UNB head coach MacDougall signs new contract with the Varsity Reds

FREDERICTON, NB - The University of New Brunswick is pleased to announce that Gardiner MacDougall will continue as the head coach of UNB Varsity Reds men's hockey team for the next five years.

MacDougall has helped lead the Varsity Reds for the past nine years and has just completed the best three year period in UNB hockey history culminating in the 2009 National Championship. The Varsity Reds also won the National crown in 2007 and were National finalists in 2008. The AUS Champion 2008 UNB team finished 31-1-1 in Atlantic University Sport regular season and play-off action and set several all-time AUS team records.

MacDougall began his coaching stint at UNB for the 2000-2001 season after a successful Junior career in Western Canada. UNB has reached the AUS "Final Four" nine consecutive years and has been to the National Championships five of the last seven years.

Since that time MacDougall has been named UNB's "All Time Leader" in wins and after nine seasons with the Varsity Reds has a regular season record of 153-78-21. Under his tutelage the hockey team has won two CIS gold medals, two CIS silver medals, and MacDougall has also won a World University gold medal as a member of the coaching staff of the 2007 AUS team that attended the FISU Games.

MacDougall has been keenly interested in player development at all levels. In the past two years three UNB players have signed NHL deals while two others have played at the AHL Level.

At the local youth level, MacDougall has been instrumental in the highly successful UNB Pumpernickel hockey camps and, along with long-time friends Roger Shannon and Brian Johnston, helped establish the V-Reds Prospects elite youth program. This past year, the program featured 14 teams and has had 92 players drafted to the QMJHL in the past two years.

UNB athletic director Kevin Dickie is very pleased that MacDougall has chosen to continue as coach of the Varsity Reds. "With my previous life being in hockey, I feel comfortable saying that we (UNB) have the best hockey coach in Canadian Interuniversity Sport. The best part about our program and how it has evolved under Gardiner's leadership is that it is done the "right way". Academically our student-athletes are outstanding, they are tremendous role models in the community, and obviously their recent track record on the ice is second to none."

"Knowing that Gardiner is going to be a part of our program on a go forward basis allows us to take another run at a potential trip to Thunder Bay. Along with that, the following two years hosting CIS men's hockey nationals we have the best leadership possible," continued Dickie.

A Bedeque, PEI native, MacDougall was named the 2003 and 2008 Atlantic University Sport coach of the year and was also named PEI coach of the year in 2007 and 2008. He holds a Level III NCP Coaching Certification along with CHA Advanced II Hockey Coaching Certification.

MacDougall is a graduate of two AUS universities and academics have always been at the top of his list of priorities for his team. To date 44 of his student-athletes have been named CIS Academic All Canadians; Colin Sinclair of the 2007 CIS Championship team was named as one of the Top 8 Academic All Canadians and Rob Henningar was named CIS Male Athlete of the Year in 2008.

"It has been an unbelievable experience to become part of the UNB tradition for the past nine years and it will be an exciting challenge and opportunity to continue to grow the program. I am very fortunate to have a wife and family who are supportive of my career and we really enjoy the Fredericton community," said MacDougall.

"We have an excellent group of returning players; a top quality coaching, training and administrative staff led by athletic director Kevin Dickie; a top rated recruiting class; and the best fans and supporters in the country that all share in the passion of UNB hockey," continued MacDougall.

Source:

Maureen Sparks, Coordinator
UNB Varsity Reds Athletics Coordinator