Six inducted into NJCAA Hockey Coaches Hall of Fame

The NJCAA Ice Hockey Coaches Association has announced the 2017 class for the NJCAA Hockey Coaches Hall of Fame.

Matt Alvey – Hudson Valley Community College (NY)

• Matt Alvey became Hudson Valley Community College's hockey coach in 2002. In 14 seasons Alvey guided the Vikings to seven national tournament appearances.  Alvey led the Vikings to a 143-136-15 record during his tenure at HVCC.  A native of Troy, NY, Alvey was a second-round draft pick of the Boston Bruins in 1993. A member of the Lake Superior State University (MI) hockey team, Alvey's game-winning goal as a member of the 1994 squad lifted the Lakers to the NCAA Division I national title over Boston University. Alvey is currently an assistant coach at Union College (NY) for the Dutchmen of the ECAC.

Craig Chamberlain – Monroe Community College (NY)

• In the fall of 2005 Craig Chamberlain took the reins of the Monroe Community College hockey program. Chamberlain's incredible nine-year run included an overall record of 185-46-6, five NJCAA national runners-up finishes, and the program's only national championship in 2012. Chamberlain's teams won at least 17 games in each of his nine seasons, including a program-best 25 during the title-winning 2012 season. Along with coaching women's lacrosse at MCC he is also a physical education instructor in the Rush-Henrietta Central School District. Chamberlain played collegiate hockey for SUNY Canton (1983-1985) and the University of Alabama in Huntsville (1985-1986). After college he played for the Atlantic Coast Hockey League (ACHL) Carolina Thunderbirds.

Steve Mullen – Erie Community College (NY)

• As an administrator, Steve Mullen worked tirelessly to promote NJCAA ice hockey and its programs to member colleges, four-year colleges, and the general public. Mullen has served as Assistant Director of Athletics at Erie Community College since 2008 and was at Hudson Valley Community College from 2002-08. In the past, Mullen has also served as the tournament director for the NJCAA swimming and Diving Championships and the NJCAA Region III Baseball and Softball championships.  Mullen was instrumental in bringing player of the week and weekly polls to NJCAA hockey and getting players more exposure to help them move on to four-year institutions.

Scott Oliver – University of Minnesota Crookston

• Scott Oliver's tenure at the University of Minnesota Crookston began in 1987. Oliver's career record of 204-49-4 included a pair of national championships in 1993 and 1994 where he was named the NJCAA Coach of the Year in each season.  During his time at Crookston he also coached football and helped the school transition to a four-year institution with numerous roles. The Winnipeg, Manitoba native is currently an assistant coach for the East Grand Forks Green Wave hockey team and teaches physical education for East Grand Forks School District and is involved with the High School Elite League as a coach for the Great Plains team.

Gary Rost – Erie Community College (NY)

• Gary Rost has been involved with the Erie Community College Kats Hockey program for over 39 years. Rost has been head coach for the Kats for the past 12 seasons and has posted a 208-76-4 career record.  Rost guided Erie to five NJCAA championship games, leading ECC to its first national championship in 2011 before adding another in 2015. Erie's hockey program has won 10 NJCAA Region III championships, including five (2009, 2010, 2015, 2016, and 2017) with Rost as the head coach. Rost is a three-time Region III Coach of the Year and a two-time NJCAA Coach of the Year. Rost also served as the golf coach at Erie from 1982 to 2008. He has served on the board of both the Western New York Amateur Hockey League and the Southdown's Club Hockey League.

Travis Rybchinski – Dakota College at Bottineau (ND)

• In 16 seasons at the helm of Dakota Bottineau, Travis Rybchinski has led the Lumberjacks to seven national championships in 10 national tournament appearances as a coach . Rybchinski picked up his 200^th career victory at the start of the 2016-2017 season. A native of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Rybchinski has been named NJCAA Coach of the Year seven times. Rybchinski served as the president of the NJCAA Coaches Association for 11 years and was vice president for four years.  Along with his coaching success, Rybchinski serves as an instructor at Dakota College at Bottineau and will continue to coach the Lumberjacks as they venture into the American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA).

NJCAA ICE HOCKEY COACHES ASSOCIATION HALL OF FAME MEMBERS

•             Matt Alvey – Hudson Valley Community College (NY) (2017)

•             Frank Catani – Hibbing Community College (MN) (2000)

•             Craig Chamberlain – Monroe Community College (NY) (2017)

•             Ralph Galanti, Jr – Erie Community College (NY) (2002)

•             Tim Gerrish – North Country Community College (NY) (2005)

•             Dan Huntley – Rainy River Community College (MN) (2015)

•             Terry Martin – SUNY Canton (NY) (2000)

•             Scott Oliver – Minnesota Crookston (2017)

•             Gary Rost – Erie Community College (NY) (2017)

•             Travis Rybchinski – Dakota College at Bottineau (ND) (2017)

•             Herb Salberg – College of DuPage (IL) (2000)

•             George Schlieff – Rainy River Community College (MN) (2000)

•             Earl Utter – SUNY Morrisville (NY) (2007)

•             Gary Warren – Minot State University-Bottineau (2002)

Builders: Al Chadwick – SUNY – Canton (NY) Athletic Director (2001), Bob Hudak – North Country (NY) (2001) and Steve Mullen – Hudson Valley (NY) /Erie (NY) (2017)

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