Aug. 4, 2005

Mercyhurst College Director of Athletics Pete Russo today announced the hiring of Bobby Ferraris as assistant men's ice hockey coach. Ferraris joins head coach Rick Gotkin's staff effective immediately.

Ferraris has extensive coaching experience and, most recently, served as assistant coach at American International College (AIC) for the last two years. AIC and Mercyhurst are members of the Atlantic Hockey Association. During his stay with the Yellow Jackets, Ferraris was the recruiting coordinator, served as defense and special teams' coach, and coordinated video breakdown and game analysis.

Prior to American International, Ferraris spent a combined three years as assistant coach for both New Haven (CT) and Utica (NY) of the United Hockey League before serving the 2002-03 season as head coach of the Connecticut Junior Wolves (MJHL).

Ferraris received his bachelor's degree (sociology) from Saint Anselm College (Manchester, NH) in 1997 and his master's from AIC (educational psychology, guidance) in 2005.

Ferraris replaces Dave Smith, who accepted the head job at Canisius College earlier this year.

Mercyhurst won the Atlantic Hockey playoffs last March and made the NCAA playoffs for the third time in the last five years.