University of Maine coach Tim Whitehead is one of 11 finalists for the Spencer Penrose Award, given to the NCAA Division I Coach of the Year.

It is the sixth time he has been a finalist. He won the award in 2002, taking over the team in September after Shawn Walsh died of complications from kidney cancer and leading the Bears to the NCAA championship game.

Maine went 26-11-7 and lost to Minnesota 4-3 in overtime in the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minn., that year.

To be a finalist, a coach must be named his conference coach of the year or guide his team to the Frozen Four. The other finalists are Niagara’s Dave Burkholder, Michigan State’s Rick Comley, North Dakota’s Dave Hakstol, Notre Dame’s Jeff Jackson, St. Lawrence’s Joe Marsh, St. Cloud State’s Bob Motzko, Army’s Brian Riley, Michigan Tech’s Jamie Russell, New Hampshire’s Dick Umile, and Boston College’s Jerry York.

Maine finished fifth in Hockey East but claimed its ninth consecutive NCAA Tournament berth. The Bears beat St. Cloud State 4-1 and Massachusetts 3-1 in the East Regional to earn their third trip to the Frozen Four in four years and fourth in the six years Whitehead has been head coach.

Maine, which had lost six of eight entering the NCAA Tournament, is 23-14-2 and will play Michigan State in the semifinals at 4 p.m. Thursday at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis.

“Any recognition for our staff is a reflection of our team,” said Whitehead. “We have a very coachable group. They were very determined. Things didn’t come easily, but the guys persevered. They didn’t give up on each other. They didn’t let the naysayers get them down. We had some injuries and some other scenarios and a lesser group wouldn’t have been able to respond. But they did. I’m very proud of them.”

The 45-year-old Whitehead has an overall mark of 230-163-37.