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2007-08 Schedule Announced
Highlighted by 14 home dates and a rematch of the opening round of the 2007 NCAA Midwest Regional against Notre Dame, the University of Alabama in Huntsville ice hockey team has released its schedule for the 2007-08 campaign. On the heels of the school's first NCAA Division I tournament appearance and College Hockey America Tournament Championship, the Chargers and Head Coach Danton Cole are looking forward to starting a new era of UAH hockey. "We are excited about our schedule this year', noted Cole. "Our tournaments at Nebraska-Omaha and RPI should be good experiences for our guys and the non-conference home games against Yale and Minnesota State from the WCHA will be fun for the fans here in Huntsville." UAH opens the Cole era on Oct. 19-20 against Atlantic Hockey foe Canisius in the opening round of the University of Nebraska-Omaha tournament. Depending upon the outcomes, the Chargers then take on host UNO from the WCHA or the University of Manitoba. A Hockey East matchup awaits the Chargers the following weekend with a series at the University of Massachusetts-Lowell on Oct. 26-27. UAH and UMass-Lowell met during the 2006-07 in the Dodge Holiday Classic in Minneapolis, Minn., with the Chargers taking a 5-2 win over the River Hawks. With renovations underway at the Von Braun Center throughout late summer and early fall, UAH opens the 2007-08 home slate on Nov. 2-3 as familiar WCHA foe Minnesota State-Mankato returns to the "Rocket City" for the first time since the 2001-02 season. The Chargers follow up the home opening weekend with their CHA opening set at the VBC as Bemidji State ventures to Huntsville on Nov. 9-10 for their first of two series in town. Following an idle weekend on Nov. 16-17, the Chargers head to the "Empire State" for Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute's Holiday Tournament over Thanksgiving weekend. The trip to Troy, N.Y. sets up a rematch of the first round of the 2007 NCAA Midwest Regional thriller in Grand Rapids, Mich., that saw UAH and Notre Dame battle to double overtime before the Irish came away with a 3-2 win. The Chargers return to action on Dec. 7-8 with the first road conference series of the season at Bemidji State before returning to Huntsville on Dec. 17-18 hosting CHA foe Robert Morris to wrap up the first half of the slate. Bemidji State returns to the VBC on Jan. 11-12 to open up the second half of the campaign followed by ECAC Ivy League foe Yale on Jan. 18-19. The next two weekends find the "Boys in Blue" on the road taking on league foes Wayne State and Robert Morris on Jan. 25-26 and Feb. 1-2 respectively. Feb. 8-9 brings 2007 CHA Regular Season Champion Niagara to the Tennessee Valley before the Chargers wrap up the home slate against Wayne State on Feb. 15-16. A road trip to face Niagara on Feb. 22-23 is on the schedule before an idle weekend on Feb. 29-March 1. The Chargers wrap up the regular season on March 7-8 with their second trip of the year in the league's unbalanced schedule to Robert Morris before making the trek to defend the title at the 2008 CHA Championships at a site yet to be announced. Those interested in season packages and sponsorship opportunities contact Gary Ward via email or call 256-824-6584.
Video from Monday's Press Conference
Cole named head coach of Charger hockey program
Following a nationwide search, the University of Alabama in Huntsville is pleased to announce Danton Cole as the third head coach in the history of the Chargers hockey program filling the seat of Doug Ross, who retired after 25 years at the end of the 2006-07 season. "We look forward to Danton's experience, his integrity, his desire and his enthusiasm and excitement to take the Chargers to the next level and to win as many championships as absolutely possible," noted UAH Director of Athletics Jim Harris. "I can't thank the committee enough for their diligence and time searching through the wonderful group of candidates. They did a great job helping us narrow down the group to pick the very best candidate for our needs. On behalf of the UAH Athletics Department I thank them for everything they did." Spending the last season as assistant coach at Bowling Green State University, Cole was responsible for the Falcons' defensemen leading five of their six regulars to new career-bests in points. "First and foremost, I'd like to thank Dr. Franz and Mr. Harris for giving me the opportunity to come in here to what I think is a great situation and with the chance to do some great things," said Cole. "A special thanks to Coach Ross for his 25 years and the great things he has done here with this program and college hockey. I was in pro hockey for 17 years as a player and coach and a lot of the reason I wanted to come back (to college hockey) was the culture and the people that are involved. Certainly Doug has done great things for college hockey and we wish him the best." A Pontiac, Mich., native, he suited up for Michigan State for four seasons where he still holds the career record with 180 games played during his span. Advancing to the Frozen Four three out of four years including winning a national title as a Spartan, Cole notched 163 points (69g, 94a) and was honored with the Big Ten Medal of Honor in 1989 as MSU's top male student-athlete in both scholarship and achievement. "Two things on his resume impressed the Dickens out of me" remarked Harris. "He was a three-time All-CCHA Academic Team member and that rings well with what we do here at UAH. He was also a Big Ten Medal of Honor winner while at Michigan State. That certainly leads toward our UAH philosophy of the true student-athlete concept of student first and to continue the integrity of bringing the student here for the highest possible degree of education as well as winning championships for UAH." A Stanley Cup winner with the New Jersey Devils in 1995 during his six years in the NHL, Cole joins the UAH family with a wealth of head coaching experience in professional hockey. With a career record of 222-126-27, Cole spent three seasons (2002-04) with the Grand Rapids Griffins (AHL), the top farm team of the Detroit Red Wings, where he became the all-time winningest coach in team history with a record of 116-72-17. Following his stint with the Griffins, he spent two seasons with the Motor City Mechanics (UHL), where he coached former Charger standout Jared Ross. Cole led the Mechanics to a 58-32-6 mark during his tenure. "I want to thank Coach (Scott) Paluch and Greg Christopher the A.D. at Bowling Green for giving me the opportunity to get back into college hockey," said Cole. "I certainly thank them as they've been wonderful supporters. It was tough leaving there but I did want to get back to being a head coach and this is a great spot and some good things are going to happen." Cole got his first shot as a head coach with the Muskegon Fury where he led the team to a 48-22 mark and a league championship. Married to the former Debbie Fox of Lansing, Mich., he and his wife have three daughters (Ashton 13, Madeleine 12 and Payton 8).Blue Line Club hosting pair of upcoming events
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