Buddy Powers

Buddy Powers is the current Ice Arena Director for the BGSU Ice Arena and a play by play commentator for the Bowling Green Ice Hockey on The Buckeye Cable Sports Network.

Playing career

Buddy Powers played Left Wing for three seasons at Boston University from 1972 to 1975. he played 90 games During his time at BU, which placed third in the ’74 and ’75 NCAA Tournaments and compiled a 49-13-1 record over his final two years with the team [http://bgsufalcons.cstv.com/sports/m-hockey/mtt/powers_buddy00.html] . After graduating from BU in 1975 Powers went on to play professional hockey in Europe. He played two years (1976-78) as a defenseman for Kaufbeuren, West Germany and helping the team to a Division II Championship during his first season. He finished his playing career at Krefeld, Germany in 1979-80, assisting the team to the playoff finals. [http://bgsufalcons.cstv.com/sports/m-hockey/mtt/powers_buddy00.html]

College Coaching career

During his time coaching, Powers has had five players earn First-Team All-America honors, four of his players earn spots among the finalists for the Hobey Baker Award given annually to the country’s most outstanding player, including 1995 Hobey Baker Award winner Brian Holzinger. Nineteen of his former players played professional hockey in North America, with four in the NHL.

Colgate

After finishing his professional hockey career in 1980 Buddy Powers joined the Colgate University coaching staff as an assistant coach under head coach Terry Slater. In his first season at Colgate the team made the NCAA Tournament.

Bowling Green State University "(assistant coach)"

After the conclusion of the 1981-82 season Powers became an assistant coach on the powerhouse Bowling Green State University coaching staff under head coach Jerry York. In his first season as assistant coach BGSU posted a 34-8-2 record and won BG's only NCAA National Championship for ice hockey in 1984. During his time as BG's assistant coach from 1982-1988, BG was the CCHA regular season champions in 1982, 1983, 1984, 1987, and CCHA tournament champions in 1988. The team made the NCAA tournament in 1982, 1984, 1987, and 1988. Powers served as the team’s top assistant, chief recruiter, and on-ice instructor for BG. Under York and Powers, the Falcons were 174-74-8 (.695 pct.), including 129-50-8 (.710 pct.) in league play, and finished either first or second in the CCHA on five occasions [http://bgsufalcons.cstv.com/sports/m-hockey/mtt/powers_buddy00.html] .

RIP

Following the 1988 season Powers accepted the head coaching position at Division III Rochester Institute of Technology. In his first and only season with RIT he lead the Tigers to a 26-8-2 record. The team won the ECAC West Championship. The team made it to the NCAA Championship game but lost to University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point with a score of 3-2 [http://www.ncaa.com/icehockey-mens/default.aspx?id=284] .

RPI

Buddy Powers went on to become the head coach of then Division I Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute for the 1989-90 season. Buddy turned around a slumping RIT team, during his time as head coach The Engineers continually improved each season. The team qualified for the ECAC Tournament in 1990, 1992, 1993, and 1994. In 1994, the team returned to the ECAC Championship Game and the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1985. In is five seasons at RPI he led the Engineers to a record of 94-63-13 including three 20-or-more-win seasons. in 1995 after a successful time at RPI, Buddy Powers returned to Bowling Green, this time as head coach.

Bowling Green "(head coach)"

Powers was appointed the head coach at Bowling Green on July 12, 1994, becoming the fourth head coach in the program’s history. In his first season at BGSU in 1994-1995, Powers lead the Falcons to a 25-11-2 record and a second-place finish in the CCHA. It marked their best finish in the league in eight years. he was named the CCHA’s Coach of the Year and was a finalist for the Spencer Penrose Award presented annually to the nation’s top head coach. That same year BG center (ice hockey), Brian Holzinger was named CCHA player of the Year. Holzinger won the NCAA All-American Award in ice hockey along with BG's Kelly Perrault. Holzinger became BG's second Hobey Baker Award winner in 1995, the other being George McPhee in 1982 during Powers' first season as BG's assistant coach.

Although the first half of his time as BG's head coach was strong, the lack of top players coming to BGSU effected his overall record finishing sub.500 in his last 5 seasons as BG's bench boss. Over eight seasons as BG's head coach, Powers has compiled a 135-149-26 record at Bowling Green. Powers is 12th all-time among CCHA coaches with 85 league victories with the Falcons and is 10 CCHA victories shy of entering the Top 10.

International Coaching career

Buddy Powers served as an assistant coach at the 1989 United States Olympic Festival and as head coach at the 1993 United States Olympic Festival games. He also coached the United States during the USA Cup Challenge in 1992. Powers joined the USA Hockey National Team Development Program in 2002 and served as an assistant coach in the 2002-2003 season. Staff [http://63.241.144.243/73_6222.htm]

Other Hockey Related Positions

Powers served on the Board of Governors of the American Hockey Coaches Association from 1993-1996 and is the director of BGSU’s Summer Hockey School held annually during the last two weeks of July. Powers is a representative of the Central Collegiate Hockey Association and BGSU on the NCAA Division I Ice Hockey Committee. He is the current Ice Arena Director at BGSU and is the color commentator for BGSU ice hockey games on BCSN.

College Player Statistics

Player Stats

Head Coaching Statistics

References