Former Tiger DeMichiel joins RIT's Women's Hockey Staff

Courtesy of RIT Sports Information

RIT Head Coach Scott McDonald is proud to announce that Tiger great Jared DeMichiel will join the women¹s hockey staff as a volunteer assistant coach for the 2011-12 season.  DeMichiel will help with recruiting and mentor RIT¹s goaltenders.

“Jared is a great addition to our program and coaching staff,” said McDonald, now in his sixth season at RIT.  “I was (an assistant coach) on the men's staff when Jared was recruited to RIT, and have remained good friends with him over the years.  Jared was a tireless worker and a great character guy to have in the locker room as a player and I know this will translate to him becoming a great coach.”

DeMichiel, who graduated with a bachelor's degree in business from RIT in 2010, played goal for the Tigers from 2006-2010, and is the university¹s all-time leader with 41 wins and seven shutouts at the Division I level.  He played in 66 career games, finishing 41-19-2 with a 2.48 goals against average and .909 save percentage.

The Avon, Conn. native led the Tigers to their first NCAA Frozen Four appearance in 2010 and led all of Division I with 27 wins in 2009-10. He was named the NCAA East Regional Most Outstanding Player after stopping 62-of-65 shots in wins over national powers Denver and New Hampshire.

DeMichiel, who was named the 2010 Atlantic Hockey Association Regular Season Goaltender of the Year and earned AHA first team honors, was a main reason why RIT advanced to the Frozen Four for the first time at the Division I level. He helped lead RIT to a school record 28 wins, the AHA regular season and postseason championships, along with the NCAA East Regional title. DeMichiel also won the 2010 Lou Spiotti Coaches Award, and was a six-time AHA Goaltender of the Week. He was also the AHA Goaltender of the Month in February.

In 2009-10, DeMichiel finished 27-10-1 and was fourth nationally with a .724 winning percentage, seventh with a 2.09 goals against average, and 10th in save percentage (.921). He posted six solo shutouts and was part of two shared shutouts. The eight total shutouts are the most in one season in the history of the RIT men's hockey program. RIT finished the season with the fourth best goals against average in all of Division I (2.20).  DeMichiel set an AHA single-season record by winning 21 league games.

After graduation, DeMichiel signed with the American Hockey League¹s Hershey Bears and played parts of two seasons at the professional level.  In 2010-11, DeMichiel played for the Bears, along with the South Carolina Stingrays, and Elmira Jackals of the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL).  He was invited to the Boston Bruins training camp in September, and played with Providence of the AHL and Kalamazoo and Chicago of the ECHL in October before hanging up the skates. 

“Jared was well coached during his four years at RIT and during his professional career,” said McDonald.  “He brings a wealth of experience from his playing days, and I'm looking forward to him passing that knowledge on to our goaltenders and team.”

The Tigers (2-0-0), ranked No. 2 nationally, host Utica in a pair of ECAC West contests at Ritter Arena on Saturday and Sunday.  Both games get underway at 3 p.m.