Walsh refuses UMass offer, to stay at UMaine

ORONO – University of Maine hockey coach Shawn Walsh, fresh off guiding the Black Bears to the school and the state’s first ever Division I NCAA team championship, confirmed that he will be coaching the Black Bears again next fall. His decision to stay came amidst rumors that he was headed to the University of Massachusetts to coach their fledgling program.

“I called UMass today (Monday) to tell them that I was staying at Maine,” said Walsh. “I’m looking forward to coaching the Black Bears next year.”

UMass will play a varied schedule of Division I, II and III teams next year before becoming a full Hockey East member for the 1994-95 season.

UMass had a Division II program until it dropped the sport after the 1978-79 season due to difficulties obtaining ice time at Amherst College’s Orr Rinks and a rink in Greenfield, Mass.

The new William D. Mullins Memorial Center has two Olympic-sized rinks, including an 8,200-seat facility that will be its home rink.

The position at UMass will pay a base salary of $85,000 and will have several other attractive perks including summer clinics.

“It was a tremendous offer,” said the 37-year-old Walsh. “I would have been the highest paid (hockey) coach in the country.

“But I’ve never coached for money. I never have and I never want to,” added the Bears boss.

He praised UMass Athletic Director Bob Marcum for his handling of the situation, calling him classy, and he expects UMass to be a real factor in Hockey East in the near future.

“UMass will be a power, no doubt about it,” said Walsh. “They will make our league better.”

Walsh makes in the vicinity of $65,000 at Maine but Maine Athletic Director Mike Ploszek has extended Walsh’s contract and given him a raise. Walsh now has four years on his contract and Ploszek has elevated his salary by “in excess of 10 percent.”

That will bring Walsh into the $72,000 range and, with his summer clinics, he will make more than $88,000.

“Under the circumstances, the terms of my contract are very fair,” said Walsh.

He was referring to the poor economic climate in the state and at the university, which resulted in Walsh absorbing a pay cut.

Any non-union university employees making in excess of $55,000 had to absorb a five-percent pay cut.

Walsh said he was irate by published reports in a Massachusetts paper that his wife, Tracey, didn’t like living in Maine and was encouraging her husband to take the UMass job.

“We were livid,” said Walsh. “She loves it here. We both love it here.”

Walsh’s 5-4 win over Lake Superior State in the NCAA championship game was the 250th of his nine-year career at Maine. He is now 250-120-14 including a 205-47-10 mark since 1987. His teams have won 30 or more games for six consecutive years and they have qualified for the NCAA Tournament seven consecutive seasons.

Over the past two seasons, his Maine teams have gone 73-5-4.

Walsh will have a lot of new faces next year but Walsh feels the impetus gained from winning the national title will be beneficial.

He said winning the title hasn’t sunk in yet.

“I think we’re so used to succeeding, that the players and coaches don’t appreciate it was much as the fans do right now,” said Walsh.