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.
The 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 |
