UW's Mike Eaves Named Head Coach of 2006 U.S. Men's National Team
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April 12, 2006
MADISON, Wis. - Mike Eaves, who last Saturday (April 8) guided the University of Wisconsin men's ice hockey team to its sixth NCAA championship, was named head coach of the U.S. Men's National Team today by USA Hockey. The 2006 International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) World Championship runs May 5-21, 2006 in Riga, Latvia. Also making the trip overseas is UW assistant coach Mark Osiecki, who will serve as the team's video coordinator.
"Mike is one of the outstanding young coaches in our game today," said Paul Holmgren, general manager of Team USA and also assistant general manager of the National Hockey League's Philadelphia Flyers. "He's an excellent teacher of the game and has worked successfully with players at all levels of hockey."
Eaves returns to USA Hockey for the first time since 2004, an organization which he has led to great successes. Eaves coached the United States to gold medals at the 2002 IIHF World Under-18 Championship and the 2004 IIHF World Junior Championship, the first for the U.S. at both events. 2004 USOC Ice Hockey National Coach of the Year, he also earned the 2004 USA Hockey Distinguished Achievement Award and was named the 2002 USOC Developmental Coach of the Year and the 2002 USA Hockey National Junior Coach of the Year.
Eaves ties to USA Hockey go deeper still. He spent 2000-02 as head coach of the U.S. National Team Development Program based in Ann Arbor, Mich. He also served as an assistant coach with Team USA at the 1991 Canada Cup and was assistant coach for the 1990 U.S. National Team at the world championships. As a player, Eaves was on the roster for the 1976 and 1978 U.S. National Teams that competed in the world championships, and also for the 1981 and 1984 U.S. teams in the Canada Cup.
Eaves just completed his fourth year behind the bench of his alma mater, the University of Wisconsin, adding an NCAA title as head coach to go along with his 1977 NCAA title as a team captain. Eaves directed his charges this season to a 30-10-3 mark and the seventh 30-win campaign in school history with a 2-1 victory over Boston College in the NCAA championship game. Wisconsin won the title on April 8 at the Bradley Center in Milwaukee, Wis., in front of a decidedly Badger audience.
"It's truly a thrill to be asked to coach the U.S. Men's National Team," said Eaves. "I'm looking forward to the challenge."
Osiecki, an assistant captain for the Badgers' 1990 NCAA championship team, served his second year as assistant captain during the 2006 title run. Also a person familiar to USA Hockey, Osiecki coached the U.S. team to silver at the 1999 World Under-18 Championships in Slovakia and assisted the team to silver at the 2000 World Under-18 Championships in the Czech Republic.He also led the U.S. junior select team to goal at the 1999 Freedom Challenge in Lake Placid, N.Y., and coached the 2000 U.S. Junior Select Team.
Serving as assistant coaches for the team are Keith Allain, the current goaltending coach with the St. Louis Blues, and Jay Leach, who is an assistant coach with the Washington Capitals.
(release courtesy of UW Sports Information Office)
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