FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 22, 2012
Courtesy of Saint Michael's Athletics Communications
COLCHESTER, Vt. - Damian DiGiulian, a
veteran local college and prep coach, has been hired as the Saint
Michael's College men's ice hockey head coach, Director of
Athletics Geri Knortz announced on
Tuesday. DiGiulian, who has also coached in the USA Hockey
development system, becomes just the third head coach since the
program was elevated to varsity status for the 1982-83 season. He
begins his duties in late August.
During the past three seasons, DiGiulian was the head coach and
director of hockey for the Rice Memorial High School prep program,
which he created in 2009. The South Burlington-based squad went
36-12-3 in 2010-11, its second year of existence, while winning the
New England Fall Prep Hockey League (NEFPHL) title.
"I am both excited and humbled to be named the next head coach of
Saint Michael's men's ice hockey, and I want to thank all of the
people involved in the search process," said DiGiulian. "I would
also like to thank all of the people at Rice Memorial for the
wonderful time I spent there, and wish them nothing best the best
of luck as they move forward with Rice Prep Hockey."
DiGiulian was an assistant coach at Division III Middlebury College
during the 2007-08 and 2008-09 seasons, as the Panthers went a
combined 37-14-3 while reaching the New England Small College
Athletic Conference (NESCAC) Tournament championship game both
winters. Middlebury was 26-9-3 in the Eastern College Athletic
Conference (ECAC) East as a league counterpart to Saint
Michael's.
"Damian is a seasoned coach with a solid reputation for developing
quality young men through the sport of hockey," said Knortz. "His
combined 11 years of experience as an assistant coach at the
University of Vermont and Middlebury College, along with his most
recent head coaching experience with Rice Prep Hockey, make him an
exceptional choice."
Between the 1997-98 and 2005-06 seasons, DiGiulian was an assistant
coach at the Division I University of Vermont, which he helped
qualify for the postseason seven times, including in 2005-06 during
the program's first year in Hockey East. The Catamounts advanced in
ECAC Division I Championship play three times during his tenure,
including after posting a 13-6-3 league mark in 2004-05. During his
nine winters with Vermont, DiGiulian was heavily involved in
coordinating and supervising alumni and community service endeavors
in the Burlington area. He served on the Hobey Baker Memorial Award
selection committee and on the America Hockey Coaches Association
(ACHA) awards committee while coaching the Catamounts.
"We are going to concentrate on becoming excellent in all phases of
development under our watch," added DiGiulian. "Most importantly,
anyone hoping to play in this program must strive to be great
students and community members first, and that will in turn make us
a special hockey program. We will respect each other, the values of
Saint Michael's and the game of hockey, and will be leaders in the
community, on and off the ice."
At Vermont, DiGiulian was instrumental in the recruitment of Torrey
Mitchell and Patrick Sharp, both of whom have played at the highest
professional level in the National Hockey League (NHL). Mitchell
recently signed with the Minnesota Wild, while Sharp won the 2010
Stanley Cup with the Chicago Blackhawks.
Since 1997, DiGiulian has been a coach, evaluator and presenter in
the USA Hockey development system. He was selected to coach the
1999, 2000 and 2001 Rocky Mountain District Select-16 team while,
in 2000, he assisted a gold-medal-winning U-17 select team during a
tournament in the Czech Republic. DiGiulian has helped organize
evaluation camps in Vermont for USA Hockey while evaluating and
choosing players aged 14 to 17 for USA Hockey Select Festivals.
DiGiulian coached in the Junior A ranks prior to gaining college
experience, most recently as the associate head coach and assistant
general manager with the Butte (Montana) Fightin' Irish of the
American Frontier Hockey League (AFHL) in 1996-97, when the
Fightin' Irish advanced to the league finals. In 1995-96, he was an
assistant for the AFHL's Vail (Colo.) Avalanche, who owned the
league's best record, at 40-6-3.
DiGiulian previously played professionally in 1993-94 with the
Louisville Icehawks of the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL) and the
Tulsa Oilers of the Central Hockey League (CHL), as well as
coaching and training with the Vancouver-based Furokawa Hockey Club
of Japan in 1994-95.
A 1993 graduate of Hamilton (N.Y.) College, DiGiulian earned a
degree in history while also playing for the Continentals. Beyond
his coaching and playing careers, DiGiulian has become an on-air
ice hockey analyst, appearing on radio station WVMT for University
of Vermont broadcasts since 2006 and on ESPNU for select Division I
contests since 2007.
