BOWLING GREEN (WTOL) - Following an appearance in the NCAA Division I Men’s Ice Hockey Tournament, the Bowling Green State University Athletics Department has announced that head coach Chris Bergeron has submitted his resignation to accept the same position at his alma mater, Miami.
“On behalf of my family and myself, I want to say a very sincere ‘Thank you’ for the last nine years,” Bergeron said. “Your unconditional support from our early rebuilding years to the turnout last Saturday in Allentown has meant more to me than you will ever know. The last few days have been very difficult for me because President (Rodney) Rogers, Bob Moosbrugger and Jim Elsasser stepped up and showed their commitment to Falcon hockey. Having to choose between two places that I love dearly has been the toughest decision I have ever had to make. Thank you for allowing me to be part of this program that means so much to all of you. We are extremely proud that we are leaving the program better than we found it.”
In nine years at Bowling Green, Bergeron went 171-154-4. The Falcons advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 29 years, dropping a 2-1 overtime decision to defending national champion Minnesota Duluth.
“As someone who returned to their alma mater, I understand the attraction to return to a place that you consider home,” BGSU Director of Athletics Bob Moosbrugger said. “We are thankful for the nine years of leadership in our hockey program from Chris Bergeron. In the same way that he asks his players to leave the program better than they found it, he has done the same at Bowling Green. This is a great job and we have already begun the national search to find the individual who will continue to elevate our program.”
BGSU Hockey has won 20 or more games in five consecutive seasons, advancing to the WCHA Championship game twice in the last three years. The Falcons have won at least one best-of-three playoff series in nine straight years – the most in the country.
In the six years that Bowling Green has competed in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA), the Falcons have finished in the top three of the regular standings five times. BGSU also won the 1984 NCAA Division I National Championship.
