(Updated: 2:50pm 6-30) Bowling Green’?s hockey program isn?t guaranteed to exist after next season.
But new Falcon coach Dennis Williams isn?t focusing on the future of the program.
Instead, his first priority is the team on the ice.
Williams was named BG’?s head coach Tuesday, replacing Scott Paluch, who resigned after seven seasons to
take a position with USA Hockey.
BG was 84-156-23 overall and 61-119-16 in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association during Paluch?s seven
seasons.
Paluch
looks at new job
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Williams was hired as an interim head coach for next season. BG will open a search for a permanent head
coach after next season, if the program still exists.
?We can only control what we can control,? said Williams, an assistant coach at BG last season.He’s the
youngest coach in NCAA Division I. "Everything else is just noise that we don?t need. We?re
worrying about us as a program, moving forward and having a successful season.?
The 29-year-old played at BG from 1997-2001 and served as a volunteer assistant coach for the 2002-03
season.
BG has been last in the league in three of the last four seasons, including records of 11-24-3 and 9-19-1
last season.
The Falcons were 10th in the league in scoring (2.34 goals per game) and last in goals allowed (3.45)
last season.
?We?re going to play hard-nosed Falcon hockey and make our way back up the standings,? said Williams, who
was the head coach at Neumann College in Aston, Pa. from 2004-07. The Knights were 35-32-8 during
Williams? three seasons, but won the NCAA Division III championship in 2007 with a 17-5-5 record.
Neumann was 31-15-6 during his final two seasons with the seniors on the 2007 team being recruited by
Williams.
He was an assistant at Alabama-Huntsville for the 2007-08 season and Utica College for the 2003-04
season.
?My conversations with (Paluch) very quickly turned towards Dennis,? BG athletics director Greg
Christopher said. ?It?s the total package Dennis brings to the table. His coaching background speaks for
itself. He has a nice set of experiences.?
The BG program could be eliminated after next season to help the athletics department and the university
deal with large budget deficits.
?Like (Paluch), he bleeds orange and brown, that?s important given the circumstances right now and where
our program is,? Christopher said. ?He?s been a head coach and has had success as a head coach. Given
our circumstances, that?s important. Neumann wasn?t in great shape when he took over and he built them
into a consistent winner.?
When asked why a national search for a head coach wasn?t conducted, Christopher said. ?What we need for
our program and the players is stability. Given that, Dennis was a perfect fit.?
When asked if Williams would have been hired if BG had done a national search, Christopher said. ?Dennis
had the package we?re looking for. Rather than go through a four-week process or how ever long it would
take, I felt the person was right here.?
Christopher said the coaching change ?doesn?t change anything about where we are as a program.? A
decision on the fate of the program is expected by end of the August or early September.
The university recently hired a national firm to assess the amount of money that could be raised to
support the hockey program and a renovation of the BGSU Ice Arena.
Christopher and BGSU president Carol Cartwright already have received preliminary reports from separate
committees regarding the future of the hockey program, the arena and the athletics department.?
Williams was a hard-nosed forward at BG, totaling 12 goals and eight assists in 117 career games. He had
190 penalty minutes and was known for his toughness and physical play, and his ability to get under the
skin of his opponents.
Williams still has two hire two full-time assistant coaches. Assistant Frank Novock left in the spring
for personal reasons. The closing date for the search is Thursday.
Paluch and Williams notified the team of the coaching change Tuesday morning via conference call and was
going to call the players individually during the next 48 hours.
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