BOSTON – The Boston University men’s ice hockey team will add another national champion to its coaching staff, as 2011 graduate Joe Pereira will return to BU as associate head coach, head coach Jay Pandolfo announced on Thursday.
Pereira joins Pandolfo’s staff after spending the past nine seasons at UConn, including the last four seasons as associate head coach. While at UConn, Pereira played a significant role in the Huskies’ recruiting efforts and was instrumental in helping UConn reach its first-ever Hockey East title game in 2022. Pereira coached the program’s first two All-Americans, Jonny Evans (2021) and Ryan Tverberg (2022), and 29 Huskies have signed pro contracts during Pereira’s tenure at UConn, including a program-record nine players from the 2021-22 squad.
“I’m excited that Joe is joining our staff,” Pandolfo said. “He is an outstanding recruiter who has established himself as one of the top young coaches in college hockey. As a former captain and national champion here, Joe knows what it takes to win at BU and understands what it means to be a Terrier. He will be a terrific addition to our program and I’m looking forward to working with him.”
Pereira was a member of the Terriers’ 2009 squad that claimed the program’s fifth national title, in addition to that year’s Beanpot and Hockey East regular-season and tournament trophies. He led the team in goals as a senior and finished his collegiate career with 27 goals and 34 assists for 61 points in 139 games.
Pereira was a two-time recipient of the team’s Bennett McInnis Memorial Award for Spirit and was also selected as the Friends/Albert Sidd Unsung Hero as a senior captain. Additionally, Pereira earned Hockey East All-Academic honors and received the Regina Eilberg Scholarship, which is presented to the player who combines the highest standards of Terrier athletics and academic performance. Pereira graduated in 2011 with a degree in business management.
“I’m thrilled to come back to BU,” Pereira said. “I’d like to thank Coach Pandolfo and Director of Athletics Drew Marrochello for this opportunity. I plan to bring my knowledge and love of the great sport of hockey to this role and help Coach Pandolfo and the student-athletes develop a hockey program the entire BU community will be proud of and support.”
A native of West Haven, Connecticut, Pereira began his coaching career with the club hockey program at Sacred Heart during the 2012-13 season, leading the Pioneers to their first-ever Northeast Collegiate Hockey League championship. Pereira also served as director of scouting for Madison Avenue Sports and Entertainment.
Pereira played professionally with the Worcester Sharks and the Bridgeport Sound Tigers of the American Hockey League during the 2010-11 season before a stint with Tingsryds AIF in Sweden. Pereira then skated for the Idaho Steelheads and South Carolina Stingrays of the ECHL in 2011-12.
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