August 15, 2011

Quinnipiac Men's Ice Hockey Head Coach Rand Pecknold Signs Contract Extension Through 2015-16

Quinnipiac Men's Ice Hockey 2011-12 Schedule

HAMDEN, Conn. - Quinnipiac University Director of Athletics Jack McDonald has announced that Men's Ice Hockey Head Coach Rand Pecknold has signed a contract extension through the 2015-16 season. Terms of the contract have not been disclosed.

"I'm very excited with my new contract extension. I look forward to another five years at Quinnipiac, and hopefully beyond," Pecknold said. "I'm thankful to President John Lahey, Vice President Mark Thompson and Director of Athletics Jack McDonald for the resources and support that have made Quinnipiac successful. I'm very excited for the upcoming year at the TD Bank Sports Center."

Earlier this year, Pecknold was selected as ECAC Hockey's representative on the NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey committee. Pecknold will serve on the committee for the 2011-12 and 2012-13 seasons. This past season, his 17th at Quinnipiac, Pecknold led the Bobcats to its 15th straight winning season at 16-15-8 while also leading Quinnipiac to the ECAC Hockey Championship Quarterfinals. Since joining ECAC Hockey for the 2005-06 season, the Bobcats have hosted an ECAC Hockey Championship First Round series in each of the last five years and are the only team in the 12-team league to win a postseason series in each season.

"Rand and his staff continue to elevate our men's ice hockey team to national prominence," McDonald said. "I am pleased that he will continue to guide the program to be successful on the ice and in the classroom while also making an impact in the community."

For his career, Pecknold boasts a career record of 317-216-56, making him just the fifth coach in Quinnipiac Athletics history to reach the 300-win mark. Since joining the Division I ranks for the 1998-99 season, Quinnipiac ranks in the top ten in NCAA Division I men's ice hockey in wins and winning percentage. Among his many honors, Pecknold is a two-time Spencer Penrose National Coach of the Year finalist, the 2005 Atlantic Hockey Coach of the Year, the 2006 InsideCollegeHockey.com ECAC Hockey Coach of the Year and was a member of the inaugural class of the Elm City Legends in 2008.

In 2009-10, Quinnipiac reached new heights as the Bobcats were  ranked 4th nationally in the USCHO.com and USA Today/USA  Hockey Magazine Division I polls after winning 12 of their first  13 games. In 2010-11, Quinnipiac hosted elite national programs  in Ohio State and nationally-ranked No. 8 Nebraska-Omaha,  whom the Bobcats swept in a two-game series, at the TD Bank  Sports Center.

Off the ice, Pecknold has pushed the Bobcats to improve  academically while also facilitating the program's community  involvement. This past year, the men's ice hockey program  featured 23 players with grade-point averages over 3.00 for a  team-wide 3.245 GPA. In the community, Pecknold has  spearheaded several fundraising activities on behalf of  Quinnipiac, including the "Blades & Skates" event in 2008 to  benefit St. Baldrick's children's cancer research. The event,  through efforts by Pecknold and Quinnipiac men's ice hockey's  student-athletes, helped to raise over $30,000 for children's  cancer research. In recent years, the Bobcats have also donated  funds to benefit Autism Speaks and have volunteered with several  local youth organizations in Connecticut.