“He has a great sense of humor and the guys loved being around him,” Fried said. “He was certainly part of bringing a lot of [recruits] to the team.”
Fried pointed out that while Rolston might be leaving, the off-season training program that has sparked significant improvements during his tenure will remain firmly in place.
“Coach Rolston gave us a program that will put us through the summer,” Fried said. “That shows what a class act he is.”
Junior center Dominic Moore said that the optimism surrounding Harvard’s run to the NCAA tournament is still very much in tact despite Rolston’s departure.
“He’s a great coach and a great guy, and it’s a shame that he left,” Moore said. “But it’s not going to be a problem for us. We have the same goals, and this is the same team. We’re going to take this thing where we need to go regardless of who’s here.”
Rolston, who has either played or coached in the CCHA, ECAC and WCHA, now looks to help one of Hockey East’s most storied programs rebound from a down year in 2001-02.
The Eagles made the NCAA tournament field for four straight seasons from 1997-98 through 2000-01, when they won the school’s first national championship since 1949 with a dramatic 3-2 victory over North Dakota in Albany, N.Y.
However, three key underclassmen on that team—Brooks Orpik, Krys Kolanos and Chuck Kobasew—left BC last summer to pursue professional hockey careers. That left the Eagles with little depth to battle through injuries to star players Ben Eaves and J.D. Forrest.
BC finished the year with a record of 18-18-2 (10-13-1 Hockey East) and was ousted from the league playoffs by Maine in two games.
Rolston, though, should find a very optimistic home in Chestnut Hill. Superstar forward Ben Eaves—who missed 15 of BC’s games this season due to injuries and the IIHF World Junior Championships—returns to lead a group that will be energized by one of the nation’s top recruiting classes.
Rolston came to Harvard from ECAC rival Clarkson, where he also spent three seasons. There, Rolston helped guide the Golden Knights to three NCAA tournament appearances, two regular season ECAC titles, and an overall record of 75-30-4.
Prior to that, Rolston spent five years at Lake Superior State University in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. The Lakers made the NCAA tournament during each of his seasons there and won the championship in both 1992 and 1994.
Rolston coached his brother Brian—the fifth-leading scorer on the Boston Bruins this past season—for two years at LSSU, including the first of the two championship seasons.
Rolston was a three-year letterwinner at Michigan Technological University, where he served as assistant captain during the 1989-90 campaign.
Harvard and Boston College are scheduled to meet at Bright Hockey Center in November and could also play in the Beanpot championship or consolation next February.