Blaise MacDonald Position: Head Coach

AUDIO/VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS

Blaise MacDonald is in his eighth year at the helm of the UMass Lowell Hockey team. He has compiled a 106-121-32 record in his first seven years of work behind the bench for the River Hawks.

No stranger to the UML hockey program, the native of nearby Billerica, Mass., was an assistant to UML Head Coach Billy Riley, Jr., from 1988-1990, before being named the fifth head coach in the program's 39-year history on April 6, 2001.

"I think there is a terrific commitment from the University," MacDonald said. "The culture of the workplace from the Chancellor to the athletic department is outstanding and strives for high performance.

"The obvious connection with me and UMass Lowell is the fact that I grew up in Billerica," he continued. "I grew up a fan of the Lowell Chiefs and players like Craig MacTavish and Dean Jenkins. This is a dream situation for me in that perspective, especially considering the exciting growth of the campus."

In his first season, MacDonald guided the River Hawks to a 22-13-3 record - their best performance since 1995-96. In Hockey East play, UML finished 12-9-3, good for fourth place and home ice in the Hockey East Tournament.

MacDonald put in place a system which had the River Hawks among the top four in Hockey East in several categories: team defense in all games (first) and HE games (fourth); penalty kills in all games (first) and HE games (third); team offense in all games (fourth); and power play in HE games (fourth).

In 2004-05, MacDonald guided the River Hawks to a 20-12-4 record, their best since his first year at the helm. UML was ranked as high as seventh in the national polls, had one of the best power-play units in the nation and enjoyed a 14-game unbeaten streak from Nov. 23 to Jan. 28. The team also placed a record 17 players on Hockey East's All-Academic team and produced Hockey East's Superskills Rookie of the Year.

In 2007-08 the River Hawks posted a 16-17-4 record, 10-13-4 in league play, and returned the the Hockey East playoffs after a one-year absence. The 16 wins doubled the team's output from 2006-07, and improved in almost every statistical category - goals scored, goals against, power play percentage, penalty kill and save percentage. Sophomore left wing Kory Falite led Hockey East in goals (league games) and was named to a Hockey East Second Team All-Star. Freshman defenseman Maury Edwards was named to the Hockey East All-Rookie Team, the third player under MacDonald's watch to be named to the league's All-Rookie Team. As a team the River Hawks received the Charlie Holt Sportsmanship Award as the least penalized team in Hockey East.

MacDonald came to Lowell after a five-year head coaching stint at Niagara University where he founded the ice hockey program and brought the Purple Eagles to the NCAA Tournament quarterfinal in only four seasons.

Prior to Niagara, MacDonald served as an assistant coach and later recruiting coordinator and associate head coach at Boston University (1990-96) as well as an assistant at Princeton (1987-88) and Dartmouth (1985-87).

A 1985 graduate of Rochester Institute of Technology, MacDonald compiled an all-time record of 91-58-17 in five seasons at Niagara (.548), highlighted by a 30-8-4 overall clip and a 15-0-2 finish in College Hockey America in 1999-00. During the run, the Purple Eagles posted victories over Boston University, Colorado College and Rensselaer.

In the first round of the 2000 NCAA Tournament, Niagara stunned 1998-99 NCAA finalist New Hampshire (4-1) before falling to eventual national champion North Dakota (4-1). MacDonald was voted runner-up for the Spencer Penrose Award as National Coach of the Year.

MacDonald started the Niagara program in 1996 with all freshmen and guided the Purple Eagles to a 16-9-2 record as a member of the Division III ECAC West. He was voted the ECAC West Co-Coach of the Year by his peers. He then led NU to a 14-10-3 clip in its second and final season in the ECAC West in 1997-98, which included winning the Conference tournament and regular season championships.

Before joining CHA, NU spent the 1998-99 season as a Division I independent and posted a 17-12-3 record. The Purple Eagles opened the year with a stunning two-game effort at defending national champion Michigan, losing in overtime in the first meeting (6-5), and winning 2-1 a day later. NU also enjoyed victories over Ohio State, Merrimack and Rensselaer, along with wins over St. Lawrence and Colgate in the Syracuse Invitational Tournament.

In 2000-01, The Purple Eagles posted a 14-19-5 mark (10-7-3 in CHA) with a freshman-dominated lineup. NU advanced to the CHA Tournament before falling in the semifinal to Wayne State (3-2, OT) and defeating Air Force (2-1) in the consolation.

In his six years at Boston University, MacDonald helped the Terriers to a 144-42-11 record which included five appearances in the NCAA Frozen Four and the 1995 national championship. The Terriers also captured three Hockey East Tournament and regular season championships and two Beanpot crowns.

During the past 16 years, MacDonald has recruited and coached many players who have moved on to careers in the NHL. He played a key role in the development of players such as Adrian Aucoin, Rich Brennan, Greg Gardner, Mike Grier, Scott Lachance, Tom Poti and former River Hawk All-American goalie Dwayne Roloson. MacDonald has also coached NHL all-stars Tony Amonte, Keith Tkachuk, and 1998-99 NHL Rookie of the Year Chris Drury, who helped Colorado to the 2001 Stanley Cup title.

As a player, MacDonald was an All-American defenseman in his senior season at RIT and led the Tigers to the NCAA Division II championship in 1983 and 1985. He helped RIT defeat Ulowell, 5-1, in the 1983 Tournament semifinal at Tully Forum.

During his career, MacDonald set former RIT records for career assists (106) and points (119) by a defenseman. He was inducted into the RIT Hall of Fame in 1991.

MacDonald served on the American Hockey Coaches Association Board of Governors and was honored by Business First for his career achievements and community involvement as part of its 2000 "40 Under Forty" program.

An avid runner, MacDonald has competed in six Boston Marathons, recording his best time of three hours, eight minutes in 1992.

MacDonald holds dual citizenship with Canada as his parents hail from Nova Scotia. He and his wife, Carol, are the parents of four children - sons Cameron, 13, Joseph, 9, and Jacob, 7, and daughter Carly, 5, - and live in Westford, MA.