Rassey Takes the Helm at Harvard

Former Harvard assistant coach Rob Rassey (Northeastern) is returning to Cambridge, this time as the 12th head coach in Crimson men's hockey history. He succeeds Harvard alumnus Ted Donato, who stepped down earlier this year after 21 years at the helm.

Rassey, 41, from Shelby Township, Mich., spent the last four years as an assistant/associate coach at Michigan, where he helped the Wolverines to a Big Ten title and NCAA Frozen Four berth last season. Prior to that, he served as an assistant at Harvard from 2013 to 2019 after beginning his coaching career with two years at Youngstown (USHL), where he played in juniors when the franchise was in the NAHL.

Rassey played four years as a forward at Northeastern (2005-2009), where he tallied 13 goals and 17 assists for 30 points in 123 career games while helping the Huskies to the NCAA tournament as a senior, their first national berth in 15 seasons.

NCAA Coaching Carousel Continues

The offseason NCAA men's ice hockey coaching carousel was in full swing over the past two weeks.

Foremost among all the moves made was the firing of Todd Woodcroft by Vermont, after a months-long investigation by UVM administrators concerning "inappropriate text messages" with a student at the university. Woodcroft, who registered an overall record of 20-55-9 at the helm of the Catamounts over the last four years, has been replaced by assistant coach Stephen Wiedler for the 2023-24 season. Wiedler played collegiately at Southern Maine, and was an assistant at Curry College and AIC before becoming an assistant in Vermont in 2020.

The rest of the recent coaching movements came in the assistant ranks, as also reported at USCHO.com. Alaska (Fairbanks) brought aboard former NAHL/NA3HL head coach Casey Mignone, who played collegiately at both Lebanon Valley and Westfield State. Michigan hired Mathew Deschamps (Maine) and Kevin Reiter (Alaska Anchorage) as assistant coaches, and also promoted Rob Rassey (Northeastern) to associate head coach. Colgate added Zach Badalamenti (Wisconsin-Stevens Point), while Brock Kautz (Minnesota) has joined Bemidji State.

Lastly, Arizona State associate head coach Mike Field (AIC), who has spent the last eight seasons with the Sun Devils since they joined the NCAA Division I ranks, has jumped to the major junior hockey ranks as an assistant with Everett (WHL).  Field, who has also coached at his alma mater and at Dubuque (USHL), helped ASU to its first-ever NCAA tournament appearance in 2019 as an independent.