With UAA Hockey in continued limbo, Coach Matt Curley steps away
AFTER OVER A YEAR OF COVID AND MONTHS OF UNCERTAINTY SURROUNDING THE EXISTENCE OF THE UAA HOCKEY PROGRAM, MATT CURLEY IS LEAVING THE POSITION OF HEAD COACH.
CURLEY, AFTER TAKING OVER HEAD COACHING DUTIES FOLLOWING THE DEPARTURE OF MATT THOMAS, HAD THE PROGRAM TRENDING UPWARD WITH SUCCESSIVE GOOD RECRUITING CLASSES. BUT THE PROGRESS WAS SLOWED BY BUDGET RESTRAINTS, THE COVID PANDEMIC, AND THE UNCERTAINTY THAT THE PROGRAM WOULD EVEN BE AROUND. FUNDRAISING EFFORTS CONTINUE TO SAVE SEAWOLF HOCKEY FROM THE BOARD OF REGENTS CHOPPING BLOCK AFTER UAA ADMINISTRATION RECOMMENDED THE PROGRAM BE DISCONTINUED, ALONG WITH GYMNASTICS AND SKIING. THOSE TWO PROGRAMS RAISED ENOUGH MONEY TO GUARANTEE ANOTHER SEASON, BUT HOCKEY CONTINUES ITS FIGHT TO 3 MILLION DOLLARS TO COVER TWO SEASONS. ANOTHER 800 THOUSAND DOLLARS IS NEEDED BEFORE FALL.
UAA ATHLETIC DIRECTOR GREG MYFORD SAID A SEARCH FOR A NEW HEAD COACH WILL BEGIN AFTER THE FUNDRAISING EFFORTS, AND ITS DETERMINED IF THERE WILL BE A HOCKEY PROGRAM OR NOT.
UAA press release…
UAA hockey coach to depart university
ANCHORAGE – University of Alaska Anchorage Director of Athletics Greg Myford announced today that Seawolf Hockey head coach Matt Curley has submitted his resignation, effective June 30.
“This was a very difficult decision for me and my family because we believe in Seawolf hockey’s future,” said head coach Matt Curley. “It’s been a privilege to coach such fine young men, as well as live in the Anchorage community. The outpouring of recent financial support for the team has been great to see, and I wish the program nothing but the very best.”
Curley served as the Seawolves bench boss for three years, although the team was only able to compete in two of those seasons with UAA opting not to play the 2020-21 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He compiled a record of 7-53-10, while his squads excelled in the classroom with 33 student-athletes earning WCHA Scholar Athlete honors and 45 student-athletes earning WCHA All-Academic accolades during Curley’s tenure.
“I want to thank Matt for his efforts while here at UAA and wish him well in his next endeavor,” said UAA Athletic Director Greg Myford. “His professionalism and effort in support of our students never wavered.
“Normally, we would immediately put full attention into determining our next coach, but these are not normal times. We first have to save our hockey program by securing the $800,000 we still have to raise before August 30. When we do that, I’m fully confident that we will find the next coach for UAA hockey and be ready to compete as planned in 2022-23.”
The efforts to raise $3M in private funds in support of reinstating UAA Hockey before August 30, 2021, continue. Donations are currently being accepted at www.saveseawolfhockey.com.
