Dick Umile, a six-time Hockey East Coach of the Year, enters his 23rd season as the head coach of the UNH Wildcats. He passed both Jerry York and Jack Parker in becoming the first coach in league history to six coach of the year honors. After signing a long-term contract in 2008, Umile will conclude his coaching career at his alma mater.

With 499 wins entering the season, Umile is looking to become one of just six active Division I coaches with 500 wins and just the eighth Division I coach to win 500 games at one school. Overall, just 14 coaches have reached the 500 win pinnacle that Umile is on the cusp of.

During his time at UNH, Umile has molded UNH hockey into one of the top programs in all of Division I hockey, guiding the Wildcats to four Frozen Four appearances, 17 NCAA tournament appearances and 22 Hockey East championship tournament showings in his 22-year career in Durham.

In addition, Umile has posted 18 20-victory campaigns over the span of 22 seasons. Umile is now the winningest coach in the history of UNH hockey with 499 career victories. He surpassed legendary coach Charlie Holt on Feb. 16, 2005 in a 6-1 victory at Merrimack at Thom Lawler Arena in North Andover, Mass. Umile ranks seventh among active NCAA coaches with a .638 winning percentage and on the active victories list his 499 victories ranks sixth among NCAA coaches. He has been named Coach of the Year a total of 11 times in his career, including New England honors four times and Hockey East Coach of the Year six times.

Last year, Umile guided a young team that struggled out of the gate to becoming one of the most difficult teams to play down the stretch. While the 15-19-3 record fell short of UNH’s annually lofty expectations, the team matured throughout the season and pushed sixth-ranked Boston University to three games including a pair of double-overtime thrillers before bowing out of the Hockey East tournament.

In 2010-11, the Wildcats had a successful campaign posting a 22-11-6 overall record and 17-6-4 in Hockey East. The season took off quickly with just two losses in the ‘Cats first 16 games. In Hockey East play, they won the regular-season series with five of nine league foes, highlighted by a season series sweep of rival Mane. New Hampshire continued its hot streak, without back-to-back losses until mid-February. Umile helped take a team to its 23rd straight trip to the Hockey East playoffs and home-ice advantage for a league best 15th straight season. New Hampshire was awarded the Charlie Holt Team Sportsmanship Award this season. The ‘Cats earned an at-large bid in the NCAA tournament for the 10th-straight season and hosted the Northeast Regional at Verizon Wireless Arena in Manchester as a fourth seed. They advanced to the regional final for the third straight season with a 3-1 victory over the top seeded Miami (Ohio) RedHawks.

In 2009-10 Umile guided the Wildcats, to their eighth regular-season championship including the third in the last four years. After going just 2-6-2 over its first 10 games, Umile’s Wildcats responded with a 10-1-2 mark over the next 13 games, including a 12-game unbeaten streak in Hockey East play. The Wildcats led the Hockey East standings for an eye-popping 16-straight weeks, taking over the league lead Nov. 23, 2009 and never relinquishing that position. UNH went unbeaten at home in Hockey East play for the first time since the 1999-00 season. Umile’s run in the regular season was capped by a dramatic 3-3 come-from-behind deadlock with Boston College that clinched the league’s crown in front of the home fans on Senior Day at the Whittemore Center. The ‘Cats earned an at-large bid in the NCAA tournament for the ninth straight season and captured a convincing 6-2 win over favored Cornell in the opening round, advancing to the regional final for the second straight season.

In 2008-09, Umile directed the Wildcats to a 20-13-5 mark as they captured their eighth consecutive trip to the NCAA tournament. After struggling through a 1-5-2 stretch in November, New Hampshire went 14-4-2 to close out the regular season and claimed third place in the league and home-ice in the Hockey East quarterfinals for a Hockey East-best 13th straight season. The crowning moment of the 2008-09 season was the Wildcats’ goal with 0.1 seconds remaining to tie and eventually win 6-5 in overtime in their NCAA Northeast Regional opening-round game against perennial power North Dakota in front of UNH faithful at Verizon Wireless Arena in Manchester.

In 2007-08, Umile led the Wildcats to a 25-10-3 record, including a program-record 19 Hockey East wins en route to a 19-5-3 record in league play, which earned UNH the regular season title for the second season in a row.  Umile captured his 400th career victory Oct. 19, 2007 against Boston University. Umile coached four All-Americans in Kevin Regan, Mike Radja, Matt Fornataro, and Brad Flaishans, which was the first time in school history that four players received that honor.

In 2006-07, Umile helped the ‘Cats to the team’s sixth Hockey East regular-season title and their sixth straight NCAA Tournament appearance with a 26-11-2 overall record and an 18-7-2 mark in conference play.

In 2005-06 Umile coached UNH to a 20-13-7 record overall.  The ‘Cats finished third in Hockey East, and advanced to the NCAA tournament for the fifth consecutive time.

In 2004-05, Umile guided the team to a 26-11-5 record and a second place finish in Hockey East with a 15-5-4 mark. The Wildcats played in the Hockey East championship game and advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the fourth straight season.

In 2002-03, UNH earned its fourth trip to the Frozen Four with a 28-8-6 overall record and a 15-5-4 record in Hockey East. The Wildcats took home the Hockey East tournament title for the second straight season with a 1-0 overtime thriller vs. Boston University on  March 15, 2003 at the FleetCenter in Boston. UNH defeated St. Cloud State and Boston University in the NCAA Regionals in Worcester, Mass. to earn its second straight trip to the Frozen Four. In Buffalo, the Wildcats beat the No. 1 ranked team in the nation, the Cornell Big Red, and Umile guided UNH to its second appearance in the national championship game vs. the Minnesota Golden Gophers. Junior goaltender Mike Ayers, senior forwards Lanny Gare and Colin Hemingway were named All-Americans in 2002-03, which marked the first time in school history three Wildcats earned that honor in the same season.                              

In the 2001-02 season, the Wildcats posted 30 wins, which was the second highest total in the program’s history. The ‘Cats made their third appearance in the Frozen Four in a five year span. Umile was honored as both the Hockey East and New England Coach of the Year and led the Wildcats to the school’s first ever Hockey East tournament title at the FleetCenter in Boston, as well as the regular season title. UNH was also ranked No. 1 in the nation for six weeks in the regular season, including the final four weeks.

Umile has coached 10 Hobey Baker finalists and 28 All-Americans in his 22 years in Durham. His success at the collegiate level has helped several UNH alumni continue their careers in the National Hockey League including Derek Bekar, Eric Boguniecki, Ty Conklin, Darren Haydar, Jason Krog, Bryan Muir, Eric Nickulas, Mark Mowers, Daniel Winnik, Trevor Smith, Jamie Fritsch, James van Riemsdyk, Bobby Butler and Matt Campanale.

In 1999-00, Umile guided the Wildcats to their fourth consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance and coached the senior class to a school record 107 wins.  The Wildcats registered a 23-9-6 record and finished second in Hockey East with a 13-5-6 record. One highlight for Umile and the Wildcats included a No. 1 national ranking for the first time in school history.

In 1998-99, the Wildcats posted a school best 31-7-3 overall record and earned UNH’s first outright Hockey East regular season championship with a league record of 18-3-3.

After reaching the Frozen Four in 1998, UNH and Umile took it a step further in 1999 and reached the national championship game by defeating national power Michigan State, 5-3, in the semifinals. In what many consider one of the best title games in NCAA history, UNH outplayed  Maine and held a commanding 48-38 shot advantage, but fell just short of the ultimate goal in overtime.

In addition to guiding the amazing run through the national tournament, Umile also played a major role in UNH’s first recipient of the prestigious Hobey Baker Memorial Award. Jason Krog, a four-year player under Umile, was awarded the Hobey Baker Memorial Award as the nation’s top player during the off day of the Frozen Four.

In addition to Krog, who was also a Hobey Baker finalist in 1998, Umile has coached Hobey Baker finalists Mark Mowers (1998), Ty Conklin (2000, 2001), Darren Haydar (2002 - Hat Trick finalist) Steve Saviano (2004), Kevin Regan (2008) and Bobby Butler (2010 - Hat Trick finalist).

For his efforts during the 1998-99 season, Umile earned the Spencer T. Penrose Memorial Trophy as the top Division I hockey coach and earned New England and Hockey East Coach of the Year awards.

During the 1997-98 season, Umile and the Wildcats advanced to the Frozen Four for the first time since 1982. UNH posted a 25-12-1 record overall and boasted an unprecedented two Hobey Baker Memorial Award finalists.                 

Umile became the 12th coach in the history of New Hampshire hockey when he was promoted to the position on December 6, 1990. He returned to his alma mater before the 1988-89 season as an assistant coach and was named associate head coach prior to the 1989-90 campaign.

An outstanding player at UNH, he captained the 1971-72 team that placed third at the ECAC playoffs and went 20-10. Umile enjoyed his finest seasons as a Wildcat his sophomore and junior seasons tallying a career-high 56 points. Umile was also honored with the Roger LeClerc Trophy during his sophomore year as the squad’s most valuable player. He recorded 60 goals and 84 assists for 144 points in just 87 career games.

After graduating from UNH in 1972, Umile began his coaching career in the Massachusetts public school system in Wakefield and Melrose. He served as the head hockey coach at Watertown (Mass.) High School for 10 seasons and scouted for the St. Louis Blues in New England for two years. Guiding Watertown to two Middlesex League titles, he was also named the Boston Globe Division I Coach of the Year in 1984. Umile debuted in the collegiate coaching ranks at Providence College, where he coached for two seasons under former Friar mentor Mike McShane (UNH ‘71).

Following his first season as the Wildcat head coach in 1991, Umile was honored with his first Bob Kullen Award as the Hockey East Coach of the Year. He was also the recipient of the Clark Hodder Award by the New England Hockey Writers Association as the New England Division I Coach of the Year. Also, he was selected the 1991 New England Division I Hockey Coach of the Year by the Gridiron Club of Greater Boston.

Umile was inducted into the Italian American Hall of Fame in 2007 and was honored by the Boy Scouts of America with the “Good Scout” award for his work in the New Hampshrie Seacoast community. In addition, Umile was named to the New Hampshire Legends of Hockey in 2009.

Umile and Rose have three daughters: Katie; Courtney and husband Dave Cook, who are the parents of Cameron (8), Lily Rose (9) and Tyler (6); Kristin and husband Jim Haggerty, who are the parents of grandsons Jack (12), Charlie (10), Jamie (8) and Quinn Robert (5).