BEVERLY, Mass. – Endicott men's ice hockey coach R.J. Tolan has been named a finalist for the Edward Jeremiah Award, which is given annually to the College Division (NCAA Division III) Men's Ice Hockey Coach of the Year.
Named in honor of the former Dartmouth head coach, the Jeremiah Award will be presented during the American Hockey Coaches Association (AHCA) Convention on Wednesday, April 27 in Naples, Florida.
In the program's first campaign at the varsity level, Tolan guided the Gulls to an appearance in the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Northeast championship game, and a 15-8-2 mark overall (11-4-1 ECAC Northeast) in 2015-16. Endicott also captured the ECAC Northeast regular season title by closing out the season by winning four straight games and six out of its final eight outings to take the top spot away from Nichols.
Additionally, Tolan coached the ECAC Northeast Goaltender of the Year, three ECAC Northeast first-team selections, one honorable mention student-athlete and three All-Rookie team honorees. The Gulls also posted a 3.38 cumulative grade point average and picked up a 3-2 win over then No. 2/4 nationally ranked Babson on January 3, 2016 in their first-ever game against a nationally ranked opponent to highlight several other accomplishments throughout the season.
The nominees listed below represent any coach who won or shared Coach of the Year honors in his conference this past season, along with coaches whose teams have advanced to the 2016 NCAA Division III Men's Ice Hockey championship. The winner will be announced this Thursday at the student-athlete banquet at the NCAA Division Men's Ice Hockey championships, which is being played this weekend at the Herb Brooks Arena in Lake Placid, N.Y.
2015-16 AHCA Men's Ice Hockey Edward Jeremiah Award Finalists
Peter Belisle, UMass Boston, NEHC Coach of the Year, NCAA Semi-Finalist
Chris Brooks, Stevens Point, Co-WIAC Coach of the Year, NCAA Semi-Finalist
Tim Coghlin, St. Norbert, NCHA Coach of the Year, NCAA Semi-Finalist*
Chris Schultz, Geneseo, SUNYAC Coach of the Year, NCAA Semi-Finalist*
Lance Brady, Assumption, Northeast 10 Coach of the Year
Chris Brown, Augsburg, MIAC Coach of the Year
Steve Freeman, River Falls, Co-WIAC Coach of the Year
Bill Kangas, Williams, NESCAC Coach of the Year
Bill O'Neill, Salem State, MASCAC Coach of the Year
Mark Taylor, Hobart, ECAC West Coach of the Year
R.J. Tolan, Endicott, ECAC Northeast Coach of the Year
* = Past Jeremiah Award Winner
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