Education of an A.D.: Alberts Is a Quick Study

[Props] Here is an interesting article that appeared in the New York Times on the UNO Mavericks. While I can't stand the New York Times political slant they do have decent college and professional hockey coverage and some really nice blog articles. I also think the Hockey blogger has a very cool name in Stu Hackel.

As a college hockey fan I have to say that I have been very impressed with the direction that Trev Alberts has taken the UNO hockey program since he was hired at UNO. First he hired former UND hockey coach Dean Blais, gained membership in the WCHA and hired a good assistant coach in Mike Hastings.

It is going to be interesting to see how the Mavericks do in their last season in the CCHA. I also wonder how long it will take before Dean Blais has the Mavericks challenging the elite teams in the WCHA for home ice playoff spot, MacNaughton Cup and or Broadmoor Trophy?

Facing a tight deadline, Alberts tapped boosters for nearly $400,000 so he could lure Dean Blais, a two-time national champion at North Dakota, to coach men’s hockey, Nebraska-Omaha’s only Division I program.

Alberts also leveraged financial concessions from the Western Collegiate Hockey Association as a condition of admitting the Mavericks. On a conference call announcing the acceptance of Nebraska-Omaha and Bemidji State late last month, Bruce McLeod, the conference commissioner, told Alberts, “Trev, you can be one tough guy to deal with, and I’ve got the scars to prove it.”

Alberts is trying to rework the hockey team’s lease at the Qwest Center downtown. The university pays rent and receives nothing from parking or concessions, Alberts said.

“He has been able to open doors I couldn’t get close to,” said Don Leahy, a former Nebraska-Omaha athletic director whom Alberts brought back as a part-time associate athletic director. [New York Times]