For his efforts in leading Wayne State University to its best season in school history, Jim Fetter has been named by his peers as the AHCA Women’s Division I Coach of the Year for 2007-08. The Warriors compiled a record of 22-9-3 this year, shattering the previous school record of 15 wins. The record also marks the school’s first winning campaign in the nine-year history of the program.

Fetter, whose career mark at WSU now stands at 79-75-16 in five seasons, came to Wayne State in 2003 after four years as an assistant at Mercyhurst (three years ) and Maine (one year). The Warriors challenged Mercyhurst for supremacy in College Hockey America, falling to the perennial CHA power in the championship game by 2-1 in overtime. Wayne State ended the year ranked #10 in the national AHCA/USA Hockey/USA Today Top Ten poll for the first time ever.

Fetter, a 1995 graduate of the University of Lethbridge, was recognized by Hockey Canada earlier in the year when he was named an assistant coach for the Team Canada’s 2007-2008 Under-18 squad.

Runners-up for this year’s AHCA Women’s Division I Coach of the Year award were Shannon Miller of the University of Minnesota-Duluth, Katey Stone of Harvard University, and Brian McCloskey of the University of New Hampshire.

The Coach of the Year Award winners are chosen by members of the American Hockey Coaches Association (AHCA). Winners will receive their awards at the annual AHCA Coach of the Year Banquet, held in conjunction with the AHCA Convention in Naples, FL. This year’s banquet is scheduled for Saturday, April 26.