George Francis Menard (September 2, 1927 – April 18, 1990) was an American ice hockey coach. He was the head coach of St. Lawrence during their renaissance after World War II taking them to five Frozen Fours during his tenure.[1]

George Menard
Biographical details
Born(1927-09-02)September 2, 1927
Burrillville, Rhode Island, U.S.
DiedApril 18, 1990(1990-04-18) (aged 62)
Deerfield, New Hampshire, U.S.
Playing career
Ice hockey
1947–1950Brown
Position(s)Defenseman
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
Ice hockey
1955–1967St. Lawrence
1968–1971St. Lawrence
Baseball
1967–1972St. Lawrence
Head coaching record
Overall204–137–14 (ice hockey)
46–25 (baseball)
Tournaments2–8 (ice hockey)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
Ice hockey
1959 Tri-State League Champion
1960 Tri-State League Champion
1961 Tri-State League Champion
1962 ECAC Hockey Tournament Champion
Awards
1976 Brown Athletic Hall of Fame
1981 St. Lawrence Athletic Hall of Fame

Career

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As many people did during the second world war George Menard enlisted in the armed services after graduating high school,[2] but as he enlisted in October 1945 his services were unneeded for the war effort. The following fall he began attending Brown University, playing both ice hockey and baseball for the Bears to such an outstanding degree that he was signed by the New York Yankees.[3]

George eschewed a professional playing career in favor of coaching, becoming the head coach at St. Lawrence in 1955 for both ice hockey and baseball.[4] Menard continued the Saint's winning ways from the beginning, getting his team to a second straight NCAA tournament in his first season.[5] In each of his first nine seasons behind the bench Menard would get St. Lawrence to finish with winning records as well as making five tournament appearances (four coming in consecutive seasons). When St. Lawrence became a founding member of ECAC Hockey in 1961–62 Menard led the Saints to the inaugural conference tournament title and followed it up with the school's first 20-win season, a feat they wouldn't repeat for 20 years.[4]

Menard took off the 1967–68 season to earn an MBA from Syracuse University[3] and though he returned to Canton the next year he couldn't recover the success he had had his first dozen years as coach. Menard resigned after the 1970–71 season, turning the program over to Bernie McKinnon who had served as a stand-in during his year off and then resigned as the baseball head coach after the following season. After his retirement Menard was inducted into the Brown Athletic Hall of Fame in 1976[3] and the St. Lawrence Athletic Hall of Fame in 1981.[6]

Death

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George Menard died in Deerfield, New Hampshire on April 18, 1990, at the age of 62. He was survived by his wife, Frances, two sons and six daughters.[7]

Head coaching record

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Ice hockey

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Statistics overview
Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
St. Lawrence Saints (Tri-State League) (1955–1961)
1955-56 St. Lawrence 18-5-0 4-2-0 2nd NCAA Consolation Game (Win)
1956-57 St. Lawrence 13-7-0 3-3-0 3rd
1957-58 St. Lawrence 10-8-2 1-4-0 4th
1958-59 St. Lawrence 14-7-1 5-0-0 1st NCAA Consolation Game (Loss)
1959-60 St. Lawrence 14-8-2 4-0-0 1st NCAA Consolation Game (Loss)
1960-61 St. Lawrence 16-5-0 3-1-0 1st NCAA Runner-Up
St. Lawrence: 85-40-5 20-10-0
St. Lawrence Saints (ECAC Hockey) (1961–1967)
1961-62 St. Lawrence 17-9-1 9-5-1 10th NCAA Consolation Game (Loss)
1962-63 St. Lawrence 20-6-1 12-3-1 4th ECAC Third Place Game (Loss)
1963-64 St. Lawrence 13-10-2 8-7-1 14th ECAC Runner-Up
1964-65 St. Lawrence 5-16-1 1-12-1 15th
1965-66 St. Lawrence 15-8-1 8-6-1 5th ECAC Quarterfinals
1966-67 St. Lawrence 17-8-1 9-5-1 4th ECAC Third Place Game (Loss)
St. Lawrence: 87-57-7 47-38-6
St. Lawrence Saints (ECAC Hockey) (1968–1971)
1968-69 St. Lawrence 11-11-2 8-8-2 9th ECAC Quarterfinals
1969-70 St. Lawrence 11-15-0 8-9-0 9th ECAC Quarterfinals
1970-71 St. Lawrence 10-14-0 5-12-0 12th
St. Lawrence: 32-40-2 21-29-2
Total: 204-137-14

      National champion         Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

[8]

References

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  1. ^ "George Menard Year-By-Year Coaching Record". USCHO.com. Retrieved 2014-07-11.
  2. ^ "George F. Menard". Ancient Faces. Retrieved 2014-07-11.
  3. ^ a b c "George F. Menard". Brown Bears. Retrieved 2014-07-11.
  4. ^ a b "St. Lawrence men's Hockey Team History". USCHO.com. Retrieved 2014-07-11.
  5. ^ "NCAA Tournament". College Hockey Historical Archive. Retrieved 2014-07-11.
  6. ^ "George Menard". St. Lawrence Saints. Retrieved 2014-07-11.
  7. ^ "George F. Menard". Concord Monitor. 19 April 1990. p. 14. Retrieved 11 October 2023.
  8. ^ "2008-09 ECAC Hockey Media Guides". ECAC Hockey. Archived from the original on 2014-04-27. Retrieved 2014-04-23.
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