The University of Maine men’s and women’s hockey programs have a husband and wife coaching team.

Campbell Blair is in his fifth season as an assistant for the men’s program and his new wife, the former Kate Fennessey, has become the new assistant for the women’s program.

Blair and Fennessey married June 1 in his living room in Orono.

Kate Blair had been a volunteer assistant at Mercyhurst College (Pa.) the past two seasons. Mercyhurst made the NCAA Tournament last season and was eliminated in the first round by eventual runner-up Harvard 5-4 in triple overtime.

Mercyhurst finished the year ranked seventh nationally in the USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine poll.

Kate Blair is a Columbus, Ohio, native who played hockey at Rochester Institute of Technology (N.Y.) before graduating in 1991. She went on to become the head girls hockey and lacrosse coach at Culver Military Academy (Ind.) before going to Mercyhurst.

She will be a paid assistant coach at Maine.

“She’s going to bring some experience to our program,” said Maine women’s head coach Guy Perron. “Mercyhurst’s program is different from ours. It is very well known and nationally ranked. She’ll bring some energy to our staff and our program.”

Perron said Blair will work with the forwards and handle the videotaping while also assisting him on the bench during games when second-year assistant Lauren Steblen is on the road recruiting. She will also do office work and eventually get involved in the recruiting process.

“I’m excited about the season,” said Blair. “We’ve got some great kids coming in and some great kids coming back. The program is moving in the right direction.”

Her initial impression of Maine?

“I absolutely love it here,” said Blair.

Maine recruit Moncton-bound

Defenseman Keith Yandle, a fourth round pick of the Phoenix Coyotes, won’t be coming to the University of Maine because he didn’t meet the school’s academic requirements. Yandle recently signed with the Moncton Wildcats of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.

Yandle, who verbally committed to attend Maine, achieved the NCAA Clearinghouse requirements but didn’t obtain the necessary grades during summer classes at a community college to earn admission to Maine.

“We’re certainly disappointed,” said Maine coach Tim Whitehead. “He would have been a fabulous addition to our program. At the same time, we need to move forward and there are plenty of other players who can help us be successful this season.”

Yandle led Cushing Academy (Mass.) in scoring last season with 14 goals and 40 assists. His brother, Brian, was one of college hockey’s top-scoring defensemen at the University of New Hampshire.

Yandle could have elected to attend Maine and sit out a redshirt year while he obtained the necessary grades to become eligible next season.

He initially committed to attend UNH but would have had to sit out a year.