About a week after the Broncho’s season ended with a consolation win over 9th ranked Robert Morris (PA), the Bronchos get some recognition for the great season they had.
Head Coach Craig McAlister was awarded the American Collegiate Hockey Association Division One Coach of the Year award.
The award comes in light of some firsts for the coach, as well as the young UCO program.
The 2008-2009 hockey season was the best of the three-year UCO program. It was the first time the Bronchos reached a top 10 ranking, reaching as high as ninth in the fourth ACHA ranking release.
Central Oklahoma also made its first ever ACHA National Tournament bid, traveling to Ohio over spring break as the 13th seed.
They won several signature games, including one against the, at the time, defending national champion Illinois. Illinois came to Edmond earlier in the season with a 46 game win streak.
The Bronchos won the second game of the series and ended Illinois’ streak at 47.
UCO continued to show their strength in big games, by beating six of the teams that were in the National Tournament.
The list included, Ohio, Oklahoma, Iowa State, Rhode Island, Robert Morris (PA) and Illinois.
The Bronchos also took this year’s champions, Lindenwood, to a shootout.
Although the Bronchos lost to Illinois in the first round of this year’s tournament, it was still a monumental season for the UCO team.
They had the most wins in UCO history in a season at 24.
The head coach of the Bronchos, Craig McAlister, played four years at the University of Ohio.
He was a two time 1st team All-Midwest Collegiate Hockey League and a team captain three out of his four years. McAlister is a level five status in the USA Hockey Coaching Education Program.
McAlister started coaching in the ACHA in 2003, when he started the Oklahoma Sooner hockey program.
In two and a half seasons at OU, the coach had a 48-17-4 record. He left OU in 2006 to start the UCO program. At UCO, McAlister has racked up a 52-43-9 record.
The 24 games is his highest win total in his ACHA coaching career. Seconded only to his first season with the Sooners where he had a 22-5-1 record.
Coach McAlister, in just three seasons at UCO, led the Bronchos to their first National Tournament bid.
At the end of the tournament, McAlister gathered his 100th win when the Bronchos beat Robert Morris, 5-1, to close out their season in Ohio.
McAlister will be given the award at the American Hockey Coaches Association Coach-of-the-Year celebration on April 25 in Naples Beach Hotel in Naples, Florida.
UCO Hockey coach named ‘Coach of the Year’
By Chris Wescott, Sports Writer
Published: Thursday, April 2, 2009
Updated: Thursday, April 2, 2009
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