After Princeton posted a dismal 5-24-2 record this past season, Tigers athletic director Gary D. Walters announced today the firing of men’s hockey coach Len Quesnelle.
Quesnelle, who led the Tigers to a 29-84-11 record during his four seasons, could not force a turnaround in this year’s ECAC playoffs, as his team lost to Rensselaer in two closely-fought games this past weekend.
Walters said a nation-wide search for Quesnelle’s replacement will begin immediately.
“Len has been a very loyal member of the Princeton hockey program and Princeton athletic department for many years,” Walters said in a press release.
“It’s not easy to make a decision like this, but we felt it was necessary for a change. We thank him for his service and wish him all the best in the future.”
The former four-year Princeton letter winner led the Tigers to back-to-back .500 records during his first two years as coach.
However, Quesnelle was unable to stop Princeton’s recent slide — earning last place finishes in the past two years and posting a 0-15-2 record in the team’s last 17 games.
Prior to becoming head coach, Quesnelle served as Don Cahoon’s assistant for nine years.
During this time, the Tigers earned an ECAC championship, and, in 1998, the first NCAA tournament birth in Princeton’s history.
Quesnelle played 106 games as a defenseman for the Tigers and was named All-Ivy honorable mention in 1988, his senior year.
Although many teams were successful against Princeton, Cornell especially benefited from its woes — scoring 13 goals, while letting in only one during the Red’s two games against the Tigers this year.
In the game at Princeton, senior Ryan Vesce recorded seven points with three goals and four assists.
Archived article by Brian Tsao