Mike Souza was officially introduced on Wednesday as the 13th head coach in UNH men’s hockey.
Published in the March, 16, 2018 edition.
DURHAM — University of New Hampshire Director of Athletics Marty Scarano formally introduced Mike Souza as the 13th head coach in UNH men’s ice hockey history during a Wednesday gathering for members of the UNH community and media in the Whittemore Center Skybox Lounge.
“Mike Souza possesses a unique blend of old and new school and embodies all that we value at UNH,” said Scarano. “Mike came to UNH as a local high school athlete with a blue-collar work ethic who went on to have a stellar career as a student-athlete and demonstrated his leadership skills on and off the ice. His long career as a professional hockey player afforded him many contacts, which will serve the University well in our recruiting efforts. Having worked as the associate head coach for the last three years, Mike has a clear vision and strategy for the program and understands the work that needs to be done to help the team become more competitive in Hockey East and nationally.”
Souza, a 2000 UNH graduate, ascends to the head coaching position following three seasons as an associate head coach under Dick Umile, who is retiring after 28 years as the Wildcats head coach.
“I am honored to receive the opportunity to serve as the head coach of the University of New Hampshire,” said Souza. “Playing and coaching at UNH has been one of the great privileges of my life. The lessons I learned as both a student-athlete and coach here strongly influenced my career path and fortunately led me to where I am today. I am profoundly thankful to Coach Umile, Marty Scarano, President Mark Huddleston and the extended Wildcat family for entrusting me with this position, and together we will work toward our goal of upholding this program’s standard of excellence on and off the ice.”
In his role as associate head coach over the last three years, Souza worked directly with the defensemen and the power play. In his first season (2015-16), UNH boasted the best power-play percentage (.239) in Hockey East, which was ranked sixth in the nation. Souza mentored future NHL forward Andrew Poturalski, who tied for the NCAA lead with 24 power-play points, and Matias Cleland, who was the nation’s leader among defensemen in power play points (18) and assists (14). Under Souza’s tutelage in 2016-17, senior forward Tyler Kelleher was named a Hobey Baker Finalist after ranking first nationally in points (63) and assists (39) while Cleland tied for third nationally and first in the conference in defenseman points (36).
Prior to returning to Durham as an associate head coach in 2015, the Wakefield native spent two seasons (2013-15) coaching under Mike Cavanaugh at the University of Connecticut. Souza assisted with all aspects of the program, focusing primarily on power plays and recruiting efforts; he was promoted to associate head coach in April 2015. In his final season at UConn, Souza played an integral role in transitioning the program into the Hockey East Association.
Souza began his coaching career with a two-year stint (2011-13) at Brown University as an assistant coach under Brendan Whittet. He was responsible for recruiting, game and practice preparation, and video breakdown for the Bears. During games he worked primarily with the team’s forwards, including four players who went on to reach the NHL: Bobby Farnham, Garnet Hathaway, Nick Lappin and Matt Lorito. In 2013, the Bears advanced to the ECAC Championship game.
Souza graduated from UNH following a decorated four-year career with the Wildcats from 1996-2000. During that time, the squad reached two Frozen Fours, including the national championship game against the University of Maine in 1999. In that game Souza, who led all Frozen Four participants with six points, scored a critical third-period goal that forced overtime, and he was subsequently named to the NCAA All-Regional Team and NCAA All-Tournament Team.
In 1999-2000, Souza won the Jim Urquhart Award as Student-Athlete of the Year, which is the highest honor bestowed upon a graduating student-athlete at UNH. He was also named to the New England All-Star Team, All-Hockey East Second Team and was feted with the Wildcat program’s Charles E. Holt Coaches Award for contributions both on and off the ice. In 156 career games, Souza totaled 156 points on 66 goals and 90 assists.
Souza was the 67th overall selection by the Chicago Blackhawks in the 1997 NHL Entry Draft. He played professionally in the American Hockey League from 2000-05, and he played six additional seasons (2005-11) in Europe. From 2008-11, he was a member of the Italian National Team, participating in the IIHF World Championship all three years and winning the Division I gold medal in 2009 and 2011. In 2010, Souza and Team Italy participated in the Elite Division at the World Championships.
Souza, who was inducted into the Wakefield High School Hall of Fame in 2009, is married to Kelly McManus Souza, a member of the Boston College Varsity Club Hall of Fame who graduated in 2002 as the women’s hockey program’s single-season record holder for goals, assists and points. McManus Souza, the first Patty Kazmaier Award nominee in Boston College history, now is the head girls’ hockey coach at Berwick Academy and coaches the Souzas’ daughters, Ella and Ava, with the Assabet Valley Girls Ice Hockey Team in Concord, Mass. The Souza family resides in Portsmouth, N.H.
