University of Massachusets Athletics
Mark Dennehy Named Merrimack Head Hockey Coach
June 30, 2005 | Hockey
June 30, 2005
NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. - Mark Dennehy, associate head hockey coach at the University of Massachusetts, has been named the head coach of the Merrimack College hockey team, it was announced by Merrimack President Richard J. Santagati today. He replaces Chris Serino, who resigned in the spring after seven years at Merrimack. Dennehy is the seventh head coach in Merrimack program history, which will enter its 50th season as an intercollegiate team in the 2005-06 season.
Dennehy has been on staff at UMass since 2000 and was named Hockey East Coach of the Year staff member in 2002-2003. He has been involved in all aspects of coaching the team, including recruiting, video analysis, fund-raising, marketing, and on ice instruction. From 1999-2000, he was head hockey coach at Fairfield University and prior to that had served as assistant coach at Princeton University. Dennehy was a member of the Hockey East All-Academic Team while playing for Boston College in late 1980s and the early 1990s. He earned his bachelor of science in marketing degree from Boston College in 1991.
"We are excited for Mark. This hiring is a real credit to him and his ability to present himself," said UMass Head Coach Don Cahoon. "He is extremely bright, articulate and is a well-prepared coach. I expect that he will have a lot of success and that we will hear a lot from coach Dennehy in the next few years."
Dennehy has been a member of the American Hockey Coaches Association since 1994. He was an assistant coach with bronze medal winning Team Massachusetts at the USA Hockey Select 16 Festival.
"Mark's energy and enthusiasm was evident throughout the interview process," said Merrimack President Richard J. Santagati. "We are very excited that our new head coach has such a strong connection with students, outstanding experience and knowledge of Hockey East, and a demonstrated commitment to excellence."
Merrimack won a total of seven ECAC championships in the 1960's, `70's and `80's and claimed the NCAA Division II national championship in 1978. The Warriors made four NCAA Division II appearances before making the transition to Division I status in 1987-88. Merrimack earned an at-large spot in the NCAA Division I Tournament that season and stunned Hockey East champion Northeastern with a first-round upset before falling to eventual national champion Lake Superior State in the quarterfinals.
Merrimack joined the Hockey East Association in 1989 and has made the conference playoffs in 14 of 16 seasons. The Warriors advanced to the semifinal round in 1998, beating regular season champion Boston University in a three-game series.
Cahoon and UMass Director of Athletics John McCutcheon will meet in the coming days to discuss the process of finding and naming the next assistant coach.
