College hockey: Michaud returning to his roots

St. Cloud Times April 18, 2006

by Frank Rajkowski frajkowski@stcloudtimes.com

ST. JOSEPH — Pat Michaud built a successful boys hockey program at Mankato East High School. Now, the St. Cloud Apollo graduate is ready for a new challenge.

Michaud, who led the Cougars to the Section 1A championship game the past three seasons and a berth in last season's Class A state tournament, has been named the new hockey and golf coach at the College of St. Benedict.

"Both my wife and I have a lot of family in Central Minnesota," said Michaud, whose father Jim is the athletic director at Apollo. "We felt like it was about time we moved back up. It's something we've talked about for the last three or four years. But it had to be the perfect situation.

"Once I got on campus at St. Ben's and met with everybody, I just had a really good feeling. There's a real sense of community and family up there and I'm excited to be a part of it."

Michaud, who graduated from Apollo in 1991, inherits a hockey program that is 21-64-7 the past four years and was 4-16-3 under interim head coach Neil Andruschak last season.

"There needs to be a mission and a sense of purpose, and you have to have a specific plan on how to get there," said Michaud, a former hockey and tennis player at Hamline who coached the boys team at Mankato East the past 11 seasons.

"St. Ben's has shown a high-capacity for developing successful programs. With the exception of hockey, none of the teams there have really struggled. I think it's an easy place to sell as far as recruiting goes. There is no reason why hockey can't be a top-tier team like the other sports at the school."

In addition to his duties in hockey, Michaud also coached girls tennis for seven seasons at Mankato East and has helped out as a volunteer assistant with the boys golf team the past several years.

He takes over the Blazers golf program from Theresa Solarz, who is stepping down after 14 years at the school.

St. Benedict athletic director Carol Howe-Veenstra said Michaud's versatility as a coach made him an ideal candidate.

"I look at Pat as such an educator," Howe-Veenstra said. "He has experience with several sports, and he's worked with both boys and girls. He's a hard-worker. When he talks, be it about curriculum or about his coaching philosophy, you can just hear the teacher in him.

"I wanted to assure the golf team that I wasn't just going out to find a hockey coach, and the fact that Pat was so tremendously excited about the chance to coach both sports really helped."

Assistant coach Ann Mortenson will stay on with the hockey team under Michaud. Andruschak, who along with Michaud was one of three finalists for the position, will not.

"Neil was so very good at bringing the team together," Howe-Veenstra said. "The wins and losses may not have been there this past year, but much of the time, people would tell me this was the best hockey they'd seen St. Ben's play."

Athletic Department
College of Saint Benedict
37 South College Avenue
St. Joseph, MN 56374
320-363-5301
Fax 320-363-6098