2008 Woodie Awards
Going for gold
Houle named assistant coach to Team USA Women's Hockey
Ryan Hayner
Issue date: 9/21/07 Section: Sports
Originally published: 9/20/07 at 9:46 PM EST
Last update: 9/20/07 at 9:50 PM EST
- Page 1 of 2 next >
|
After leading the PSUC's women's hockey team to an NCAA Division III National Championship with an undefeated record, Head Coach Kevin Houle has been picked to be an assistant coach for the U.S. Women's National Team for the 2007-08 schedule.
Following the best women's hockey season and first national title in school history, the back-to-back Division III Women's Ice Hockey Coach of the Year will join St. Lawrence University head women's hockey coach Paul Flanagan as assistants to U.S. Women's Head Coach Jackie Barto, of Ohio State.
This marks the first time a PSUC coach has been named to coach a national team, according to PSUC Sports Information Director Patrick Stewart.
"It's a tremendous compliment to Kevin personally and to our program," Athletic Director Bruce Delventhal said. "I think it's something everyone that's involved with Plattsburgh and cares about Plattsburgh athletics should be very, very proud of."
Houle said he was confused at first over what he was being asked but it soon became apparent he was being offered a chance to help coach Team USA.
"I was pleasantly surprised," Houle said. "There's a lot of great coaches, a lot of deserving coaches out there that could have been chosen but it is a great honor to be asked."
In four seasons coaching the Cardinals, Houle has amassed a .839 winning percentage with a career record of 96-16-6.
He came to PSUC in 1989 after coaching high school hockey in Boston to work with current men's hockey head coach Bob Emery as an assistant before becoming the interim head coach of the women's team in 1999.
Taking a squad that finished 18-5 the previous season with no NCAA trips, he led them to a 22-6-2 record and an Eastern College Athletic Conference West Division title.
Be the first to comment on this story