ANCHORAGE – Six finalists for the University of Alaska Anchorage head hockey coaching position will come to Anchorage for on-campus interviews. That announcement was made today by UAA Vice Chancellor Dr. William Spindle.
Those finalists include Chris Brown and Michael Corbett, identified through the original search process, along with Ron Fogarty, Kevin Hartzell, Dave Peters and Matthew Thomas that were identified through the supplemental search process.
Two of the original four finalists, Damon Whitten and Gary Heenan, have removed themselves from consideration.
All six candidates will be introduced to the public via the schedule below. The candidates will meet exclusively from 6:30 to 7:00 p.m. with Seawolf Hockey alumni, followed by 7:00 to 7:30 p.m. forums with the general public. Sites for these forums will be announced when available. Check GoSeawolves.com for updated information.
A former UAA assistant coach (1997-2000), Brown has spent the last 13 years as a college head coach at NCAA III institutions Marian College in Wisconsin (2000-2004) and Augsburg College in Minnesota (2006-present). Brown, who was assistant captain for the 1994 NCAA III hockey national champion Wisconsin-River Falls team, earned his bachelor's degree from Wisconsin-River Falls in 1994 and his master's degree from Marian College in 2003.
Corbett has been with the hockey program at the United States Air Force Academy for the past 10 years – serving as assistant coach from 2003-2012 and for the past year as associate head coach. He was two-time alternate captain for the University of Denver hockey team (1992-97) and was a finalist for the 1997 NCAA Hockey Humanitarian Award in 1997. He earned his bachelor's degree from DU in 1996 and his master's degree from DU in 1998.
Fogarty is the current head coach and founder of Div. III Adrian College since 2006, posting an overall record of 145-20-6 after spending 10 years at the Div. I level. Prior to coaching at Adrian, Fogarty spent four seasons at Bowling Green State University (2002-06) and three at both Clarkson University (1999-02) and Colgate University (1996-99) as assistant coach. A three-time MCHA Coach of the Year, received a bachelor's degree from Colgate in 1995.
After finishing his collegiate hockey playing career at the University of Minnesota, Hartzell took the head coaching job with the St. Paul Vulcans (1983-89) and then with the Sioux Falls Stampede (2005-12), where he became the winningest coach for both USHL franchises. Combined, Hartzell registered two USHL championships and sports 400 plus wins in the league. He earned a bachelor's degree from Minnesota in 1983.
Peters has served as associate coach at Dartmouth College since 1999, after serving as assistant coach at Providence College from 1993-98. Peters has helped the Big Green to seven trips to the ECAC Championships, while keeping the team ranked in the top 20 in nine of the last 11 seasons. At Providence he was the top assistant and recruiter, helping the program win the Hockey East Championship in 1996. Peters earned a bachelor's degree from Boston College in 1982.
The current head coach for the ECHL's Stockton Thunder, Thomas has been at the helm since 2008. Prior to taking on the Thunder, Thomas coached at the ECHL's Fresno (2005-08) and Atlantic City Boardwalk (2002-05), after receiving NCAA experience at Maine (2000-02) and at his alma mater RIT (1998-99). He graduated from RIT with a bachelor's degree in 1998.
UAA Head Hockey Coach reception schedule (Site TBA)
Thursday, June 6 – Chris Brown
Monday, June 10 – David Peters
Tuesday, June 11 – Ron Fogarty
Wednesday, June 12 – Kevin Hartzell
Thursday, June 13 – Matt Thomas
Friday, June 14 – Michael Corbett
