MIDDLEBURY — Former longtime Middlebury College men’s hockey coach Bill Beaney has been named the recipient of the John MacInnes Award by the American Hockey Coaches Association (AHCA). The award is one of eight major honors given out by the organization, which will honor recipients on April 27 at the 2016 AHCA Convention in Naples, Fla.
The ACHA established the award in 1982 to honor MacInnes, a former Michigan Tech University coach. It recognizes people who have shown a great concern for amateur hockey and youth programs. The recipients must have high winning percentages and outstanding graduation rates among their players. The winners of the award have helped young men grow not only as hockey players, but also more importantly as men.
Beaney, the career leader in NCAA Division III men’s hockey coaching wins, announced his retirement from the men’s hockey program last spring after one of the most successful careers in collegiate history. He continues to teach and coach men’s golf at Middlebury.
Beaney finished his career with a record of 602-260-59. He spent 28 of his 35 seasons at the helm of Middlebury’s men’s hockey program, where he posted a record of 516-184-51. He led the team to eight NCAA championships, including a record five in a row from 1995 to 1999, with three additional titles from 2004 to 2006. Beaney’s teams qualified for 13 straight NCAA tournaments from 1995 to 2007 and won eight NESCAC titles.
At Middlebury, Beaney was selected as the New England Coach of the Year in 1989, 1991, 1995 and 2006. He also earned the Edward Jeremiah Award as the National Coach of the Year in 1990, 1995, 2004 and 2006. In 1999, he was named the USOC National Hockey Coach of the Year.
The Lake Placid, N.Y., native attended the University of New Hampshire, where he played four years of hockey and captained the 1973 team. He began his coaching career in 1974 at BFA-St. Albans Academy and led his teams to three straight championships. He took over the reins at New England College in 1979 and led his teams to four straight ECAC tournaments and one NCAA berth. He was named the New England Coach of the Year twice at New England College.
He was also recently named to the Olympic Regional Development Authority’s board of directors in Lake Placid.