FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:                                  February 17,
1998
 
Anderson contract not extended at Merrimack
 
N. Andover, MA -- Merrimack College Director of Athletics Robert M.
DeGregorio, Jr., announced today that the institution will not exercise
its option to renew or extend the contract of ice hockey head coach Ron
Anderson.
        "Coach Anderson will not be leading the 1998-99 Merrimack
Warriors
when
play begins next season," stated DeGregorio. "This was a very difficult
decision for the institution to make. But, after careful review and
consideration, it is time for a change."
        Anderson leaves Merrimack after spending 15 years behind the
Warriors'
bench as a head coach. Anderson's name sits among the top of the list as
Merrimack's all-time winningest coach with a career mark of 253-242-24.
Anderson guided the Warrior program to the 1983-84 NCAA Division II
championship game during his rookie season behind the bench, won three
consecutive ECAC East Division II championships (1987-89), was named the
1986-87 ECAC East Coach of the Year, 1987-88 New England College Hockey
Writer's Division II Coach of the Year and the 1996-97 New England
College Hockey Writer's Division I Coach of the Year.
        Anderson was instrumental in steering the Warrior hockey
program from
Division II NCAA status to its current status as a NCAA Divsion I
competitor in the Hockey East Association. Merrimack joined the
prestigious Hockey East Association in 1989-90.
        Anderson's Warriors, playing as a Division I Independent, nearly
earned
a trip to the 1987-88 NCAA Division I Final Four after upsetting Hockey
East champs Northeastern in the tournament's quarterfinal round. The
Warriors had their most successful season while playing in Hockey East
during the 1996-97 season in which they finished 11-11-2 and earned the
school's first-ever home ice bid in the Hockey East quarterfinal round.
        Besides Anderson's role behind the bench, the 15-year veteran
also
guided his team to achieving in the classroom. Since the inception of
the Hockey East Academic Honor Roll in June 1989, Anderson's teams have
placed 62 Warriors, one-third of all league honorees, to that list. In
addition, five players have received the Distinguished Scholar Award for
being named to the honor roll for all four years while playing hockey.
And four of Anderson's Warriors were named as the league's top
scholar-athlete during his tenure.
        "I personally thanked Ron for his dedication and loyalty to his
student-athletes and Merrimack College," continued DeGregorio. "I
consider Ron Anderson to be a true professional, a teacher and friend. I
wish Ron the best in all his future endeavors."
        DeGregorio further indicated that the search for a new head
coach will
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long.]
begin as soon as the NCAA Division I Hockey Championships are completed.
DeGregorio hopes to name a new head coach before the end of the spring
semester so the new head coach will have the opportunity to meet with
the returning Warriors.