BOSTON - Paul Pearl, a 28-year Division I coaching veteran, has joined the Boston University men's ice hockey staff as the associate head coach, it was announced today by head coach Albie O'Connell.
Most recently the associate head coach at Harvard for four seasons, Pearl joined the Crimson after a 19-year stint as the head coach at his alma mater, Holy Cross.
Pearl replaces O'Connell, who was promoted to head coach of the Terriers earlier this month. The rest of last year's BU staff will be returning, as assistant coach Len Quesnelle, director of hockey operations Brittany Miller and volunteer assistant coach Brian Eklund will all be back for O'Connell's inaugural season at the helm.
"We couldn't be more excited to have Paul join our staff," said O'Connell. "Paul is one of the best coaches and recruiters in all of college hockey. He has a great experience developing high level student-athletes both on and off the ice, and his passion, personality and experience will allow him to hit the ground running."
"I am excited and humbled to become part of the Boston University men's ice hockey program," said Pearl. "Having the opportunity to working with Albie, Len and the rest of the staff here is truly exciting and I can't wait to get started. BU's tradition of excellence is something I have always admired."
During Pearl's four years at Harvard, the Crimson made three straight NCAA tournaments (2015, 2016, 2017) and reached the ECAC championship game all three of those seasons, winning twice (2015 & 2017). Harvard also shared the 2017 Cleary Cup as ECAC regular-season champions. Crimson players accumulated six All-America honors – five first-team – while Pearl was on staff, including Jimmy Vesey, who won the 2016 Hobey Baker Award.
The 2016-17 campaign was one of the best in Harvard's storied history as the Crimson claimed their first Beanpot title since 1993 in addition to their ECAC crowns and advanced to the NCAA Frozen Four for the first time in 23 years. Harvard posted 28 victories that season, the most since winning the national championship in 1989.
Pearl is the all-time winningest coach in Holy Cross history, accumulating 297 victories during his 19 years as head coach, and was behind the bench for nine of the 11 most successful seasons in program history. He led the Crusaders to both of their NCAA tournament appearances in 2004 and 2006 with the latter resulting in one of the biggest upsets in college hockey history, a 4-3 victory over Minnesota in the first round.
He guided the Crusaders to five 20-win seasons and tabbed the ECAC East and New England Writers' Association Coach of the Year in 1998. He collected MAAC Coach of the Year honors in 2002 and was twice named Atlantic Hockey Coach of the Year (2004 & 2011).
Including Quesnelle's four-year stint as head coach at Princeton, O'Connell will now have 23 years of Division I head-coaching experience on his staff.
A native of Wakefield, Massachusetts, Pearl began his coaching career with a two-year stint at UConn followed by two years at Holy Cross as an assistant from 1994-96. He spent the 1996-97 campaign as an assistant at Brown before returning to Holy Cross to take over the program. As a player, Pearl skated in 125 games for the Crusaders, compiling 77 points on 14 career goals and 63 assists.
Pearl graduated from Holy Cross in 1989 and earned his MBA from UConn in 1994.
