Coaching Staff
Blaise MacDonald
Head Coach
Blaise MacDonald, the 2017-18 American Hockey Coaches Association (AHCA) National Coach of the Year, returns as The Jack Kelley Head Coach for Men's Hockey for the 2023-24 season. MacDonald came to Colby in 2012.
The Billerica, Mass. native led the Mules to a New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) title and the NCAA Division III Frozen Four in the 2017-18 season. That year, he became only the 4th NESCAC coach in the last 25 years to earn the Edward Jereniah Award presented by the AHCA to the Division III Coach of the Year. Earlier in his career, MacDonald finished runner-up for the Spencer Penrose Award (Division I Coach of the Year) in 2000, and was a finalist for the same award in 2002 and 2004.
MacDonald stood at the helm of the ice hockey program at UMass Lowell for 10 seasons - a span which included three 20-win seasons and a 19-win showing in 2009-10. The River Hawks advanced to the Hockey East Tournament semifinals twice (2002, 2009) in his tenure, including an appearance in the championship game in 2009, marking just the second appearance in the league title game in the history of the program.
Prior to his tenure at UMass Lowell, MacDonald served as the head coach at Niagra University, where he founded the ice hockey program and brought the Purple Eagles to the NCAA Tournament quarterfinal in only four seasons. He compiled an all-time record of 91-58-17 in five seasons (.548), highlighted by a 30-8-4 overall clip and a 15-0-2 finish within College Hockey America in the 1999-2000 season.
An All-American defenseman at Rochester Institute of Technology, MacDonald was inducted into the RIT Hall of Fame in 1991. At the time of his graduation, he held RIT records for career assists (106) and points (119) by a defenseman. In addition to his tenures as head coach of three premier programs, MacDonald has served as an assistant coach at Dartmouth, Princeton, Boston University, and UMass Amherst. While at BU, he served as recruiting coordinator and associate head coach and helped the Terriers to a 144-42-11 record including five appearances in the NCAA Frozen Four and the 1995 national championship.
During his career as a collegiate hockey coach, MacDonald has recruited and coached many players who have moved on to careers in the NHL. He played a key role in the development of players such as Adrian Aucoin, Rich Brennan, Greg Gardner, Mike Grier, Scott Lachance, and Tom Poti. MacDonald has also coached NHL All-Stars Tony Amonte, Kieth Tkachuk, and 1998-99 NHL Rookie of the Year Chris Drury, who helped Colorado to the 2001 Stanley Cup Title.
MacDonald served on the American Hockey Coaches Association Board of Governors and was honored by Business First for his career achievements and community involvement as part of its 2000 "40 Under Forty" program. An avid runner, he has competed in six Boston Marathons, recording his best time of 3:08,00 in 1992.
MacDonald and his wife, Carol, are the parents of four children – sons Cam, Joe, and Jake, and daughter Carly. Cam is Colby Alum, playing four years of hockey at Colby under their father. Joe and Jake are on the current Colby team.
Tyler Walsh
Assistant Coach
Tyler Walsh, a head coach at North Yarmouth Academy and an assistant coach with the USA Hockey National Team Development Program, started his tenure as assistant coach for Colby in the 2018-19 academic year.
The Mules won the New England Small College Athletic Conference title and made the NCAA Frozen Four in his first season in 2018, and was the NESCAC regular season champions in 2022.
"Tyler has had some great experiences in his young coaching career and worked with some very good coaches," MacDonald said. "He has big shoes to fill, but he will embrace the challenge and continue to move our program in a positive direction. I am very excited to welcome Tyler to Colby Hockey."
Walsh, a 2014 graduate of the University of Maine, was the head hockey coach and assistant athletic director at North Yarmouth since 2016. He was recruiting throughout New England and Canada during his time at NYA.
Walsh started his coaching career as a student assistant coach under then University of Maine head coach Tim Whitehead in 2012-13. He stayed in Division I hockey as the director of hockey operations at Canisius College in 2013-14. Walsh then headed to Michigan to work as an assistant with the national team development program.
Walsh is the son of the late Shawn Walsh, who won two national titles and 399 games during his coaching career at University of Maine.
Mike Latendresse
Assistant Coach
Mike Latendresse joined the Colby Men's Ice Hockey coaching staff to start the 2013-14 academic year.
Latendresse works with the forwards and the special teams units for head coach Blaise MacDonald.
Latendresse played two seasons of hockey for the University of Maine during the 1992-93 and 1993-94 seasons. He finished his career with 90 points in 73 games for the Black Bears.
Latendresse stepped down as head coach of the Messalonskee boys' hockey team after helping the squad win its first-ever state hockey championship in the 2013-14 season, finishing 21-0 overall.
Lattendresse led Messalonskee to three straight Eastern B title game appearances, winning the championship during the 2011-12 season and last year. Latendresse was named the Morning Sentinel Hockey Coach of the Year after the 2012-13 season and 2013-14 seasons.
Pertti Hasanen
Volunteer Assistant Coach
Pertti Hasanen joined the Mules in the 2020-21 season as a volunteer assistant coach. He has many years of experience at the highest level of play, including his most recent stint as the development and skills coach for the New Jersey Devils of the National Hockey League (NHL). Also serving in a similar position for the Pittsburgh Penguins, Hasanen served as a Eurpoean scout for the NHL as well as head coach of European teams in Finland, Italy, and Norway.
At the college level, Hasanen has been an assistant coach at UMass Lowell for two years and Boston University for five. Co-founder of the Pertti Hasanen Hockey Academy, his talent for skill development is sought after across the globe.