Eric Means was introduced as MSU's third women's hockey coach on Monday. His goal? To change the culture of a program that has had just on winning season and one fourth-place finish (both the same year) in its 11-year-history.
Read more here and here.
As for Means' replacement on the men's side. Mavericks coach Troy Jutting said he wants to hire someone ASAP.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Monday, May 11, 2009
Means to be named MSU women's coach
Longtime Minnesota State men's hockey assistant coach Eric Means will be named MSU's new women's hockey head coach during a 4:30 p.m. press conference at the Don Brose Hockey Center at All Seasons Arena, according to sources.
Means, who was one of three finalists for the job, has been a Mavericks assistant for 14 seasons. He will become the women's team's third coach, replacing Jeff Vizenor, who stepped down in January.
More later ...
Friday, May 8, 2009
MSU awards
The Minnesota State men's hockey team had its year-end banquet Thursday night and doled out its team awards. No real surprises here ...
MVP: Mike Zacharias ... The goalie was the Mavericks' best player for the last two years (he was also MVP last year). He ended up setting team records for career save percentage (.910) and goals-against average (2.71) and finished fourth on the team's all-time wins list (45). This season, he stopped at least 30 shots in a game 16 times. Zacharias leaves MSU as arguably the best goalie of the Mavericks' D-I era (he's at least a close second behind Eric Pateman).
Unsung Hero: Kael Mouillierat ... I'm not sure he was all that unsung, although maybe the team considered this to be the MVP runner-up award this year. The junior forward had a breakout second half of the season with 15 goals and nine assists over the last 23 games. He missed some time with injury and suspension and finished the year with a team-high 17 goals and was third on the team with 30 points. Mouillierat also got the Buffalo Wild Wings Star of the Year award for most three-stars-of-the-game selections during this year's home games.
Most Improved Player: Baylor Dieter ... It's hard to argue with this pick, considering the freshman defenseman didn't even get in a game until Jan. 17. By the end of the year he was an every-day D. I often wonder if this award should be for the player who improves the most over the course of the season or for the player who improves the most from the previous year. Dieter's certainly a good choice if you go by the former description. If you go by the latter, I'd probably have to go with Rylan Galiardi.
Mr. Hustle Award (hardest worker): Trevor Bruess ... This is the third year in a row that Bruess got this one. Again, it's hard to argue with the choice. Although his aggressive play got him in trouble -- especially late in the season -- penalty-wise, the emotional and physical Bruess rarely took a shift off, one of the reasons why the Washington Capitals signed him in the offseason.
MVP: Mike Zacharias ... The goalie was the Mavericks' best player for the last two years (he was also MVP last year). He ended up setting team records for career save percentage (.910) and goals-against average (2.71) and finished fourth on the team's all-time wins list (45). This season, he stopped at least 30 shots in a game 16 times. Zacharias leaves MSU as arguably the best goalie of the Mavericks' D-I era (he's at least a close second behind Eric Pateman).
Unsung Hero: Kael Mouillierat ... I'm not sure he was all that unsung, although maybe the team considered this to be the MVP runner-up award this year. The junior forward had a breakout second half of the season with 15 goals and nine assists over the last 23 games. He missed some time with injury and suspension and finished the year with a team-high 17 goals and was third on the team with 30 points. Mouillierat also got the Buffalo Wild Wings Star of the Year award for most three-stars-of-the-game selections during this year's home games.
Most Improved Player: Baylor Dieter ... It's hard to argue with this pick, considering the freshman defenseman didn't even get in a game until Jan. 17. By the end of the year he was an every-day D. I often wonder if this award should be for the player who improves the most over the course of the season or for the player who improves the most from the previous year. Dieter's certainly a good choice if you go by the former description. If you go by the latter, I'd probably have to go with Rylan Galiardi.
Mr. Hustle Award (hardest worker): Trevor Bruess ... This is the third year in a row that Bruess got this one. Again, it's hard to argue with the choice. Although his aggressive play got him in trouble -- especially late in the season -- penalty-wise, the emotional and physical Bruess rarely took a shift off, one of the reasons why the Washington Capitals signed him in the offseason.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
USHL finals
The USHL's Clark Cup finals begin Friday, with the Fargo Force taking on the Indiana Ice. Fargo, the first-year team features two Minnesota State recruits, including Mankato's own Corey Leivermann, who had an excellent second half of the season and, from some accounts, has become a very popular player in the Force's locker room.
Leivermann has two goals and two assists in six playoff games and finished the regular season with eight goals and 14 assists in 49 games. Before New Year's Eve, however, he had just four assists. His teammate, Matt Leitner, who will come to MSU with him in 2010 finished second on Fargo's scoring list with 14 goals and 43 assists. He has one goal and eight assists in playoff action.
Leivermann has two goals and two assists in six playoff games and finished the regular season with eight goals and 14 assists in 49 games. Before New Year's Eve, however, he had just four assists. His teammate, Matt Leitner, who will come to MSU with him in 2010 finished second on Fargo's scoring list with 14 goals and 43 assists. He has one goal and eight assists in playoff action.
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Means among finalists for women's job
Minnesota State men's hockey assistant coach Eric Means was named one of three finalists for the vacant MSU women's head coaching job, the university announced Wednesday.
The others are Harvard women's assistant coach Joakim Flygh and Mercyhurst women's associate head coach Paul Colontino.
Flygh will interview on Monday, Colontino will interview on Tuesday and Means will interview on Wednesday (May 6).
Means has been a member of the Mavericks men's staff for 14 years. For more on the candidates, go here.
How would 12 teams work?
So what would a 12-team WCHA look like?
In terms of scheduling, league commissioner Bruce McLeod touched on a three "pod" system with four teams in a pod that will maintain natural rivalries as well as the 28-game schedule. If I have this correct, I'll use Minnesota State as an example:
Currently, MSU's "rival" is Alaska-Anchorage, meaning the Mavs and the Seawolves always play each other four times. That would continue and two other teams would rotate into the pod each season. MSU would play those teams four times (two home, two away) each, which adds up to 12 games. The Mavs would then play the other eight teams twice each -- four at home and four on the road -- for 16 games.
McLeod said it would take five years for the rotation to go all the way around. In the current two-pod system, it takes four years.
If this goes through, Minnesota State should lobby to get a new "rival," in my opinion. Offer to take Bemidji State. If the 12th team is Nebraska-Omaha, that would be fine, too -- it would certainly make the Spirit of the Maverick Trophy more important. If that team is Northern Michigan, Michigan Tech would likely get a new rival, possibly putting Minnesota Duluth with Bemidji State.
One way the tournament could work is to have two Thursday play-in games with those teams playing in the semifinals against the top two seeds on Friday. The championship game would be Saturday.
Under that example, you could still call it the Final Five. Coaches hate the third-place game, so get rid of it and you still have five games. Instead of it being the last five WCHA teams standing, it will note the last five WCHA games of the season.
In terms of scheduling, league commissioner Bruce McLeod touched on a three "pod" system with four teams in a pod that will maintain natural rivalries as well as the 28-game schedule. If I have this correct, I'll use Minnesota State as an example:
Currently, MSU's "rival" is Alaska-Anchorage, meaning the Mavs and the Seawolves always play each other four times. That would continue and two other teams would rotate into the pod each season. MSU would play those teams four times (two home, two away) each, which adds up to 12 games. The Mavs would then play the other eight teams twice each -- four at home and four on the road -- for 16 games.
McLeod said it would take five years for the rotation to go all the way around. In the current two-pod system, it takes four years.
If this goes through, Minnesota State should lobby to get a new "rival," in my opinion. Offer to take Bemidji State. If the 12th team is Nebraska-Omaha, that would be fine, too -- it would certainly make the Spirit of the Maverick Trophy more important. If that team is Northern Michigan, Michigan Tech would likely get a new rival, possibly putting Minnesota Duluth with Bemidji State.
Here are the current "rivals"The other thing that came out of the 12-team scenario is the Final Five. Will it have to be called the Final Six? Doesn't quite have the same ring to it, does it?
Minnesota State-Alaska-Anchorage
Minnesota-Wisconsin
Minnesota Duluth-Michigan Tech
North Dakota-St. Cloud State
Denver-Colorado College
One way the tournament could work is to have two Thursday play-in games with those teams playing in the semifinals against the top two seeds on Friday. The championship game would be Saturday.
Under that example, you could still call it the Final Five. Coaches hate the third-place game, so get rid of it and you still have five games. Instead of it being the last five WCHA teams standing, it will note the last five WCHA games of the season.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
WCHA statement on expansion
The WCHA appears to be seeking a 12th team to join the ranks (with Bemidji State likely being the 11th) by the 2011-12 season. Here is the text of today's press release:
MARCO ISLAND, FL – The membership of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association’s men’s league, acting at it’s annual meeting today (April 28, 2009), has opted to pursue expansion of the league membership from it’s current 10-member team to a future membership of 12 teams.
The timetable for expansion consists of lifting the current moratorium as of today and continuing indefinitely. The lifting of the moratorium on expansion means the WCHA can entertain membership applications from any interested institutions who meet the league’s criteria for membership. Meeting the criteria for membership does not, however, guarantee admittance into the Association.
“The Western Collegiate Hockey Association membership today took a positive step forward in their decision to embrace possible expansion,” said WCHA Commissioner Bruce M. McLeod, “and we will continue to explore we may expand once we have completed further studies and once we have been able to identify potential members that fit the league’s criteria for membership. Obviously, there are numerous issues involved in expansion, just a few of which include the transformation from a 10-team, 28-game conference schedule to an expanded 12-member team format that would still enable us to protect our natural rivalries as best as possible, and to make certain we safeguard our successful flagship event – the WCHA Final Five.
“The WCHA has a proud history of being sensitive to the issue of expansion and the plight of other collegiate hockey programs and today’s development is a further indication that the Association will continue its tradition of assisting in the growth and development of collegiate ice hockey with an ultimate goal of expanding.”
The 10 teams that currently make up the men’s WCHA are University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA), Colorado College (CC), University of Denver (DU), Michigan Technological University (MTU), University of Minnesota (UM), University of Minnesota Duluth (UMD), Minnesota State University, Mankato (MSU), University of North Dakota (UND), St. Cloud State University (SCSU) and University of Wisconsin (UW). The last expansion in the WCHA occured in 1999-2000 when Minnesota State University, Mankato joined the conference as it’s 10th team.
The Commissioner’s office, in conjunction with the league’s structure committee, will head up the expansion effort with the goal of identifying potential member teams as soon as possible. The earliest the WCHA would be able to integrate new teams into the men’s league would be for the 2011-2012 season based on current contractual obligations.
“The WCHA also wants to note that Bemidji State University’s presentation to the league at the annual meeting on April 27 was very professional and well received,” said McLeod. “The BSU student body, faculty, alumni, and the entire community should know that the league membership came away impressed with the University’s commitment to the student-athlete, both on and off the ice, the long track record of success their hockey program has achieved, the breaking of ground for the new Bemidji State Regional Events Center, and the degree of excitement throughout the community and northern Minnesota for the future of BSU Hockey.”
Bemidji State University’s application for league membership will remain under active consideration.
Bemidji State is an original member of the WCHA’s women’s league, which was founded in 1999-2000 and this past season celebrated it’s 10th anniversary.
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