|
April 16, 2003 - The 2002-2003 American Collegiate Hockey
Association (ACHA) Division 1 Coach-of-the-Year is Chad Cassel
from the University of Illinois. This is Chad's first
Coach-of-the-Year Award.
The 2002-2003 season was Chad's 6th year as head
coach at the University of Illinois. He has compiled a record of
140-67-7, with six consecutive National Tournament appearances,
including four final four appearances (1998, 2001, 2002 and 2003).
The 2002-2003 team finished with an overall record of 37-2-0.
Illinois also won its first-ever Central States Collegiate Hockey
League (CSCHL) Regular-Season Championship and their fourth CSCHL
Playoff Championship, its first since 1991-92. The Fighting Illini
set a team-record for wins with 37 and vaulted into its first ACHA
Division 1 #1 ranking in team history with an impressive road-sweep
at then #1 ranked Penn State.
During his playing days at the University of
Illinois, Chad was named First Team All-CSCHL, Second Team
All-American, and was named a finalist for the Bob Johnson Award.
Chad's playing career ended in 1995 when he graduated with a degree
in Economics.
When Chad is not guiding the Illini, he can be
found at the University of Illinois Ice Arena teaching Kinesiology
for the University of Illinois, or working with the
Champaign-Urbana Youth Hockey Association as Coaching Director.
Chad will be presented with the 2002-2003 American
Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA) Division 1 Coach-of-the-Year
Award at the Annual Meeting in Naples, FL on Saturday, April 26,
2003.
The three other finalists for the 2002-2003
American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA) Division 1
Coach-of-the-Year Award were:
- Dan Morris, Ohio University
- Joe Battista, Penn State University
- Ed Herneisen, Drexel University
|
