Bowling Green State University Athletics
Photo by: Todd Pavlack / BGSUHockey.com
Chris Bergeron Signs Five-Year Contract Extension
June 08, 2015 | Ice Hockey
Bowling Green, Ohio – Bowling Green State University Director of Athletics D. Christopher Kingston has announced that BGSU Hockey Coach Chris Bergeron has signed a five-year contract extension that will keep him in Bowling Green through the 2022-23 season.
"Chris Bergeron and his staff continue to achieve excellence in every facet of Falcon Hockey," Kingston said. "He understands the importance of the program's storied history and works tirelessly to demand a championship culture in the classroom, on the ice and in the community. We are excited for Chris to continue to make Falcon Fans proud."
In five years, Bergeron has directed the rise of the program back to national prominence. BGSU Hockey won just five games in 2009-10, the year before Bergeron's hire, but the Falcons have improved upon their win total in every season of his tenure.
In his first year at Bowling Green, Bergeron's team doubled its win total. The Falcons improved to 14 wins in 2011-12 and won 15 games in 2012-13. The Falcons finished above .500 for the first time in Bergeron's tenure in 2013-14, going 18-15-6. In 2014-15, BGSU went 23-11-5 and missed out on the 16-team NCAA Tournament by the slimmest of margins by eventual national champion Providence. The 23 wins represented the most for a Falcon hockey team since a 26-win season in 1995-96.
Although the team did graduate four seniors from the 2014-15 squad, the Falcons earned three spots on the WCHA All-Rookie team. Bergeron and assistant coaches Ty Eigner and Barry Schutte have built the program for long-term success.
"On behalf of Ty, Barry and our families, I want to thank President Mary Ellen Mazey, Chris Kingston and (sport administrator) Jim Elsasser for their vote of confidence and support," Bergeron said. "We are pleased with the progress our program has made over the past five years but we feel there is more to accomplish. This extension allows us the opportunity to continue to put BG Hockey back on the map and to make our loyal fans and alumni proud."
While the win total has continued to climb, Bergeron's teams have built a tradition of postseason success as well. Bowling Green is the only program in the country to have won at least one best-of-three playoff series in each of the past five years.
In just his first year at the helm, Bergeron's squad upset Northern Michigan on the road in the first round of the Central Collegiate Hockey Association Tournament. The following year, the Falcons were seeded 11th in the CCHA Tournament before again upsetting Northern Michigan on the road and then stunning top-seeded Ferris State in three games in the second round. The 2012-13 team won another road playoff series, this time beating Lake Superior State, before the 2013-14 squad earned a home series in the program's first year in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association.
That squad swept Michigan Tech at home and Bowling Green again earned a home sweep in 2014-15, when the Falcons beat Northern Michigan in the playoffs for the third time in five years.
Prior to taking over the program at Bowling Green, Bergeron was an assistant coach at Miami, earning a reputation as an outstanding recruiter during his time with the RedHawks from 2000-10. He was part of a staff that was honored with CCHA Coach of the Year awards four times and was named the AHCA National Coaching Staff of the Year in 2005-06. Bergeron played at Miami from 1989-93 and was a two-year team captain, being named the CCHA's Best Defensive Forward.
"Chris Bergeron and his staff continue to achieve excellence in every facet of Falcon Hockey," Kingston said. "He understands the importance of the program's storied history and works tirelessly to demand a championship culture in the classroom, on the ice and in the community. We are excited for Chris to continue to make Falcon Fans proud."
In five years, Bergeron has directed the rise of the program back to national prominence. BGSU Hockey won just five games in 2009-10, the year before Bergeron's hire, but the Falcons have improved upon their win total in every season of his tenure.
In his first year at Bowling Green, Bergeron's team doubled its win total. The Falcons improved to 14 wins in 2011-12 and won 15 games in 2012-13. The Falcons finished above .500 for the first time in Bergeron's tenure in 2013-14, going 18-15-6. In 2014-15, BGSU went 23-11-5 and missed out on the 16-team NCAA Tournament by the slimmest of margins by eventual national champion Providence. The 23 wins represented the most for a Falcon hockey team since a 26-win season in 1995-96.
Although the team did graduate four seniors from the 2014-15 squad, the Falcons earned three spots on the WCHA All-Rookie team. Bergeron and assistant coaches Ty Eigner and Barry Schutte have built the program for long-term success.
"On behalf of Ty, Barry and our families, I want to thank President Mary Ellen Mazey, Chris Kingston and (sport administrator) Jim Elsasser for their vote of confidence and support," Bergeron said. "We are pleased with the progress our program has made over the past five years but we feel there is more to accomplish. This extension allows us the opportunity to continue to put BG Hockey back on the map and to make our loyal fans and alumni proud."
While the win total has continued to climb, Bergeron's teams have built a tradition of postseason success as well. Bowling Green is the only program in the country to have won at least one best-of-three playoff series in each of the past five years.
In just his first year at the helm, Bergeron's squad upset Northern Michigan on the road in the first round of the Central Collegiate Hockey Association Tournament. The following year, the Falcons were seeded 11th in the CCHA Tournament before again upsetting Northern Michigan on the road and then stunning top-seeded Ferris State in three games in the second round. The 2012-13 team won another road playoff series, this time beating Lake Superior State, before the 2013-14 squad earned a home series in the program's first year in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association.
That squad swept Michigan Tech at home and Bowling Green again earned a home sweep in 2014-15, when the Falcons beat Northern Michigan in the playoffs for the third time in five years.
Prior to taking over the program at Bowling Green, Bergeron was an assistant coach at Miami, earning a reputation as an outstanding recruiter during his time with the RedHawks from 2000-10. He was part of a staff that was honored with CCHA Coach of the Year awards four times and was named the AHCA National Coaching Staff of the Year in 2005-06. Bergeron played at Miami from 1989-93 and was a two-year team captain, being named the CCHA's Best Defensive Forward.
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