FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Brady Coached Assumption for 10 Seasons and Won 2017 NE10 Championship.
MANSFIELD, Mass. – The Northeast 10 Conference announced on Thursday afternoon that the Coach of the Year award in ice hockey, given annually to the best coach as voted on by his peers, will now be named after the late Lance Brady – former head coach at Assumption.
Brady, who passed away in early February, spent 10 seasons in charge of the Greyhounds. He accounted for 99 wins, including five seasons with 11 or more victories, on his way to becoming a three-time NE10 Coach of the Year. Brady led Assumption to its first and only league title in program history in 2017.
The Lance “Duke” Brady NE10 Coach of the Year Award, as it will be called, was initiated by the league’s head coaches and received a unanimous vote of support from the Athletics Council and Council of Presidents.
“As the head coach of Assumption, Lance made an indelible mark on NE10 athletics,” said Damian DiGiulian, Saint Michael’s head coach. “He compiled winning records in five of his 10 seasons, including a league championship in 2016-17. However, Lance’s on-ice accomplishments pale in comparison to the ways he shaped the lives of student-athletes and his colleagues.”
“[Coach Brady] was a person that took pride in everything he did,” said Peter McDonagh, team captain of Assumption during the 2018-19 season. “Simple but powerful head nods or fist bumps were a player’s dream. He shaped Assumption hockey into what it is today.”
The first annual Lance “Duke” Brady NE10 Coach of the Year Award will be honored in the 2019-20 season. It becomes the fourth postseason award to be named after a former coach in league history.
Jamie Marcoux, Director of Athletics at Assumption, added, “To have this award named after Coach Brady truly exemplifies the characteristics that we celebrate in our coaches who we honor with this annual award.”
ABOUT THE NE10
The NE10 is an association of 15 diverse institutions serving student-athletes across 24 NCAA Division II sports. Together we build brilliant futures by embracing the journey of every student-athlete.
Each year, 4,500 student-athletes compete in conference championships, making the NE10 the largest DII conference in the country in terms of sport sponsorship. Leading the way in the classroom, on the field and within the community, the NE10 is proud of its comprehensive program and the experience it provides student-athletes.