UNO Mavericks extend Blais' contract for two years

For all of those people that think Dean Blais is going to ride into Minneapolis on a white horse and lead Minnesota to the Promised Land think again. Today the University of Omaha Nebraska just locked him up till the 2014-2015 season. That doesn't look like a coach that is looking to go some where else. [Audio of Trev on 1620 AM the Zone ]

We are thrilled by the progress the team made under Dean's leadership in his first season as head coach," said Alberts. "By extending his contract, we hope to bring further stability to the position and give Dean and his staff a better opportunity to put their mark on the program through recruiting and player development."

Blais led the Mavericks to a 20-16-6 record in 2009-10 including a record of 13-12-3-2 in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association, good for a sixth-place finish. It was the fourth 20-win season in UNO history and the first since the 2005-06 season. The Mavericks won the opening round of the CCHA playoffs with a 2-0 series win over Bowling Green before losing to Ferris State, 2-0, in the second-round series. Eleven UNO players had career years in 2009-10.

"The university is clearly committed to the success of the hockey program, and I am committed to the job we began here last season," said Blais. "My wife and I have come to enjoy Omaha and with this extension, I anticipate being able to finish my head coaching career here at UNO."

Blais is just the second head coach in UNO hockey history, following Mike Kemp who started the program in 1996 and became an associate athletic director at UNO in 2009. Blais is a two-time winner of the Spencer Penrose Memorial Award given to the top coach in Division I men's college hockey. The native of International Falls, Minn. guided the University of North Dakota to national championships in 1997 and 2000 and Western Collegiate Hockey Association championships in 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001 and 2004. He was named the WCHA Coach of the Year in 1997, 1999 and 2001.

In January of 2010, Blais guided the U.S. National Junior Team to a Gold Medal in the 2010 IIHF World Junior Championship, just the second gold medal ever earned by the U.S. squad. During the 2008-09 season, Blais was named 2009 United States Hockey League Coach of the Year after guiding the expansion Fargo Force to the Clark Cup Finals, emblematic of playoff supremacy in the USHL.

Blais worked in the National Hockey League as an assistant coach and Director of Player Development for the Columbus Blue Jackets from 2005-07.

Also today, UNO Chancellor John Christensen announced that Alberts has agreed in principle to a contract extension through the 2014-2015 academic year. Alberts was named to the position on April 29, 2009, succeeding David Miller. In addition to hiring Blais, Alberts is responsible for the move by the hockey team from the CCHA to the WCHA beginning with the 2010-2011 season.

"Trev has done an outstanding job in his relatively short time leading the athletic department," said Dr. Christensen. "He has defined a clear vision for UNO athletics and has worked proactively to achieve that goal.

"By extending his contract to run concurrently with Dean's, we have brought stability to the department and put both men in position to continue to build our hockey program." [Mav Puck] [Omaha.com]