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LOWELL, MA (Jan. 7, 2007) – UMass Lowell inducted its NCAA Division II Championship hockey teams of 1978-79, 1980-81 and 1981-82 into its Athletic Hall of Fame on Saturday, Jan. 6 in conjunction with the two-game series against the University of Maine.
In the midst of UML’s 40th season of hockey, the induction appropriately took place at the Chelmsford Forum, the original home of the Chiefs, in the second intermission of its Hockey East clash against the Black Bears.
In honor of UML’s national championship teams, the 2006-07 River Hawks donned replicas of the ULowell Chief jerseys of the late 1970s and early 1980s for the two-game series.
 A slew of former UML standouts and staff from the era attended, including former head coach Billy Riley (left) as well as standouts Dean Jenkins, Division II Hobey Baker Award winners Paul Lohnes (1982) and Mike Carr (1982), Tom Jacobs and Kevin Charbonneau.
The three teams put together an astounding record of 85-15-0 and also captured the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Tournament title in each year.
The 1978-79 team was led by Craig MacTavish, currently the coach of the Edmonton Oilers who was a five-time Stanley Cup winner as a player, and Jacobs, a captain. MacTavish and Jacobs compiled 78 goals and 89 assists (167 points) between them.
After winning the ECAC title with victories over New Haven (7-3), Merrimack (7-6) and Salem State (4-1), the Chiefs defeated Illinois-Chicago (10-6) and Mankato State (10-6) for the national championship.
The Chiefs lost in the semifinal of the NCAA Tournament in 1979-80, but came back in the 1980-81 season to go 27-5 and end the season with 16 straight victories.
Led by Carr, Lohnes and Jenkins, the Chiefs captured their second ECAC title and went on to defeat Mankato State (8-7) and Plattsburgh (5-4) for the NCAA Championship.
Lohnes and Carr, along with Charbonneau and Ken Kaiser, were also vital in ULowell’s NCAA Championship repeat in 1982-83 as the four standouts combined for 117 goals and 160 assists (277 points).
The Chiefs emerged past Oswego State in an aggregate two-game playoff (W, 9-5; L, 4-3) to defeat Merrimack (4-3) and Plattsburgh (6-1) for the national championship, UML’s sole title won at the Forum.
The ULowell national championship hockey teams are three of the five teams to be inducted into the UML Hall. In November of 2004, the 1987-88 ULowell men’s basketball team, which won the NCAA Championship, was inducted while the 1991 national champion men’s cross country team earned induction in May of 2006.
UMass Lowell Division II National Championship Alumni
| Player |
Hometown |
ULowell Years |
Pos. |
Current Residence |
| Sam Adams |
Stoneham, MA |
1975-79 |
F |
Eagle, CO |
| David Benson |
Burlington, ONT |
1980-83 |
F |
Dallas, TX |
| John Bernis |
Somerville, MA |
1983-85 |
D |
-- |
| Rollie Buonocure |
Medford, MA |
1979-81 |
F |
Malden, MA |
| Mike Carr |
Burlington, ONT |
1979-83 |
F |
Burlington, ONT |
| Kevin Charbonneau |
Burlington, ONT |
1978-82 |
F |
Burlington, ONT |
| Danny Craig |
North Easton, MA |
1981-85 |
F |
Mattapoisett, MA |
| Roger Christian |
Warroad, MN |
1981-82 |
F |
Warroad, MN |
| John Costello |
Natick, MA |
1975-79 |
C |
Natick, MA |
| Tom Cronin |
Melrose, MA |
1979-83 |
D |
Newton, NH |
| Fran Dee |
Concord, MA |
1978-81 |
F |
-- |
| Dana Demole |
Burlington, MA |
1982-86 |
G |
Salem, VA |
| Mike Durand |
Hudson, MA |
1978-79 |
D |
-- |
| Jack Fahey |
Burlington, MA |
1980-81, 83-84 |
F |
Burlington, MA |
| Mike Fitzgerald |
Toronto, ONT |
1978-79 |
F |
-- |
| Bob Flaherty |
South Boston, MA |
1977-79 |
F |
-- |
| Hal Gillis |
Everett, MA |
1976-78, 79-80 |
F |
Long Beach, CA |
| Bobby Greenberg |
North Reading, MA |
1981-83 |
F |
Wilmington, MA |
| Chuck Hayes |
Charlestown, MA |
1976-80 |
D |
-- |
| Gene Hayes |
Wakefield, MA |
1975-79 |
D |
-- |
| Joe Hughes |
Somerville, MA |
1979-83 |
D |
Coldwater, MI |
| Tom Jacobs |
Hudson, MA |
1975-79 |
F |
Hudson, MA |
| John Jaskul |
New York, NY |
1976-79 |
F |
Woburn, MA |
| Mark Jenkins |
Chelmsford, MA |
1978-79 |
F |
Chelmsford, MA |
| Dean Jenkins |
Billerica, MA |
1977-81 |
F |
Lowell, MA |
| Ken Kaiser |
St. Paul, MN |
1979-83 |
F |
Pelham, NH |
| Mark Kumpel |
Wakefield, MA |
1979-83 |
F |
Scarborough, ME |
| Paul Lohnes |
Woburn, MA |
1978-82 |
D |
Woburn, MA |
| Craig MacTavish |
London, ONT |
1977-79 |
F |
Edmonton, ALTA |
| Don McCoy |
Melrose, MA |
1980-84 |
F |
Newburyport, MA |
| Ken McKee |
Toronto, ONT |
1977-79 |
F |
Norfolk, MA |
| Tom Mills |
Acton, MA |
1980-83 |
D |
Bath, ME |
| Bill Moffat |
Pittsfield, MA |
1976-80 |
D |
-- |
| Tom Mulligan |
Billerica, MA |
1978-82 |
D |
Nashua, NH |
| Steve O’Brien |
Cambridge, MA |
1976-79 |
G |
Groton, MA |
| Mike O’Connor |
Billerica, MA |
1977-81 |
D |
Billerica, MA |
| Mike O’Neil |
Wakefield, MA |
1980-85 |
F |
North Reading, MA |
| Mike Opre |
Buffalo, NY |
1981-85 |
F |
Newburyport, MA |
| George Popp |
Chelmsford, MA |
1980-83 |
D |
Westford, MA |
| Chuck Sage |
Ashland, MA |
1979-83 |
F |
Shrewsbury, MA |
| Brian Schneider |
Hanover, MA |
1980-82 |
D |
Marshfield, MA |
| Dave Short |
-- |
1978-79 |
G |
-- |
| Brian Smith |
Concord, NH |
1980-81 |
G |
Westford, MA |
| Rob Spath |
Toronto, ONT |
1980-84 |
D |
-- |
| Dave Sullivan |
Canton, MA |
1976-80 |
F |
Sharon, MA |
| Phil Ternullo |
Medford, MA |
1979-82 |
G |
Tewksbury, MA |
| Tom Tidman |
Newmarket, ONT |
1979-82 |
D |
West Townsend, MA |
| Tom Walsh |
Somerville, MA |
1981-82 |
F |
-- |
| Dick Wight |
Abington, MA |
1979-81 |
F |
Plymouth, MA |
| Chris Wright |
Midland, ONT |
1980-82, 83-84 |
F |
-- | |
