End Athletic Director Bill Chaves explains the reasoning for Hockey Coaching Change – Grand Forks Herald

Grand Forks und Athletic director Bill Chaves offered a glimpse of the reasoning and timeline behind the removal of Brad Berry as a men's hockey coach.

Chaves spoke with the media in Ralph Engelstad Arena after the introductory press conference for Berrys -replacement, Dane Jackson.

It marked Chaves first public comments since he had released Berry Two days after the end of the Und season in the National Collegiate Hockey Conference Frozen Faceoff semi -finals to West -Michigan. Und missed the NCAA tournament for the second time in three seasons.

I constantly evaluate programs, said Chaves when he was asked about the timeline about his decision about Berry. I don't think you wake up one day and you say, “This must happen.” Were in a unique time in Division-I athletics. I continue to have conversations with all our sports about what the next one is. It is not washing, rinsing, repeating. What is the plan? What is the new plan? What is A Plan ahead? The more I got a bit in it, I thought this might be the time that you continue with other leadership while we confront a new border.

The meeting between athletic director and main hockey coach, in what Chaves considered as standard operational procedure, came a conversation on Sunday 23 March that eventually led to Chaves' decision to continue from Berry.

It was clear that a new direction had to be done, said Chaves.

Berrys und -Teams won five league titles in 10 years and the NCAA National Championship 2016. The program also missed the NCAA tournament four times during his term of office.

“We have high expectations for our program,” said Chaves. “There is no doubt about it. Some in the hockey world would claim (they) impossible high. But we have high expectations. Continued with high expectations. One thing we never want to do is reformulate our expectations.”

Chaves seemed to indicate that the decision was not prejudices before the Sunday meeting.

You never know, he said. Just like a (new coaching) search, I never know what will happen until there is a conversation.

Und -President Andrew Armacost was kept informed during the trial, said Chaves.

I always make sure that I with Dr. Armacost talks, said Chaves. You do not make a decision in a vacuum.

With another year left on his contract, und Berry $ 493,500 owes. The sum was considered affordable, said Chaves, because of a strong financial year.

Were in a point where happy, said Chaves, it is not only something that is estimated in itself, but as life goes on in intercollegial athletics, you have a budget, but sometimes you are happy where the income exceeds the costs.

This is the company of Division-I Athletics. When you move in a different direction, you have baked this to a certain extent, not necessarily that you baked in the decision, but you just don't know what will happen. Fortunately we have some reserve collars and we can continue with a number of really good things that have happened from a income position, so that could pay.

Berry is said to have been introduced the last season of his contract in 2025-26. In general, managers are suspicious of allowing a head coach to enter into a last year of a contract, because it can harm recruitment.

When asked if he had a general conviction about coaches who enter into a contract for the past year, Chaves said that his views have changed with the changing national landscape.

Earlier in my career I would think that in a certain extent to a certain extent to a certain extent use of your last year would be used from a recruitment position, and I think it could be, said Chaves. In this time, I am not entirely sure where you are here from year to year. I have changed my views a bit. Stability is great and everyone would like it. But I say this all the time, were all interim. I am interim. I may have a contract. That does not necessarily mean that you are there the next day. Yes, years matter, but at the moment it is strange, it is less important.

Jackson will be the fourth new head coach in the 2025-26 season and joins football coach Eric Schmidt, basketball coach Dennis Hutter and women's football coach Henrik Sohn.

Chaves was asked his feelings about having so many new head coaches.

I don't necessarily look forward to it, said Chaves. I look at each on his own merits. They all have their own journey and their own story. Today in a time of reflecting in intercollegial athletics by managers, coaches, athletes, people who cover it. I think there is a lot of thinking. Each of our situations was a different story. I just watch them individually.