I haven't seen this posted yet, but here's Bob Monahan's piece from today's
Bostob Globe:
 
        "The University of Massachusetts took its third step in pursuit
of Division I hockey excellence yesterday when it named Boston College
assistant Joe Mallen as head coach.
        The first step was the completion of the Mullins Center, which will
seat 8,400 for hockey.
        Step two was taken two weeks ago when UMass was accepted into
Hockey East starting in the 1994-95 season.
        Now it has the man to run the program, which is being revived next
season.
        "We had an outstanding group of candidates," said UMass AD Bob
Marcum. "Before I even got here, our search committee did an outstanding
job on a national level. All I can say is that we have an outstanding
coach who will make us very competitive in the very near future."
        Mallen, 37, accepted a four-year contract worth $83,000 annually.
        "This is a dream come true," he said. "UMass has everything to build
a hockey program and will be in a position to compete on the highest level
soon."
        Mallen was one of four finalists. The others were Springfield
Indians (AHL) head coach Jay Leach, Brown ass't Brian Durocher, and Lake
Superior head coach Jeff Jackson.
        A Dorchester, Mass. native, Mallen graduated from Christoper
Columbus HS in Boston and Michigan State. In 1979 he became the head coach
at UMass-Boston, where he posted an 86-42-2 record in six seasons and won
an ECAC Division 3 title.
        "Too many people seemed to forget that Joe was a head coach back
then," Marcum said. "He did a good job, and that's another thing going for
him."
        Mallen became an assistant coach at US International University
in San Diego for one year before he joined BC. At The Heights, Mallen
was a scout, a recruiter, on-ice coach, and monitored compliance with
NC$$ regulations. He also coordinated off-ice training programs and directed
the Eagles' video operations. All those credentials, plus his work with
the US National and Olympic teams, impressed Marcum.
        BC head coach Steve Cedorchuk said, "I'm thrilled for Joe. He's
one of the hardest-working and most respected coaches in the business. He'll
get the job done. I'll certainly miss him." "
 
 
well, I can't help but add a few of my own comments:
 
1. I am still trying to figure out, in vain, why this job was *not*
offered to Jeff Jackson. Didn't the qualifications for the job emphasize
head coaching experience at the DIVISION I level? That's the impression
I was under. No offense to Mallen, but it's difficult to ignore Jackson's
achievements.
 
2. It seems to me, IMHO of course, that the same UMass alums who claimed
that LSSU had only *three* players from the US also had a great deal of
say in this decision. I understand the desire for American, and particularly
Massachusetts kids, to play at UMass by UMass alumni. But to make a claim
that only three Americans play on LSSU (when we here on Hockey-L have
researched this and found it to be not true) and then seemingly penalize
Jackson for this is a grave mistake. I don't know where those alums got
that kind of information about LSSU players, but I feel that the decision
to offer the job to  Mallen had a great deal to do with his connections
in the area and New England, and that the alleged statement of there being
only three US kids on LSSU's roster really hurt Jackson. Maybe they feel
more comfortable with someone like Mallen, who knows the area a little better
than Jackson, to try and snatch recruits away from BU, BC, Harvard, NU, and
the other Boston-area schools to go play in Amherst. But the problem of
Jackson not knowing the Boston area well (if this is true) could  have been
solved through a copuple of strong assistants, e.g. Mallen?
 
I could ramble on and on, but I just don't see Mallen doing things for the
program that I think Jackson could have. If building the Mullins Center
and joining HE are "steps in pursuit of Division I hockey excellence,"
then the appointment of Mallen seems to be a lateral step, given what they
could have had. Of course, this is just my opinion, and I don't want to
give the impression that I'm Mallen should resign. Who knows? With any
luck, Mallen will step in prove himself worthy of the task at hand. I think
he'll move the program forward, but maybe not in the same degree that someone
like Jackson would have. In any event, the best of luck to him and the
program.
 
--Sid Whitaker
BU '94