June 22, 2007

Flanagan Named to National Team Staff

St. Lawrence University women's ice hockey coach Paul Flanagan has been named an assistant coach for the U.S. women's select and national teams which will be playing in international competitions over the next year.

Flanagan, who has led his team to four straight NCAA Frozen Four appearances and is second nationally among active women's coaches in win percentage with a 202-73-23 in his eight seasons as a head coach.

Flanagan joins head coach Jackie Barto of Ohio State and assistant Kevin Houle of Plattsburgh on the national team staff. The team will participate in the Four Nations Cup in Sweden Nov. 7-11 and at the World Championships next April in China. While Flanagan is involved in the Four Nations Cup in November, associate head coach Jodi McKenna and assistant Ted Wisner will coach the Saints women's team.

"This is a great opportunity for me to be around some great coaches and coach some elite players. It is a real honor to be able to coach for your country," Flanagan added.

He will probably be coaching against some of his own players in both tournaments as senior defenseman Annie Guay, senior forward Sabrina Harbec and sophomore defenseman Britni Smith were members of the Canadian Under-22 Team last season and Guay and Harbec will be candidates for the Canadian National Team and former Saint forward Gina Kingsbury is a member of the National Team.