WCHA Commissioner Mcleod to Retire June 30 Western Collegiate
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Western Collegiate Hockey Association Bruce M. McLeod Commissioner [email protected] Carol LaBelle-Ehrhardt Associate Commissioner of Operations [email protected] Greg Shepherd Supervisor of Officials [email protected] “In many ways Bruce Doug Spencer McLeod has been the Associate Commissioner for Public Relations best that college hockey T 608 829-0100 • C 303 475-9283 has to offer. Every day F 608 829-0200 his goal was to make [email protected] the WCHA the best it could be. Coaches Administrative Office Address MSC 8302, WCHA and administrators will 2211 S. Josephine Street miss his friendship and Denver, CO 80208-8302 guidance. Best wishes T 303 871-4491 • F 303 871-4770 Bruce, and thanks for all you have done.” Home of a Record – Rick Comley, 37 Men’s National two-time NCAA Championship Teams championship coach, 768 career victories at Since 1951 1952, 1953, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958, LSSU, NMU and MSU 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1987, 1990, 1991, 1997, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, December 20, 2013/For Release at 2:00 pm CT 2011 WCHA Commissioner McLeod to Retire June 30 Men’s Member Teams University of Alabama in Huntsville MADISON, Wis. – Bruce McLeod, one of the most influential and successful commissioners in the history of University of Alaska Anchorage collegiate ice hockey, has announced his intent to retire on June 30 at the end of his current contract. Now in University of Alaska Fairbanks Bemidji State University his 20th season at the helm of the 62-year-old Western Collegiate Hockey Association, McLeod has made a Bowling Green State University truly significant mark on both the game itself and the organization he has led. Ferris State University “It has been my distinct honor to serve this wonderful organization as Commissioner for the past 20 years Lake Superior State University and to be associated with the Western Collegiate Hockey Association for 49 years – since 1965,” said McLeod. Michigan Technological University “The opportunity to get to know and to work alongside so many outstanding coaches and administrators, to Minnesota State University become acquainted with so many marvelous student-athletes, and watch our sport grow and prosper has Northern Michigan University been a blessing. I will forever be a fan.” Chosen by the membership to succeed the retiring commissioner Otto Breitenbach in 1994, McLeod has 2014 WCHA Final Five led the WCHA to ever greater heights. Recognized throughout the sport as one of its true leaders, his half-cen- March 21-22 • Van Andel Arena tury of experience and wealth of knowledge about the game run the gamut from his days as a standout Grand Rapids, MI collegiate player at Minnesota Duluth in the 1960s, to a school administrator in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s visit us on the web at: where he worked closely with the league and served on numerous committees, and on to a notable tenure as commissioner of a premier collegiate athletic association. Pure and simple, McLeod has always been one of wcha.com the game’s biggest fans. wcha.com/mobile “We will forever be grateful for the commitment, loyalty and leadership of Commissioner McLeod,” said Dr. Richard Davenport, President of Minnesota State University and Chair of the WCHA Board of Directors. “His Watch WCHA Hockey integrity, work ethic, unselfishness and enthusiasm for both the WCHA and the sport of college hockey shine Live All Season Via through in every thing he does. Bruce has led the league to tremendous successes over his 20 years, all the America ONE Sports while keeping the focus on the member institutions, student-athletes and staffs. We also are indebted to him for the tremendous efforts and leadership he put forth during the recent transition period in college hockey, where he was instrumental in making certain the WCHA remained a leader and a competitive and successful organization. We wish him all the best in retirement.” A native of Fort Frances, Ontario, McLeod has presided over some of the most successful seasons in the seven decades of men’s WCHA history, including eight national championship campaigns by league teams in 1997, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2011, and has from the get-go been a vocal and strong proponent of a women’s WCHA that has won 14 consecutive national championships since its founding in WCHA M Release • Commissioner to Retire • 122013 1999-2000. His tenure with the WCHA has also seen 10 men’s member team players awarded the Hobey Baker Memorial Award as college What They’re Saying ... hockey’s top player and six women’s skaters win the Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award. Conference attendance for both the men’s and Joe Bertagna, Commissioner, Hockey East Association: “Bruce has women’s leagues has also grown throughout his tenure, with the men’s become not just a professional peer but a good friend. While all of us WCHA exceeding the 1,000,000 mark in home attendance for 18 consec- who serve as commissioners have passion for our jobs, no one has been utive seasons through 2012-13. more emotionally attached to the fortunes of his conference than Bruce “On behalf of the conference’s athletic directors, I want to thank Bruce has been to the WCHA. His strong appreciation of history and tradi- for his years of service to the WCHA,” said Suzanne R. Sanregret, Director tion is something for which I will always remember him. He has made of Athletics at Michigan Technological University and Chair of the WCHA. more contributions to our game than most people will ever realize or “He has been a passionate leader for the league, and his work has added appreciate.” to the legacy of the WCHA and the prominence of college hockey across Dean Blais, Coach, Nebraska Omaha and North Dakota: “Bruce the country.” McLeod has been a friend for over 40 years and has been instrumental Within the WCHA, McLeod has been the driving force behind the success of the WCHA Final Five playoff championship, having built in the success of the WCHA at all levels. His leadership and guidance has productive, long-term relationships with the NHL’s Minnesota Wild, Xcel provided opportunities for athletes, coaches, trainers and administrators Energy Center, the City of Saint Paul and FOX Sports North as a television to excel at the highest level. He will be missed by everyone, but will enjoy partner between 2000 and 2013, and now forging new partnerships his leisure and freedoms. Thank you Bruce!” with Van Andel Arena, the City of Grand Rapids and the AHL’s Grand Keith ‘Huffer’ Christiansen, UMD teammate: “Bruce McLeod has Rapids Griffins for future WCHA Final Five championships beginning this been a loyal and supportive friend to me for over 50 years. I know he has coming March. At Xcel Energy Center, the WCHA Final Five steadily grew devoted his life to the betterment of college hockey. For Bruce, it was into what’s been considered by many to be the best conference hockey never about any one school or individual, but solely what is best for the tournament in the land based on attendance, revenue, sponsorships game of hockey. He will truly be missed.” and exposure. The WCHA Final Five drew attendance totals in excess Rick Comley, Former Coach – Lake Superior State, Northern of 82,000 six times in the decade of the 2000s, with a record 88,900 in Michigan, Michigan State: “In many ways Bruce McLeod has been the attendance in 2007, 87,579 in 2006, and 87,295 in 2013. best that college hockey has to offer. Every day his goal was to make McLeod was behind the launch of a new era for the league with the the WCHA the best it could be. Coaches and administrators will miss his advent of an official web site at WCHA.com, the production of a weekly friendship and guidance. Best wishes Bruce, and thanks for all you have radio show known as ‘This Week in the WCHA’, a decade-by-decade done.” video and narrative chronicle of the men’s WCHA that covered the 1950s, Craig Dahl, Former Coach, St. Cloud State: “Congratulations on 1960s, 1970s, 1980s and 1990s, the creation of an all-new Broadmoor Trophy that is presented to the league playoff champion each year, high your retirement from a long career of service to the WCHA. You are an quality reproductions of the MacNaughton Cup and Broadmoor Trophy example of class, caring, and integrity. And you always made others feel that go to the championship teams each year, a striking and bold update special. My thanks to you my friend!” of the league’s iconic logo and a unique WCHA Style Guide created in con’t on next page con’t on next page Pictured at the WCHA Final Five at Xcel Energy Center is the Fort Frances gang – legends of college hockey all. From left to right: Keith ‘Huffer’ Christiansen, Mike ‘Lefty’ Curran, Bruce McLeod, Brush Christiansen, Bob Peters and Gino Gasparini. WCHA M Release • Commissioner to Retire • 122013 2013 that accentuates the WCHA brand, its history and championships and is complete with downloadable league and team logos, official colors, and usage guidelines. And now, here in 2013-14, he was a driving force in the first-ever conference-wide broadband and video streaming initiative with America ONE Sports – a successful development which has enabled fans around the world to watch men’s league-member home games live and on demand. McLeod’s tenure has also included a regular connection to the inter- national hockey community, which resulted in overseas trips for WCHA All-Star Teams in 1998 to Switzerland for the Kolin Cup and in 1990 to Norway, as well tours of WCHA member clubs by European-based hockey teams from Sweden, Switzerland, Finland, Norway, Italy and Latvia.