ATHLETICS DEVELOPMENT OFFICE • WINTER 2018 UNHWILDCATS.COM/DEVELOPMENT Fund to recognize their classmate, who died Remembering Howie in November 2014. They admit that defining a single area of support for the fund was Cleveland “Howie” Howard III ’91 challenging. “Howie was loved by so many Memorial Scholarship Fund different kinds of people, it was hard to narrow down our focus,” says Moon. pays tribute to a beloved Howie had deep Durham roots. His father student-athlete was a popular and long-standing music professor at UNH. He attended Oyster River schools as well as Kimball Union Academy, leveland “Howie” Howard ’91 was the where he lettered in track, ice hockey and kind of person who still makes people’s soccer. At UNH, he walked on to the soccer C eyes light up when you mention his name. team and became a team captain. Moon says That’s not a bad legacy to leave to the world, “he was proud of being an African American when you think about it. But warming up the in a community with very few like him. And Doug Moon ’91 and Todd Baker ’91 (top) world isn’t Howie’s only legacy. I don’t think he was prouder of anything than are among the alumni who established A number of Howie’s classmates, including he was of being a fraternity brother at Lambda a new athletic endowment in memory Chi.” of their friend and classmate Cleveland Todd Baker ’91, Mike Densmore ’91, Loren ’90 Baker agrees and bumps the point up a “Howie” Howard ’91 (above). and Brian ’91 McCabe, Doug Moon ’91, Jim Patrick ’91 and Meredith ’93 and Jamie ’91 notch. “It’s not just a sports scholarship,” he Tedford have established the Cleveland says. “We know and love and recognize a man “Howie” Howard III ’91 Memorial Scholarship continued on page 5 PHILANTHROPY IN ACTION constant pressure. Dick’s been enormously whether you win by one goal in overtime or gracious handling it. He manned the helm dominate for three periods, “the camaraderie during a golden age of UNH hockey—when the you feel with your guys is special. Coaching program became a national icon known for its is about sticking together through the good integrity and an exciting style of play.” times and bad times.” Great hockey programs are built on great If the first few weeks are any indication, people who understand continuity. UNH’s is Umile’s final season will deliver camaraderie no different. After Umile has whistled his last aplenty. The team got off to a 5–0–0 start, its line change, he’ll pass the torch over to associate best opening since the 1993–94 campaign, head coach Mike Souza ’00, who starred on and went into the first week of December the Umile squad that played in a national ranked 13th in the nation. It looks like championship game in 1999. Souza says he the end of an era will have to wait for feels honored to be in this position. “Coach is another day. the most competitive person I’ve ever known,” says Souza. “He’s a player’s coach who guys like On Saturday, Feb. 10, UNH will honor Umile with a special ceremony recognizing IN ADDITION to play for. He’s very tough, but fair. His guys to Coach Umile’s know he’s got their backs. I’m honored to work his years at the helm of UNH men’s hockey, retirement, for him. Hopefully I can sustain what he’s been prior to the team’s 7 p.m. game vs. Vermont. able to build.” Please see the “Save the Date” section on 2017-18 marks In stories about Umile, the word p. 7 for more information about “Coach another “competitiveness” looms extra-large. Umile Umile Weekend,” the two-day men’s hockey significant doesn’t dispute it. alumni weekend for which this event serves milestone in the history of UNH ice hockey: “I love the excitement! There’s no feeling as a centerpiece. the women’s program’s 40th anniversary like winning a game—nothing,” says Umile. as a varsity sport. UNH will be celebrating Whether you’re at the Whittemore Center with Clockwise, from top left: Umile with his 2001-02 the program throughout the season, with thousands of fans cheering for you or up at Hockey East regular season championship-winning programs,” says UNH Athletics Director game, National Coach of the Year. Umile video footage at the start of each women’s Orono with thousands cheering against you, team; in 1999 with assistant coach Dave Lassonde Once More Behind Marty Scarano. “But Dick put his stamp on it was no slouch as a player, either. The Wildcat receiving the National Coach of the Year Penrose home game highlighting UNH Athletics as a national program that would compete for captain scored 60 goals and added 84 assists Award; playing the Univ. of North Dakota at the Hall of Fame women’s ice hockey inductees the Bench Hockey East and NCAA championships.” for a total of 144 points over 87 games played Verizon Wireless Arena in 2009; announcing UNH’s from the past four decades. On February After graduating from UNH in 1972, Umile from 1969–1972. Some 45 years later, he still participation in the 2012 Frozen Fenway game; in 17, a post-game reception in Whittemore Legendary coach Dick Umile ’72 coached at Watertown (Mass.) High School stands as the 12th most prolific scorer in UNH uniform, circa 1971. Arena’s Skybox Lounge will honor these Hall begins his final year at the helm and then Providence College before returning hockey history. of Famers, their many teammates and this to Durham in 1989 as Kullen’s assistant. When So far, only the national championship itself year’s senior class and their families. of men’s hockey Kullen, himself a greatly admired coach, passed has eluded his grasp—a sticking point Scarano away one year later, Umile picked up the reins quickly brushes aside. To learn more about the February event as interim head coach and became the 13th “People look at wins and losses, which are or to RSVP, contact head women’s coach n 1968, Dick Umile made a momentous head coach of the UNH Wildcats during the important, but they’re hardly the measure Hilary Witt at [email protected]. decision that changed his life forever. The 1990–1991 campaign. A program that had seen of the man who changed the course—the I standout three-sport athlete from Melrose a string of lean years without playoff contention trajectory, if you will—of UNH hockey,” says (Mass.) High School decided to take his skills was about to change. Scarano. “Running such a program comes with to the University of New Hampshire rather Umile turned post-season play into an than the more obvious local choices for a expectation among the Wildcat faithful and Boston boy. guided the Wildcats to 18 NCAA tournament “I just liked the feel of campus and the appearances, eight Hockey East regular- program offered me a great opportunity, so I season championships, two Hockey East took it,” says Umile. “It was the best decision I championships, four appearances in the ever made. UNH hockey has been unbelievable Frozen Four and, on two occasions, the NCAA for my family and me.” national championship final. Now in his final year as bench boss at UNH, Along the way, he notched 594 career Umile didn’t invent Wildcat hockey the way, victories, placing him among the top nine say, Knute Rockne “invented” Fighting Irish coaches of all time. He has been recognized football at Notre Dame. “Guys like Charlie Holt, as New England Coach of the Year four times, who was recognized as a hockey visionary, and Hockey East Coach of the Year six times, Bob Kullen, who hired Dick as his assistant and, in the 1998–1999 season in which he led in 1989, had built well-respected, successful the Wildcats to the national championship 2 University of New Hampshire PHILANTHROPY IN ACTION Remembering Howie, continued from page 1 she and Howie grew up in, not far from the the Maryland Youth Hockey Association as who was so passionate about life. We met at Jackson’s Landing ice rink where Howie skated “Coach of the Year.” Freshman Camp and he was so enthusiastic and worked. Howie himself left Durham after During these years, the college friends stayed about the activities, I thought he was a graduating from UNH, heading to Washington in touch, attending one another’s weddings, counselor! Of course, he ended up being a D.C. with his school chums to “try to figure life big birthdays and other milestones. Friends counselor. Everyone gravitated toward him.” out and launch our careers,” Moon says. through thick and thin, and Howie always the Women’s lacrosse alumnae, friends and family kicked off Homecoming weekend “He was too big a person on campus for us Living on hotdogs and ramen and having the heart and soul. In 2009, Howie became ill with festivities with their first annual alumnae golf tournament on Friday, Sept. 22. The not to create a legacy,” adds Densmore. time of their lives, they launched them. Howie’s brain cancer. He underwent treatment and nine-hole tourney raised money for the Friends of Women’s Lacrosse. Howie’s older sister, Lyn, describes her career began at adidas, where he quickly enjoyed several good years before the tumor brother as the pied piper. “He was someone established himself as a master salesman, a started to grow again.