Nine coaches who have enjoyed on-ice success in 2004-05 have been named finalists for the Spencer Penrose Award, given annually to the top NCAA Division One Men’s Ice Hockey Coach of the Year. To be a finalist for this award, you must either be voted Coach of the Year in your conference or take your team to the NCAA Frozen Four.

Noteworthy among this year’s finalists:

• Three former Penrose Award winners, including George Gwozdecky of Denver (1993 winner while at Miami), Don Lucia of Minnesota (1994 winner while at Colorado College), and Jack Parker of Boston University (1975 and 1978 winner).

• Four WCHA Coaches, three who qualified as participants in the All-WCHA NCAA Frozen Four and WCHA Coach of the Year George Gwozdecky, whose Denver Pioneers are also in the Frozen Four. Denver is defending NCAA Champion.

• North Dakota’s Dave Hakstol, who is completing his first year as a Division I head coach.

The award is named in honor of the former Colorado Springs benefactor who built the Broadmoor Hotel Complex, site of the first 10 NCAA Hockey Championships. It will be presented at the American Hockey Coaches Association (AHCA) Coach of the Year Banquet on Saturday, April 23, in Naples, FL.

2004-2005 AHCA Men’s Ice Hockey
Division One Coach of the Year Finalists
George Gwozdecky, Denver*#@
Dave Hakstol, North Dakota#
Mike Kemp, Nebraska-Omaha*
Don Lucia, Minnesota#@
Scott Owens, Colorado College#
Jack Parker, Boston University*@
Rand Pecknold, Quinnipiac*
Mike Schafer, Cornell*
Tom Serratore, Bemidji State*

* Conference Coach of the Year
# NCAA “Frozen Four” Participant
@ Previous Winner of the Spencer Penrose