A move that has been expected for a while is now official: Boston University has named Jay Pandolfo its new men's hockey coach.
Pandolfo, a Burlington native and BU alum, was an assistant coach with the Bruins for five years before returning to the Terriers last season as associate head coach under Albie O'Connell.
Pandolfo now replaces O'Connell, whose contract was not renewed by the school after the season. O'Connell had been head coach for four years after taking over from David Quinn in 2018. He posted a 58-49-16 record and helped the Terriers win the Beanpot in February, but the team did not win a single NCAA Tournament game during his tenure.
Pandolfo won a national championship as a player at BU in 1995 and ranks 11th on the school's all-time scoring list with 169 points during his four-year college career. He went on to win two Stanley Cups with the New Jersey Devils during a 15-year NHL career.
"This is truly a great day for the Boston University men's hockey program," said BU athletics director Drew Marrochello in a statement. "Jay was an elite player during his four years at BU and then proved to be a consummate professional during a decorated NHL career. He understands the tradition of BU Hockey and how important it is to our university, our alumni and our fans. Our student-athletes learned a lot from Jay during his first season here and we look forward to having him prepare them for future success while guiding us to championships. He certainly knows what it takes to win and we're excited to keep him home at BU, leading our program for years to come.
"In the hockey world, few are as well-liked and respected as Jay," Marrochello added. "Simply put, we hope Jay and his staff find more young men just like him to proudly wear the arched Boston. We were thrilled to have him return to the program a year ago, and he made such an impression that this promotion clearly became the right move for our department."
"I want to thank Drew Marrochello and President Robert A. Brown for this incredible opportunity," Pandolfo said. "It was a thrill to return here last year, and to now lead a program that holds such a special place in my heart is a dream come true. Choosing to play at BU was one of the best decisions I ever made, and I hope that the players I coach feel the same way when they complete their careers here. I'm excited to get to work and keep BU among the elite college hockey programs in the country."
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