Sisti named AHCA Coach of the Year

[LakersFan]

Congratulations to Coach Mike Sisti of Mercyhurst being named AHCA D-I Coach of the Year (http://www.ahcahockey.com/news/0405/0405w1cy.html). It must be a slow day in Erie, because it actually made the front page of the sports section of the Erie Times News (http://www.goerie.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050406/HOCKEY03/504060415/-1/SPORTS). Triple OT NCAA tourney games are only worthy of page six.

It is great to see Coach Sisti and his coaching staff get some credit for taking a young program and turning it into a top ten power, without the benefit of being in one of the "big three" conferences. The NCAA bid, the great game with Harvard, and Sisti being named coach of the year should be a big boost for recruiting and name recognition.

[dave1381]

It must be a slow day in Erie, because it actually made the front page of the sports section of the Erie Times News. Triple OT NCAA tourney games are only worthy of page six.
I was also hoping to find a front-page story on the Star Tribune acknowleding that three-time winner Laura Halldorson was one of this year's Coach of the Year runner-ups (along with Katey Stone, the 1999 winner), but I guess that news isn't "hot enough" for them. :p

[MICZamboni]

Congrats Coach Sisti!!!

This is a credit to his assistant coaches, players, AD, SID and hell, even the zamboni drivers.

Cant wait until we get an olympian (maybe sooner than some think).

[Collegehockeynut]

Cant wait until we get an olympian (maybe sooner than some think).

Can't argue with the pick. But are you going to drop a teaser like this and then clam up? What have you heard that we have not? :rolleyes:

[dave1381]

Cant wait until we get an olympian (maybe sooner than some think).
What kind of Olympian though? I mean, Bemidji State has an Olympian - from Germany.

[MICZamboni]

Can't argue with the pick. But are you going to drop a teaser llie this and then clam up? What have you heard that we have not? :rolleyes:


Not really clamming up. As far as I know there are no olympians coming to Mercyhurst yet but possibly one or two have shown interest. I honestly dont know who they are but there is buzz in the area. I heard they are European but I dont know what country.

I dont think Coach Sisti would take them if they couldnt help.

Sorry, I know this doesnt help.

[ARM]

I honestly dont know who they are but there is buzz in the area.
Good for Mercyhurst! Minnesota has Olympians and still can't generate much in the way of a buzz in the area.

Also, congrats to Coach Sisti on his COTY honor. He seems to consistantly keep his program moving in the right direction.

[spectator]

I was also hoping to find a front-page story on the Star Tribune acknowleding that three-time winner Laura Halldorson was one of this year's Coach of the Year runner-ups (along with Katey Stone, the 1999 winner), but I guess that news isn't "hot enough" for them. :p

Maybe the story will make the StarTribune in April 2006, and the angle will be that because she went from winner to runner-up she must be slipping.

Congratulations to Coach Sisti!

[camman15]

What kind of Olympian though? I mean, Bemidji State has an Olympian - from Germany.

Here we go again with you,.....let's start this post by saying somebody (in authority who monitors what ends up on this web site) may want to review the comments and questions you ask in this forum,.....is there a point to your asking what kind of olympian may go to Mercyhurst???, and what's your point about the kid at Bemidji???,.....somebody made a good point that if incoming players improve the program, it doesn't matter who they are, where they come from or who they competed with before college,.....the bottom line is MIC Zamboni is excited about the award for Mike Sisti, and the potential positive fallout because of the success of the Lakers, and if that program lands a so-called olympian or two, who really cares, until that is, they take the ice next season,.....oh, but I almost forgot; according to you, why even pick all-americans (who may also be olympians) next year when nobody will be as good as anyone on this year's 2nd team?,.....you don't know that for sure, do you?,.....DO YOU???,.....do yourself a favor and stop what you term "random babbling", and say something that has some substance,.....

[fan for life]

Congratulations to Coach Sisti and Mercyhurst for supporting him. Players get some credit too. I say this because the comments would be made if Stone and Halldorson's had won. At the end of the day it was the Mercyhurst players worked their butts off to show the rest of us what the coach had in mind. This isn't a complete surprise to me. When I attended the UNH tournament in November one of the Team Canada staff commented on the great job Sisti was doing.

[dave1381]

is there a point to your asking what kind of olympian may go to Mercyhurst???, and what's your point about the kid at Bemidji???Yes, there's a point. I mean, it's obviously a bigger deal if Mercyhurst is getting, say, a top Swedish Olympian than a German or Russian Olympian because some Olympic teams are better than others. Yes, it's still great for Mercyhurst if they have diversity and get an Olympian for their program, regardless. But it's even better for the program if the Olympian is one from the top three or four countries. I was just posing that question, and bringing up that difference. It wasn't anything against Mercyhurst. I don't see why you took such offense to that comment.
somebody made a good point that if incoming players improve the program, it doesn't matter who they are, where they come from or who they competed with before college
True, but some players improve the program more than others. The right Swede would improve Mercyhurst more than some German no one has heard of.
.....oh, but I almost forgot; according to you, why even pick all-americans (who may also be olympians) next year when nobody will be as good as anyone on this year's 2nd team?
First, you always pick All-Americans no what, the talent fluctuates in college hockey every season. There tends to be less talent in women's hockey in Olympic years than others for obvious reasons - I don't think anyone would disagree with that. Second, I'm pretty sure you're misquoting me. I said the FORWARDS would not be as good as anyone on this year's second team. I stand by that. What three forwards in college hockey as a whole next year are going to be as good as Nicole Corriero, Julie Chu, and Katie Weatherston were this season? I think I'm pretty sure about that one. I think most people here would agree with me. The Olympics suck away a lot of the offensive talent whenever they came around (do the math, 12 roster spots for forwards, only 2 for goalies), so goalies in college hockey will get a lot more attention. Note Horak/Reinen, Pam Dreyer, Tania Pinelli, and Patricia Sautter, Chanda Gunn, Ferguson in 2002 -- pretty much the teams with the best goalies and D were the top teams. There was a greater variance at the top in goaltending/defensive talent in 2002. This season there was much greater variance in the offensive talent at the top. 2006 will be more similar to 2002 than 2005. I'm guessing were in agreement there, but I can't read your mind.
do yourself a favor and stop what you term "random babbling", and say something that has some substance,.....
Do myself a favor? I'll do whatever I feel is right as long as it's within the rules of this message board. If I want to have fun and toy with people a bit, and cut out of a serious discussion, I'll do that. Remember that this is an internet discussion board. You seem to want to hold every one of my posts to the standard of a Congressional hearing testimony. Chill out.

[gopher55]

great for SISTI!
I hope people actually realize what he is working with.
He has produced a great team every year with many limitations.
he has always picked a good coaching staff to back him and he has come through with it all.
Minnesota recruits it's own players the coach could be aweful and would still get players. chances are if coach H was at mercyhurst she would not have done as well. even at minnesota her players are unhappy with her and they are eating from gold spoons.
Way to go mercyhurst!
Good coaching can only really be seen in these types of teams
you deserved it!!!!

[dave1381]

Good coaching can only really be seen in these types of teams

Sorry, but this statement is bull. Good coaching is good coaching, period. While coaching at Mercyhurst has its unique challenges, so does coaching at Minnesota, UMD, Harvard and Dartmouth. And some coaches might be better suited to handle the particular challenges at one school or the other, so trying to compare coaches by projecting them at a different school doesn't create some universal measure of coaching. Really, when Halldorson takes home two NCAA titles in the last two years, you can't complain about the results. And over the last five or six years, she's proven she can win with a lot of different kinds of teams, although for sure her program has been through peaks and valleys like anyone.

And who are you to speak for the happiness or lack thereof of the entire Minnesota team? Have you talked to all the players about it? While I certainly don't doubt there are players who have had conflicts there, I would think that happens just about everywhere. Last time I checked, a head coach's job description was to be the head coach, not be the best friend of the players and always give them exactly what they want.