Fairfield Names Jim Hunt Ice Hockey Coach

Fairfield, Conn. – Fairfield University Director of Athletics Gene Doris
announced today that the school has named Jim Hunt the head coach of the Stag
ice hockey team. Hunt becomes the fifth head coach in the history of the
program, which began varsity play in the 1974-75 season.

He arrives at Fairfield after serving as an assistant coach and the assistant
director of player personnel for the USA Hockey National Development Program
for the last three seasons. He helped guide the U.S. Under-17 team to the
first round of the North American Hockey League playoffs last season.

“I am very happy to have a coach of Jim’s caliber oversee our ice hockey
program,” said Doris.  “My goal was to hire a coach who could help develop our
program to be competitive in the MAAC Hockey League.  Jim has the coaching
experience, especially through his work with USA Hockey, to help us reach that
goal.”

Hunt’s hockey background includes four years (1996-2000) as the Atlantic
District director of player development, where he was responsible for the
identification, training and development of players in New Jersey,
Pennsylvania and Delaware. During his tenure, sixty players went to Division I
schools or Junior-A teams.  Hunt was also an assistant coach at the USA Hockey
National Junior Team Evaluation Camp (1997-2000) and an assistant coach for
the 1994 U.S. Junior Select Under-17 team, which earned a silver medal at the
Under-17 Challenge.

“I’m excited about the opportunity to continue what has already been started
at Fairfield,” said Hunt. “Our success will be based on our ability to develop
a relatively young team, and I look forward to the challenge of bringing
Fairfield to the next level.”

Hunt got his coaching start as an assistant at his alma mater, St. Mary’s
College (Minn.), in 1985.  He put in a stint as the head coach for Paramus
Catholic High School (1987-95) in New Jersey and was the head coach of the New
Jersey Junior Devils from 1992-97, where he led the squad to two league
championships and three national championship appearances.

Fairfield returns 20 letter winners from last season’s 3-28-3 squad, and 12
freshman will join the squad in preseason camp this fall.

Marc Gignac
Assistant Director of Sports Information
Fairfield University
(p) 203-254-4000 x. 2877
(f) 203-254-4117
www.fairfieldstags.com