The day after the Bulldogs women’s hockey team officially saw their season end, the University of Minnesota Duluth has opened up the application for the head coach position starting next season. UMD had a slim chance of making it into the NCAA Division I tournament as the selections were made on Sunday. The Bulldogs ended the season tied for No. 9 in the country, leaving them just outside that tournament bubble.
With the season now officially coming to an end, a committee has been selected to help make the decision on who will head the women’s hockey program for the 2015-16 season.
“We are seeking the next leader for our program who will guide our women’s hockey student-athletes to achieve at the highest levels in the classroom, competition and community,” UMD athletic director Josh Berlo said in a newsletter on Monday. “The search for our next coach demands a thorough and inclusive process. We have already begun communicating with potential applicants across the country, and are committed to seeking a national and diverse pool of candidates for head coach.”
The committee is headed by Chair Abbey Strong, an assistant athletic director for UMD and former NCAA Division I women’s hockey player at the University of North Dakota.
“Being in their shoes 10 years ago and being on the administration side now, and just having the contacts that I do around the women’s hockey world is just very important to this search, I think,” Strong said.
Other notable names on the committee include current sophomore UMD women’s hockey players Ashleigh Brykaliuk and Sidney Morin; assistant athletic trainer for the women’s hockey program Jacqueline Phillips; and former UMD women’s hockey player and assistant coach Michelle McAteer, who was a part of four of the women’s national championships.
While the committee was unable to name candidates, assistant coach Laura Schuler said she would be applying for the position shortly after she, assistant coach Gina Kingsbury and Head Coach Shannon Miller were given word they were being released at the end of the year.
While the department was unable to comment on particular applicants, Berlo said he would welcome Schuler’s application along with the other applicants he and the committee have been in contact with.
Strong also said she has been in contact with a number of current NCAA Division I women’s hockey head and assistant coaches who are interested in the position. She and Berlo are confident they will have a strong group of applicants to choose from.
“Early indications are of a high level of interest in this attractive position,” Berlo said. “Given the success, facilities, support and tradition of UMD women’s hockey, we are confident in a bright future for the program.”
BY NICOLE BRODZIK Sports Editor