amo Bessone, Michigan State
Len Ceglarski, Clarkson
1967 Edward Jeremiah, Dartmouth
1968 Ned Harkness, Cornell
1969 Charlie Holt, New Hampshire
1970 John Maclnnes, Michigan Tech
1971 Ralph "Cooney" Weiland, Harvard
1972 John "Snooks" Kelley, Boston College
1973 Len Ceglarski, Boston College
1974 Charlie Holt, New Hampshire
1975 Jack Parker, Boston University
1976 John Maclnnes, Michigan Tech
1977 Jerry York, Clarkson
1978 Jack Parker, Boston University
1979 Charlie Holt, New Hampshire
1980 Rick Comley, Northern Michigan
1981 Bill O'Flaherty, Clarkson
1982 Ferny Flaman, Northeastern
1983 Bill Cleary, Harvard
1984 Mike Sertich, Minnesota-Duluth
1985 Len Ceglarski, Boston College
1986 Ralph Backstrom, Denver
1987 John "Gino" Gasparini, North Dakota
1988 Frank Anzalone, Lake Superior
1989 Joe Marsh, St. Lawrence
1990 Terry Slater, Colgate
1991 Rick Comley, Northern Michigan
1992 Ron Mason, Michigan State
1993 George Gwozdecky, Miami
1994 Don Lucia, Colorado College
1995 Shawn Walsh, Maine
1996 Bruce Crowder, UMass Lowell
1997 Dean Blais, North Dakota
1998 Tim Taylor, Yale
1999 Richard Umile, New Hampshire
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
2009 Jack Parker, Boston University
2010 Wayne Wilson, RIT
2011 Nate Leaman, Union
2012 Bob Daniels, Ferris State
2013 Norm Bazin, UMass Lowell
2014 Rick Bennett, Union
2015 Mike Hastings, Minnesota State
2016 Rand Pecknold, Quinnipiac
2017 Jim Montgomery, Denver
2018 Jeff Jackson, Notre Dame