Holy Cross and Head Coach Paul Pearl Agree to Three-Year Extension

HOLY CROSS & HEAD MEN'S HOCKEY COACH PAUL PEARL AGREE TO THREE-YEAR EXTENSION
Pearl is the winningest coach in the program's history

WORCESTER, Mass. - Director of Athletics, Richard M. Regan, Jr. announced today that Holy Cross and head men's hockey Coach Paul Pearl have agreed to a three year extension through the 2008-2009 season. "This has been a priority for us and something we have been working on since the end of the season," said Regan. "When you have a successful program, the coach always receives a great deal of the credit but we believe that Coach Pearl deserves an extraordinary amount of credit for the recent success of our men's ice hockey program."

"Holy Cross is a special place for me and I feel we have a real opportunity to continue to build this program.  It's a great place to be," said Pearl. "We have had some great kids in this program and I am excited about the student-athletes that will be joining us next September."

Pearl just concluded his 11th year at the helm of the men's hockey program and is the winningest coach in the program's history. He is just the fifth head coach in the 36-year history of ice hockey at Holy Cross. Pearl has forged a 181-148-31 record at his alma mater and has been the man behind the bench in seven of the nine most successful seasons in Holy Cross history.

The Crusaders finished their most successful season ever with a 27-10-2 record and their first win in the NCAA Tournament. The 4-3 overtime victory over Minnesota on Friday, March 24 in the West Regional Semifinals in Grand forks, N.D., marked the first time that a No. 4 seed defeated a No. 1 seed in NCAA action, since the tournament expanded to 16 teams, and is considered by many to be one of the greatest upsets in collegiate hockey history. The Crusaders also won the Atlantic Hockey regular season and tournament titles for the second time in three years. Holy Cross' final winning percentage of .718 is tied with Miami of Ohio for third best in the nation. The Crusaders are ranked No. 14 in the final USA Today/American Hockey Magazine Poll, making it its highest national ranking in the program's history.