The following article by Journal-Bulletin sports writer Sherry
Skalko appeared in THE PROVIDENCE JOURNAL this morning (5/23/95):
 
GAUDET TURNS DOWN OFFER TO COACH AT OHIO STATE
 
        Bob Gaudet said no to the Big Time.
 
        With the offer of a soon-to-be-built 17,500-seat hockey arena, a
full allotment of scholarships and the opportunity to play in the nation's
premier hockey association, Gaudet said thanks, but no thanks to Ohio
State,
 
        He's staying as head coach of the Brown University hockey team, the
position he has held for the last seven years.
 
        "It was a very difficult decision, but the one I made is without
question the best decision for myself and my family at this point," Gaudet
said.  "I had a lot of difficulty (Sunday) night.  I was going back and
forth."
 
        Gaudet's decision is comforting to Charlie Humber, co-captain of
next year's team, and his teammates.
 
        "I didn't find out directly.  I was relieved and phoned him right
away to find out for myself," said Humber, who will be a senior next year.
"Going into your final year you'd like to end your career with the coach
you started with."
 
        Gaudet was contacted by the search committee, which failed to find
a suitable candidate in its first batch of interviewees, including Maine's
Shawn Walsh, Northern Michigan's Rick Comely and former North Dakota coach
Gino Gasperini.
 
        Gaudet was offered the job on Friday, May 12, the day after he was
interviewed, and spent last weekend mulling the offer.
 
        Gaudet informed Ohio State of his decision Sunday evening.
Yesterday, the Buckeyes hired interim coach John Mackell, a former
assistant who had taken over after head coach Jerry Welsh was told his
contract would not be renewed.  Mackell accepted a three-year contract for
$65,000 a year.
 
        Mackell's salary is believed to be comparable to, if not slightly
higher than, Gaudet's.  However, the three-year term will expire before
completion of the multi-sport facility, which is scheduled to be in
operation for the 1998-99 season.  The Buckeyes currently play in the
1,400-seat OSU Ice Rink, an arena less than half the size of Brown's Meehan
Auditorium.
 
        Gaudet said he might have been more amenable to the OSU offer "if
the building was just a little closer to being a reality.......that and a
bunch of different things, including our position here at Brown."
 
        "I know at some point in this business it may be right to move.  I
understand that and I'm prepared for that.  But I have looked at this job
with open eyes."
 
        At OSU, Gaudet would have had the opportunity to revamp a program
which has won only 19 games in the last three years and hasn't had a
winning season since it went 23-19-1 in 1985-86.  He would also have 18
scholarships at this disposal, compared to none at Brown.
 
        Ohio State is also a member of the Central Collegiate Hockey
Association, the largest revenue generator of the four NCAA Division I
leagues.
 
        With all these advantages, outsiders may be surprised by Gaudet's
decision.
 
        "People thought I was crazy when I cam here, citing the lack of
scholarships and all," he said.  "I don't see (the OSU job) that way.  I
see it as an excellent opportunity at at a Big 10, CCHA school with a great
deal of potential......But we still have things to accomplish here."
 
        Since arriving at Brown, Gaudet has lifted the Bears from a 1-25
record his first year to a 16-12-3 record and an NCAA tournament appearance
in 1993.  Gaudet was voted ECAC Coach of the Year last season after the
Bears jumped from No. 6 in the ECAC preseason coaches' poll to a No. 2
finish.
 
Bill Corrigan
 
 
LET'S GO BRUNO!
 
1995 IVY LEAGUE HOCKEY CHAMPIONS