Leaman a Finalist for Spencer Penrose Award

Union head coach Nate Leaman, recipient of the 2010 Tim Taylor Award as ECAC Hockey Coach of the Year, has been named a finalist for the Spencer Penrose Award, given annually to the top NCAA Division I Men’s Ice Hockey Coach of the Year.

The award is named in honor of the former Colorado Springs benefactor who built the Broadmoor Hotel Complex, site of the first 10 NCAA Hockey Championships. To be a finalist for this award, you must either be voted Coach of the Year in your conference or take your team to the NCAA Frozen Four.

Under the direction of Leaman, Union’s 20 overall victories and 12 conference wins are the most in program history.  Selected to finish sixth in both the coaches’ preseason and media polls, the Dutchmen earned a No. 3 seed in the league’s postseason tournament.  Union’s .622 winning percentage overall is 12th in the country and the highest all-time in school history. 

Leaman guided Union to a 10-game unbeaten streak (Nov. 6 - Dec. 9) tied for longest in team history --the 1993-94 team had gone 8-0-2.  Union also opened the conference schedule with a 7-0-3 mark, which was the best start and longest ECAC Hockey unbeaten streak in team history.  The Dutchmen were solid at both ends of the ice finishing second in team scoring offense (3.68 G/GM) and third in scoring defense (2.73 G/GM) in conference action.

With 10 student-athletes recording double-digit points, the Dutchmen put together some of the best offensive numbers in the program’s history.  A 7-0 win at UConn on Dec. 12 gave Leaman his 100th victory of his career -- all at Union College. Leaman’s squad placed three student-athletes on the all-league teams and one on the all-rookie team this season.

Behind the leadership of Leaman the 17th-ranked Dutchmen advanced to the ECAC Hockey Championship weekend for the first time in the team's 19 year Division I history.  Union fell to Cornell, 3-0, in the championship final.

The Spencer Penrose Award will be presented at the American Hockey Coaches Association (AHCA) Coach of Men's Hockey Banquet on Saturday, May 1, in Naples, Fla.

2009-2010 AHCA Men’s Ice Hockey
Division One Coach of the Year Finalists

Enrico Blasi, Miami*#@
Mark Dennehy, Merrimack*
Mike Eaves,Wisconsin#
George Gwozdecky, Denver*@
Nate Leaman, Union*
C.J. Marottolo, Sacred Heart*
Tom Serratore, Bemidji State*
Dick Umile, New Hampshire*@
Wayne Wilson, RIT#
Jerry York, Boston College#

* Conference Coach of the Year
# NCAA “Frozen Four” Participant
@ Previous Winner of the Spencer Penrose Award