[Slightly reformatted copy of the article posted at
http://www.athletics.mtu.edu/SERTICH.html   - Garrett]


Wednesday, January 17, 2001

SERTICH NAMED COACH OF MICHIGAN TECH HOCKEY TEAM
Contract Runs Through 2004-2005 Season

Houghton, Mich. -- Mike Sertich, who took over as
Michigan Tech's interim men's ice hockey coach on
Nov. 8, had the word interim removed from his title
it was announced today at a news conference on the Michigan
Tech campus by Huskies' Athletic Director Rick Yeo.

"We're extremely excited to have Mike Sertich
guiding our program into the foreseeable future,"
said Yeo, who noted he signed Sertich to a contract
that will run through the 2004-2005 season. "Mike
is a tremendous teacher and motivator and has the
support of our players, community, and alumni.
There is no doubt in my mind Mike Sertich is the
right person for this job."

"In Mike Sertich we have someone with tremendous
experience that is really a perfect fit for Michigan
Tech," said MTU President Curt Tompkins.
"Perhaps the thing that impresses me most about
Mike is his positive vision of the role collegiate
athletics can have on the student-athlete, the
school, and the community."

Sertich, who turned 54 on Jan. 8, says that all he
can do is smile. "I can't express in words how happy
I am. I've had such great respect for the Michigan
Tech hockey program all my life and to think now
that I am the head coach here is quite humbling
indeed. I look forward to the challenge ahead. My
wife and children are excited to be Huskies as well.
I'm thankful to Rick Yeo and President Tompkins for
giving me this chance. It's kind of a new lease on
life for me and I intend to make the most of it."

Prior to his arrival at Michigan Tech, Sertich spent
18 years (1982-2000) as the head coach at
Minnesota-Duluth where he amassed a 350-328-44
record and led the Bulldogs to the NCAA Championships
four times (1982-83, 1983-84, 1984-85, 1992-93).
In addition, Sertich guided Minnesota-Duluth to three
Western Collegiate Hockey Association titles (1983-84,
1984-85, 1992-93) and shares with legendary Michigan
Tech coach John MacInnes the distinction of being
the only four-time WCHA Coach of the Year.

Born and raised in Virginia, in the heart of Minnesota's
Iron Range, Sertich's work ethic led him to be a
standout in hockey, football, and baseball at Roosevelt
High School in Virginia. Upon graduation from the
prep ranks in 1965, Sertich was offered a football
scholarship to the University of North Dakota, but instead
opted to pursue his first love, hockey, at UMD, a school
which had just gained entrance into the prestigious
WCHA.

During his three seasons (1966-69) with the Bulldogs --
freshmen were not allowed to compete in
intercollegiate sports at that time -- Sertich, as
he himself will attest, was no superstar. However, he was
perhaps one of the most diligent workers on the club,
and in 1969 was named the club's Most Improved
Player. His career statistics for his three-year
collegiate stint include two goals and seven assists for nine
points in 64 games.

Following his graduation from UMD in 1969 with a B.S.
degree in physical education, Sertich wasted little time
in landing his first teaching and coaching job, joining
Head Coach Gus Hendrickson at Grand Rapids (Minn.)
High School.

After the two had literally built a hockey dynasty with
the Indians in the early and mid-1970s, UMD officials
persuaded both Hendrickson and Sertich to try their
coaching magic at the collegiate level.

Sertich, who had also been an assistant baseball coach
at Grand Rapids High School, worked as
Hendrickson's right-hand man and the Bulldogs' chief
recruiter for seven years (1975-81) before accepting
the job as UMDÕs head coach in the spring of 1982.

A past president of the American Hockey Coaches
Association and chair of the NCAA Ice Hockey Rules
Committee, Sertich has been active in an array of
coaching endeavors with USA Hockey over the last two
dozen years. In the summer of 1999, he was the head
coach for Team White at the U.S. Women's Ice Hockey
Festival in Lake Placid, N.Y. In August of 1998, he
served as an associate coach with the WCHA All-Star
team which competed in the three-game Kolin Cup in
Zug, Switzerland.

Sertich , who owns a master's degree in physical education
from Bemidji State University, and his wife, Audie,
have three children: Scott (32), John (30), and Lori (24)
and three grandchildren: Jeremy (9), Kiley (4), and
Danny (1), Joey (2 months).

Notes: Sertich is 4-9-0 since taking over at Michigan
Tech, with 11 of the 13 games against
nationally-ranked teams . . . Michigan Tech will host
Alaska Anchorage Friday and Saturday (Jan. 19-20) in
the MacInnes Student Ice Arena.