Mike Cavanaugh named Hockey East Coach of the Year

UConn's Mike Cavanaugh has been named the Hockey East Coach of the Year for the 2023-2024 season. This honor comes as he leads the Huskies into the conference semifinals on Thursday. In his 12th season, Cavanaugh has guided the team to its third 20-win season, finishing fourth in the conference with a record of 12-8-4. Earlier this season, UConn was predicted to finish eighth. The team has achieved impressive wins over ten ranked opponents and recently won the CT Ice championship. Cavanaugh, 56, previously served as an assistant coach at Boston College, where he helped secure four national championships. He joined UConn in 2014, when the team moved to Hockey East. UConn reached the conference tournament final in 2022 and is now back in the semifinals after defeating Providence. Currently ranked No. 7 in the PairWise ratings, UConn is poised for an NCAA tournament spot even if they do not win the conference tournament. The team is on a strong run, going 7-0-1 in its last eight games. They are set to face Boston University in the semifinals, while Maine and Northeastern will compete in the other match. UConn Athletic Director David Benedict praised Cavanaugh for his role in transforming the UConn hockey program into a competitive force in one of the toughest leagues in the country. Additionally, several players from the team received conference honors; Joey Muldowney and Hudson Schandor were named second-team all-conference, while Jake Richard made the third team. Schandor, who ranked second in league scoring, also earned recognition as the best defensive forward.