For his efforts in leading the Tigers of Rochester Institute of Technology to their first NCAA Division I Men’s Championship Tournament appearance in school history, Wayne Wilson has been chosen winner of the 2010 Spencer Penrose Award as Division I Men’s Coach of the Year. Wilson’s Tigers set a school record for wins (28) en route to capturing the Atlantic Hockey regular season and tournament championships, being the nation’s only school to win both conference titles.

The final wins in a 28-12-1 season came in the NCAA Tournament Regionals as RIT downed two consecutive regular season champions, Denver from the WCHA and New Hampshire from Hockey East. The wins also capped a school record 12-game winning streak. The NCAA appearance was notable on two fronts as RIT became the first Atlantic Hockey program to qualify for the Frozen Four and it marked the school’s first NCAA appearance since becoming a Division I program in 2005-2006.

Wilson recently completed his 11th season as head coach at RIT and in that time, has compiled an overall record of 216-103-25. With this honor, he becomes the first coach to win both the Edward Jeremiah Award (2001 Division III National Coach of the Year) and the Penrose Award (Division I National Coach of the Year).

A 1984 graduate of Bowling Green, Wilson played defense for the Falcons — and then coach Jerry York — from 1981-1984, serving as team captain in 1984 when BGSU won the NCAA championship in an historic four overtime battle against Minnesota-Duluth, prevailing by 5-4. He later served as an assistant at Bowling Green before taking the RIT head coach position with the 1999-2000 season. Prior to RIT moving into Division I, he led the Tigers to three NCAA Division III Tournament appearances.

Assisting Wilson this season were Brian Hills, Dave Insalaco and Mike Germain.

The runners-up for this year’s AHCA Men’s Division I Coach of the Year award were Enrico Blasi of CCHA Regular Season Champion Miami University and Jerry York of NCAA Champion Boston College.

The Spencer Penrose Award is named in memory of the Colorado Springs benefactor who built the Broadmoor Hotel Complex, site of the first ten NCAA championship hockey tournaments. It will be presented at the AHCA Coach of the Year Banquet in Naples, Florida, on Saturday evening, May 1.