Russell McCurdy

Russell Joseph McCurdy, Jr., (August 18, 1939 – June 7, 2024) was the first head coach of the University of New Hampshire women's ice hockey team, serving as coach from the program's inception in 1977 to 1992. He has been described as "the father of women's hockey in New Hampshire" and as "the king of women's college hockey." As of the 2024–2025 season, McCurdy has the highest winning percentage of any women's college ice hockey coach.

Early life McCurdy was born and raised in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, He attended LaSalle Academy in Providence, Rhode Island, During his junior year, he won the Eastern Title for the team by scoring an 80-foot slap shot against St. Lawrence. He graduated in 1962.

From 1962 to 1963, McCurdy played as a defenseman on the United States men's national ice hockey team.

Coaching career McCurdy began his collegiate coaching career in 1973. His coaching style focused on hockey fundamentals and passing. He described women's hockey as a game of skill: "[In women's hockey]the emphasis is on skill, not like in men's hockey, where they try to go out and hurt someone." - Russ McCurdy in the Boston Globe, 1983

Yale Bulldogs McCurdy began his collegiate coaching career in 1973 as an assistant coach for the Yale Bulldogs men's ice hockey team where he coached the men's freshman team. During his time at Yale, McCurdy also helped coach the women's team, which was a club program from the 1974-75 season until the 1977-78 season. After four years, McCurdy moved to the University of New Hampshire to start its women's ice hockey program. Led by McCurdy, the inaugural team went undefeated in the 1977–78 season, However, the team faced financial issues, as the school did not budget for additional funds needed for an undefeated team. According to the same Boston Globe article:''Because in its first season as a varsity sport, McCurdy's team went 15–0. That's better than the women at Colby and Cornell, previously considered the best in the East, better than the men at Harvard and BU and almost certainly better than any team has done in its first varsity season at UNH. But the story is 15–0 and no place to go. The team's budget was set at the beginning of the year to include equipment, transportation and some meal money. It did not account for an undefeated season and tournament play.

McCurdy's 100th career coaching victory with UNH took place on February 2, 1983, when the team won 7–1 against Dartmouth in Hanover, NH. His record following the 100th game was 100–1–2.

McCurdy continued to coach the team for 15 years, ending his tenure after the 1991–1992 season, with a winning percentage of .868 and total record of 264–36–10. As of the 2024–2025 season, McCurdy has the highest winning percentage of any women's college ice hockey coach. His winning streak was 74 games.

Olivia Puck the Cat Olivia Puck was McCurdy's black-and-white cat during his tenure as head coach at UNH. She often accompanied McCurdy to practices, The team won their first four games, beating Switzerland (17–0), Norway (9–1), Finland (5–3), and Sweden (6–4) in the semifinals, before losing to Canada in the finals (0–8). Overall, the team brought home silver. Murphy was an assistant coach on the 1992 U.S. National Women's Ice Hockey team while McCurdy served as head coach.

Honors and awards

McCurdy received The Joe Burke Award, presented annually to a person who has given outstanding contribution, support, and dedication to women's ice hockey, in 2001.

In 2002, McCurdy was inducted into the UNH Athletics Hall of Fame for his work as a women's hockey coach at UNH.

In 2006, the University of New Hampshire athletic department dedicated the Russell J. McCurdy Gallery in the Whittemore Center which displays the women's teams photos and headshots.

Other Before his coaching career, McCurdy was in the U.S. Army Intelligence Corps and was based in Germany. He was an investigator for the U.S. Civil Service Commission and a Foreign Service reserve officer with the U.S. Department of State. until the team was cut due to budget constraints in Summer 1991. McCurdy remained an avid tennis player throughout his life.

Personal life McCurdy met his wife, Sheila (née Berg), at the University of New Hampshire. They lived in Lee, New Hampshire.