September 9, 2009
Hannah Resigns at Sacred Heart
CHN Staff Report
FAIRFIELD, Conn. — Just weeks before the start of the season, Sacred Heart coach Shaun Hannah has announced his resignation. No reason was given for the surprise move.
"I will forever be grateful for the opportunity that I have had to grow both personally and professionally at Sacred Heart over the last 13 seasons, but I feel that this is the right time for me to take my career in a different direction,” Hannah said in a statement. “While I will miss not seeing the people associated with the hockey program and university on a daily basis, I expect to be following the team closely and rooting for them as they challenge for championships in the years to come."
Hannah stood behind the bench of the Pioneer ice hockey program for the last 13 seasons and compiled 189 wins over that time.
“Sacred Heart University and Sacred Heart Athletics owe Shaun Hannah a great debt of gratitude,” said athletic director Don Cook. “If there ever was someone who understood the mission, vision and core values of Sacred Heart it was Shaun Hannah. And, in every way Shaun advanced that mission, vision and core values through the Sacred Heart men's ice hockey program. “
Hannah was named the 1999-2000 MAAC Coach of the Year after leading the Pioneers to a 16-win season, an improvement of nine wins over the previous year.
The highlight of the Pioneers time in Atlantic Hockey was in 2004 when Hannah's squad reached the inaugural Atlantic Hockey Championship game before falling to Holy Cross. During 2005-06 and 2006-07 seasons, the Pioneers twice won a school-record 21 games and earned the top seed in the Atlantic Hockey playoffs for the first time in school history in 2007.
Some top moments were ties, against then-nationally-ranked Maine, and then last season, in Colorado Springs against Colorado College, which was ranked No. 9 at the time.
Hannah played at Cornell, graduating in 1994. He then played two seasons of professional hockey.
“If there's any good news from this it's that Shaun's tenure as head coach leaves a program marked only by integrity and success on the ice and in the classroom,” Cook said. “Shaun wouldn't have it any other way. Thankfully he remained here long enough to give the program the organizational infrastructure and stability needed to succeed in the future. Shaun will be sorely missed, so too Scared Heart's most loyal fans, his wife, Amy and beautiful daughter, Emma.”
The search for Hannah’s replacement will begin immediately.
