Kemp out at UNO

The "Spirit of the Maverick" series will have a little bit different look next season.

The only coach in Nebraska-Omaha's history, Mike Kemp, has stepped down as the Mavericks coach to become associate athletic director at the school. New UNO athletic director Trev Alberts (the former Nebraska Cornhuskers football player) called the move a promotion, not a demotion, although Kemp was on the hot seat last year.

Kemp, a Gustavus Adolphus graduate, had a 194-223-57 record, including a 15-17-8 mark in 2008-09, which included a school-record 14-game winless streak late in the season. The red Mavericks made one appearance in the NCAA tournament and in nine years in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association never finished higher than fourth.

Some names as possible replaements for Kemp are starting to surface. They include, most prominantly, Minnesota assistant Mike Hastings, who coached the USHL's Omaha Lancers for 14 years, former UNO assistant and current Boston University assistant David Quinn. Other names mentioned include former North Dakota coach Dean Blais and longtime Minnesota assistant and current Colorado College assistant Mike Guentzel.

Another aspect to watch is to see how this affects UNO as a possible 12th team in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association.