Men's hockey head coach steps down after 25 years of leading the Purple Knights on the ice
By Laura Tuveson, Sports Editor
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Photo by Kristen Hartwell |
| Men’s ice hockey players congratulate each other after getting a goal during the NE-10 quarterfinals, Saturday, Feb. 24. The team lost to Assumption College 4-2. It was Lou DiMasi’s last game coaching for the Purple Knights. |
Lou DiMasi, head coach of the men’s hockey team, announced to his players in a meeting last Wednesday night that he would resign. DiMasi will leave after 25 years as head coach with a career record of 264-308-21.
“I am very grateful for the opportunity to have been able to be the coach here for many years,” DiMasi said. “I’ve had many great athletes and friendships that have developed over the years.”
DiMasi extended his gratitude to his family. He said that they allowed him to put years of devotion into the sport, which took time away from them at home.
DiMasi’s son Andy DiMasi is a senior and was a member of the men’s hockey team for the past four years. His daughter, Molly DiMasi, is a first-year and plays on the women’s hockey team. He also has three other children, all who have played hockey over the years.
When DiMasi came to the program 25 years ago, Senior Associate Athletic Director Zaf Bludevich was the athletic trainer at the time. During that first season in 1982, DiMasi and Bludevich became good friends and worked together to build the program during it’s first varsity season.
“I remember when we first started we were driving vans back and forth,” Bludevich said. “We had practices at 6 a.m. It was a lot of fun.”
Bludevich said he wasn’t surprised by his decision to retire. He’s coached since the start of it’s varsity season, taking the team from the ECAC Northeast league to the more competitive ECAC East league, which the team plays in today.
“He’s been doing it for 25 years and at some point it has to come to an end,” Bludevich said.
There were rumors at the end of the season that DiMasi may be leaving the program, sophomore Ryan Mero said. The team found out DiMasi would be resigning at a meeting on Wednesday, March 21.
“There were rumors, but nothing definite,” Mero said. “It’s hard to see a good person leave.”
Mero said the players always gave DiMasi 100 percent on the ice. He always had positive things to say
and he was a great coach, Mero said.
“He was the type of guy you didn’t want to let down,” Mero said. “He was always encouraging players to do their best.”
Among DiMasi’s most notable milestones in the program includes leading the team to the NCAA Division II national championship in 1999. The team won against Southern New Hampshire University, and marks the only time a St. Michael’s athletic team has won a national championship. That season also completed a run of four consecutive winning seasons in which the Purple Knights amassed a 65-35-4 record.
Under DiMasi leadership, the team made 10 ECAC playoff appearances, and it was the 2004 Northeast-10 Conference champion.
Taking over the helm will be assistant coach Chris Davidson, who was named interim head coach for the 2007-08 season last Thursday.
Davidson graduated from St. Michael’s in 1999. He was a four-year letter winner with the Purple Knights hockey team. He was the captain of the 1999 NCAA Division II championship squad.
As a full-time assistant coach, Davidson runs most of the practices already, Mero said. He has a different coaching style and is younger than DiMasi, so as head coach he could bring a new dynamic to the team.
“I think it will be a good thing,” Mero said. “All the players are pushing for him, and we expect good things.”
DiMasi credits Davidson with recruiting some amazing players since he has come to the program in 2000.
“I wish him the absolute best, and he has been wonderful for our players,” DiMasi said. “I think he will do an unbelievable job.”
A nationwide search for a coach will happen next year, Athletic Director Geri Knortz said.
“We’ll be dealing with the hiring of a new coach next spring,” Knortz said in an e-mailed response. “We have yet to determine the exact timeline or process.”
For more stories:
- From St. Michael's College
- Lou DiMasi to step down as men's ice hockey head coach
- From the Burlington Free Press
- DiMasi steps down
- SMC taps Davidison as interim head coach
Contact Laura Tuveson at ltuveson@smcvt.edu
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