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Following successful runs in the first three years of the Boston University women's ice hockey program, head coach Brian Durocher enters his fourth year in command in 2008-09 with an eye on establishing the program as a consistent power in Hockey East. Last season, in just the third year of varsity play, Durocher guided the Terriers to a third-place tie and their first appearance in the Hockey East tournament, an achievement that earned him Coach of the Year honors from both Hockey East and the New England Hockey Writers Association. Durocher has enjoyed great success over the past three years, guiding the fledgling women's program to a 46-46-10 overall record while building a system that can succeed for years to come. He was named the first head coach of Boston University's varsity team on June 3, 2004. After posting a 31-29-7 record over the team's first two seasons, Durocher's squad took a challenging schedule in 2007-08 that included 13 match-ups with nationally ranked foes. A grueling non-conference slate prepared the team well for a successful 11-9-1 Hockey East campaign and included a pair of four-game winning streaks and milestones such as the Terriers' first road win over Boston College and a tie against nationally ranked Dartmouth. The team made its second consecutive appearance in the Beanpot championship game and Durocher's Terriers made their postseason debut in the Hockey East tournament, fulfilling one of the team's primary goals from the start of the season. Looking forward, Durocher hopes to build upon the program's foundation by adding the pieces he feels will ultimately allow the team to compete annually on the national stage. The team's fourth season of varsity play means that the Terriers will be led by their first collection of four-year seniors, with a group of 10 from Durocher's initial recruiting class that has been with the program since its beginning. They will guide an experienced squad that also includes seven juniors, three sophomores and four freshmen. Durocher previously served as the associate head coach and recruiting coordinator of the BU men's ice hockey team from 1996-2004, helping the Terriers to five NCAA tournaments. While a student at BU, Durocher was a four-year letterman as a goalie and co-captain of the Terriers' 1977-78 NCAA Division I national championship team. Durocher first served as a full-time assistant on BU men's ice hockey head coach Jack Parker's staff from 1980-85. Previously, he began his coaching career immediately after graduation when he was named an assistant coach at American International College in Springfield, Mass. He was there from 1978-80 before returning to BU. In 1985, he left the Terriers to join the staff of the late Terry Slater at Colgate University. In addition to his on-ice responsibilities, he was also the Red Raiders' primary recruiter and was responsible for attracting the players who backboned the 1990 team that won the Eastern College Athletic Conference title and advanced to the NCAA title game. In the semifinals of the tournament, Colgate defeated BU, 3-2. In December 1991, after the untimely death of Slater, Durocher was named Colgate's interim head coach, a position he retained through the conclusion of the 1992 season. Later that fall, he was named assistant coach at Brown University, a position he held until he returned to BU in 1996. A native of Longmeadow, Mass., Durocher compiled an impressive 47-13-1 career record minding the goal for the Terriers. His most successful year was his freshman season during which he compiled a 17-2-1 record with a 3.61 goals-against average and a .874 save percentage. He won the Eberly Trophy as the outstanding goalie in the Beanpot and was an All-East selection. His senior year, as the Terriers finished with a 30-2 record and won the NCAA title, he posted a 14-2-0 record, along with a 3.99 GAA and .871 save percentage. Durocher and his wife, Laura, live in Brookline and have three daughters, Kirsten, Kara and Kelsey. |
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