UMass Lowell Athletics Hall of Fame
- Induction:
- 2007
The 1979, 1981 and 1982 ULowell ice hockey teams established the program as a national power, capturing three NCAA Division II National Championships in a four-year span under head coach Bill Riley. The three championship teams combined for an 85-15 record and each also captured the ECAC Division II East championship. Their success represented the defining era in the program’s rise from its modest beginnings to the national stage and ultimately helped pave the way for ULowell’s move to Division I hockey in 1983.
The 1978-79 Chiefs finished 27-6 and delivered the first national championship in program history. After winning the ECAC Division II East title, ULowell advanced to the NCAA Tournament, defeating Illinois-Chicago, 10-6, in the national semifinal before earning a 6-4 victory over Mankato State in the championship game. Craig MacTavish was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player after recording four goals and six points, while MacTavish and Tom Jacobs became the program’s first hockey All-Americans.
Two years later, the Chiefs returned to the top of Division II. The 1980-81 team posted a 27-5 record and captured another ECAC Division II East crown before advancing to the NCAA Championship. ULowell outlasted Mankato State, 8-7, in overtime in the national semifinal and defeated Plattsburgh State, 5-4, in the title game to secure the program’s second national championship. Defenseman Tom Mulligan was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player, while Dean Jenkins and Mike Carr joined him on the NCAA All-Tournament Team.
The Chiefs completed the remarkable championship run in 1981-82 with one of the greatest seasons in UMass Lowell Athletics history. Captained by Paul Lohnes, ULowell went 31-4, setting a program record for victories while winning both the ECAC Division II East and NCAA Division II championships. The Chiefs advanced through Oswego State in the NCAA quarterfinals and edged Merrimack, 4-3, in the national semifinal before defeating Plattsburgh State, 6-1, for their second consecutive national title and third in four seasons. Lohnes, the first Division II recipient of the Hobey Baker Award, was named the NCAA Tournament’s Most Outstanding Player.
Together, the 1979, 1981 and 1982 championship teams transformed ULowell hockey. The core of those teams included some of the most accomplished players in program history, among them MacTavish, Jacobs, Jenkins, Mulligan, Lohnes, Kevin Charbonneau, Mike Carr and Ken Kaiser. From 1978-83, Riley’s Chiefs compiled a 147-24 record, won four ECAC championships and three NCAA titles, creating the foundation for the program’s elevation to Division I and its eventual place as a charter member of Hockey East. The three national championship teams were inducted together into the UMass Lowell Athletics Hall of Fame in 2007.
1979, 1981 and 1982 UMass Lowell Ice Hockey Roster
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| Sam Adams | Chuck Hayes | Tom Mulligan |
| Dave Benson | Gene Hayes | David Nelson |
| Rollie Buoncuore | Joe Hughes | Steve O’Brien |
| Mike Carr | Tom Jacobs | Mike O’Connor |
| Kevin Charbonneau | John Jaskul | Mike O’Neil |
| Roger Christian | Dean Jenkins | Mike Opre |
| John Costello | Mark Jenkins | George Popp |
| Danny Craig | Ken Kaiser | Chuck Sage |
| Tom Cronin | Mark Kumpel | Brian Schneider |
| Frank Dee | Paul Lohnes | Brian Smith |
| Dennis DeMango | John MacKenzie | Rob Spath |
| Mike Durand | Craig MacTavish | Dave Sullivan |
| Jack Fahey | Don McCoy | Phil Ternullo |
| Mike Fitzgerald | Glen McGowan | Tom Tidman |
| Bob Flaherty | Tom McHugh | Tom Walsh |
| Jerry Gately | Ken McKee | Chris Wright |
| Hal Gillis | Tom Mills | Dick Wright |
| Bobby Greenberg | Bill Moffatt |
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