The Hilltoppers are 49-44-7 over the past four years under Zifcak's direction.
ZIFCAK NAMED TOP DOG
Puckmasters Personal Coach named to the top post at Assumption College.
April 1, 2005
The following story was written by Jennifer Toland and printed in the April 1, 2005 edition of the Worcester Telegram & Gazette. Kevin Zifcak is a personal coach at the Puckmasters Hockey Training Center of Marlborough, MA.
WORCESTER, MA? Kevin Zifcak met with members of the Assumption College hockey team yesterday afternoon, his first official act as the Ice Dogs? new coach.
The 31-year-old Zifcak, who spent the last six years at Worcester Academy, replaces Keith Hughes, who retired last month after coaching Assumption for seven seasons.
?The opportunity to coach at the college level and the challenge of that is intriguing to me,? Zifcak said. ?The goal is to win and be competitive in the league, and I look forward to doing that with our returning players and newcomers.?
When Zifcak arrived at Worcester Academy in 1999 after two years at Bridgton Academy, the Hilltoppers were just reintroducing their hockey program, which the school had disbanded in 1993. Zifcak did a fine job rebuilding the program, guiding the Hilltoppers for two years at the junior varsity level and to a 49-44-7 mark over the last four varsity seasons. The Hilltoppers increased their number of wins each season under Zifcak.
This past season, WA went 19-6-1, setting a school record for victories in a season. The Hilltoppers won the Holt Conference regular-season title with a 7-0 mark and advanced to the New England Prep School Ice Hockey Association Division 2 Tournament semifinals.
?That was a great experience,? said Zifcak, who will continue to teach mathematics at Worcester Academy. ?It was great to help guide the program, and everyone there was so supportive. It was a fun experience.?
Zifcak, who hails from Burrillville, R.I., played at Bowdoin College. The Polar Bears went 70-29-6 during his four years (1993-97), advanced to the ECAC championship game three times and to the NCAA quarterfinals in 1997.
He has served as hockey director at Buffone Rink and as a clinician at the USA Hockey Select Festival, UConn Hockey Experience and Hockey Night in Boston.
The Ice Dogs went 12-12-3 this year and wrapped up their best season under Hughes with a loss to Saint Anselm in the Northeast-10 Conference semifinals.
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