> Eric J Burton <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
 
>  (1) when did the Chiefs become the river hawks (what ever they changed
too)
>  (2) what ever happened to Bill Riely.
>  (3) wasn't Lowell div 2 at one time, and craig mctavish an allumni.
 
 
1. This is the second season as "River Hawks".
 
2. Billy Riley was suspended by the NC$$ for some minor violations several
years ago.  The suspension was for 5 years.  The violations included
providing free housing over XMAS break for a student who couldn't afford
to go home.  Minor things, in most people's eyes, IMO.  One funny story
out of this was when Coach Riley as leaving the room in which he was
questioned (at the NC$$ facility) he was greeted by throngs of media.  He
couldn't imagine why all this press was there to see him, a coach in a
smaller-time sport at a smaller-time school.  Turned out the next case the
NC$$ was to hear was that of Lou Holtz' problems at Minnesota.
 
While Coach Crowder has (is doing) a magnificent job at the helm of the
team now, Billy's, IMO, impact is a large part of the school's current
success.  He took a team which initially practiced outdoors on the frozen
tennis courts and turned them into three-time Div. II national champions.
 As much as I thought he got the shaft by the NC$$, however, and was sorry
to see him go, I do think the school needed a change to make a push into
to the upper echelons of Div I hockey.  Billy did have two very successful
years in D-I, the best of which was a NC$$ appearance with the Jon Morris
led Chiefs in 1988.
 
Last week Coach Riley made a curtain-call appearance behind the bench at
Tully Forum as hed coached a group of alums from the three national
championship teams against a group of Boston Bruin alums in a fund-raiser
for the current program.  By all accounts, it was a success.
 
 
3.  Yes, Lowell was a D-II power at one time and Craig MacTavish played
two seasons for Coach Riley.  Mactavish played 55 games with 62 goals and
71 assists.  He still holds the team record for most points in a season:
88 in 1978-79.
 
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