CCHA Trophy Renamed In Honor Of Mason
10/4/2000 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
Oct. 4, 2000
FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich. - - The CCHA Championship trophy is now called the Mason Cup, the league office officially announced today (Oct. 3). The trophy, which is presented annually to the CCHA postseason tournament, is being named in honor of current Michigan State head coach Ron Mason. Mason, who has led the Spartans to the CCHA playoff title nine times, was bestowed the honor by a unanimous vote of league athletic directors and coaches at the CCHA meetings in Florida last spring.
Mason, who's starting his 22nd season at MSU and 35th as a collegiate head coach, is college hockey's all-time winningest coach with an 864-365-74 career mark and a 575-255-60 record with the Spartans. He's led an NCAA-record 20 teams to the NCAA Tournament and has been named CCHA Coach of the Year seven times, also a record. Mason has won an NCAA championship with MSU in 1986 and an NAIA championship with Lake Superior in 1972. He was the American Hockey Coaches Association National Coach of the Year in 1992 after leading MSU to a 26-10-8 mark and a berth in the NCAA Semifinals.
"It was an easy decision for us," said Notre Dame head coach Dave Poulin, who chairs the CCHA's Coaches' Committee. "Ron Mason has meant a great deal to the conference during his 35-year affiliation. As one of the founders of the league, he has helped the CCHA grow into what it is today."
The Spartans close the exhibition portion of their 2000-01 schedule with a game against Western Ontario at Munn Ice Arena on Friday. MSU begins regular-season play on Oct. 13-14 at the Johnson Nissan Classic in Anchorage, Alaska.
