Ice Hockey, NCAA, Sports

BREAKING: Men’s hockey parts ways with head coach Albie O’Connell

Albie O’Connell will not return as Boston University’s men’s hockey head coach, the University announced Wednesday afternoon.

O’Connell served as head coach for four years, leading the team to one NCAA tournament appearance and an overall record of 58-49-16. 

Boston University’s Agganis Arena. The University announced Wednesday that men’s hockey head coach Albie O’Connell will not be returning next year. PHOTO COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

The program, despite winning its first Beanpot championship since 2015 in February, struggled to win consistently throughout the season. 

“We have very high expectations for our men’s ice hockey program and we are determined to have our team compete at the highest level of college hockey,” BU Director of Athletics Drew Marrochello said in a statement. “After the conclusion of our regular year-end assessment, we believe that a new direction is needed for our program to achieve our goals.”

The Terriers finished their campaign with a 19-13-3 record, but lost in their first matchup in the Hockey East Tournament to the University of Connecticut and failed to earn an at-large bid into the NCAA Tournament.

“This was obviously a difficult decision as Albie worked hard towards putting our team in a position to contend for championships,” Marrochello said. “We recognize that he was part of several successful teams during his time as a student-athlete and coach here, and I wish him and his family nothing but the best.”

O’Connell joined BU’s coaching staff in 2014 to work under then-head coach David Quinn. O’Connell served as associate head coach for four years before he was promoted to head coach when Quinn left BU to become the head coach of the New York Rangers.

BU has yet to announce a replacement, or interim, for the position.

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