UM’s Whitehead a finalist for Penrose Award

Tim Whitehead of the University of Maine has been named a finalist for the prestigious Spencer Penrose Award, given annually by the American Hockey Coaches Association to the top men’s ice hockey coach in the NCAA Division I ranks.

Whitehead, in his third season as the Black Bears’ head coach, has guided UMaine to a 32-7-3 record and a berth in next week’s Frozen Four at the FleetCenter in Boston. He won the Penrose Award in 2002 after leading the Bears to an NCAA runner-up finish.

The other finalists are Enrico Blasi of Miami University (Ohio), George Gwozdecky of Denver, Stan Moore of Colgate, Paul Pearl of Holy Cross, Scott Sandelin of Minnesota-Duluth, Tom Serratore of Bemidji State and Boston College’s Jerry York.

The honor will be bestowed at the AHCA Coach of the Year Banquet on Sunday, April 29, in Naples, Fla. It is named for Penrose, a former Colorado Springs benefactor who built the Broadmoor Hotel Complex, the site of the first 10 NCAA hockey championships.