Beginning with the 15-16 season, Coaches Desjardins and Hesse will return to the Razorback Hockey program as key pieces of the Division III staff.
Coach Hesse begins a new role as the Division III Associate Head Coach, working closely with Coach Thomas on practice planning, roster decisions, and team strategy. Said Coach Hesse about his new role, “I am extremely proud to continue to work in this program. I’ve learned a lot from Coaches Gallini and [Rick] Desjardins the past three seasons as Student Assistant Coach and President and I’m excited to showcase that knowledge.”
Prior to the 15-16 season, Coach Hesse served in a number of roles for the program, including as a player (11-12), Club President (13-14 & 14-15), and Student Assistant Coach (12-13, 13-14, and 14-15). About his new role he added, “I intend for us to continue the success that the Division III team has had in recent years.” Coach Hesse is a 2015 graduate of the University and a Level III USA Hockey certified coach.
For his part, Coach Brendan Desjardins returns for the 15-16 season as the team’s Head Goaltending Coach working with both teams’ goaltenders and will additionally serve as the Division III team’s primary assistant coach.
Coach B. Desjardins has, like Coach Hesse, served in numerous roles for the program. Coach Desjardins played for the Razorbacks for three seasons (09-12), during which time he served as Club President (11-12) and team captain (11-12). Said Coach Desjardins about this new opportunity, “it is an unbelievable privilege to be able to continue helping to develop our young men into well-rounded, successful adults.”
A graduate from the University twice over (2011 & 2012), Coach Desjardins added, “I am excited to get my hands dirty working with some fresh faces on the team, especially when it comes to developing new goaltenders.” Razorback goaltenders under Coach Desjardins’ tutelage have flourished as evidenced by, among other accomplishments, Kevin Scheer’s receipt of two conference playoff MVP honors (2013 & 2014) and Spencer Mulgrew’s 2.67 GAA (2014-15).
When reflecting on his many roles with the team, Coach Desjardins commented, “when I was on our first successful team over six years ago, we did not have anywhere close to the talent pool that we have now, yet we still competed at the highest level.” A Level III certified coach with USA Hockey, Coach Desjardins closed by adding, “the work ethic, compete level, and focus that Coach Gallini has instilled as the main components to our core culture has given our teams the ability to compete every year, regardless of the composition of individuals we have on the team.”
Coaches Hesse and Desjardins will look to carry on the Division III team’s history of success, a history that includes five conference titles and three trips to the National Tournament.