KALAMAZOO, Mich. -- Announced this afternoon, Western Michigan hockey coach Pat Ferschweiler was among the eight finalists for the Spencer Penrose Award, given annually to the CCM/AHCA Division I Men's Ice Hockey Coach of the Year. Selected by the nation's 60 NCAA Division I head coaches, the winner will be announced on Wednesday, April 6.

The Spencer Penrose Award is named in memory of the Colorado Springs benefactor who built the Broadmoor Hotel Complex, site of the first 10 NCAA championship hockey tournaments. The award will be presented on Wednesday, April 26, at the 2023 AHCA Convention at the Naples Grande Hotel in Naples, FL.

Ferschweiler is joined as a finalist by Erik Largen (Alaska), Bob Motzko (Minnesota), Brandon, Naurato (Michigan), Jay Pandolfo (Boston University), Rand Pecknold (Quinnipiac), Joe Shawhan (Michigan Tech) and Wayne Wilson (RIT). Pecknold and Wilson have won the award in previous years. Futhermore, the NCHC has only seen two winners in the league's 10-year history. A Western Michigan coach has never won the award. 

In just his second-year at the helm, Ferschweiler has set the standard at Western Michigan, collecting 23 wins this season and making a second consecutive trip to the NCAA Tournament. Over his two years as the head coach, the Broncos have won 49 games and finished no lower than third in the NCHC, which is considered to be one of the best conferences in the country. In 2022-23, Western Michigan earned its best NCHC finish in program history, placing second with 15 wins and 44 points. 

In his first two seasons, Western Michigan has cracked the top five in each campaign, reaching No. 5 this season. The Broncos were a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament last season and No. 3 seed in this year's tournament. He guieded the Broncos to their first NCAA Tournament win in program history during the 2021-22 season. With the work WMU has done, Ferschweiler was tabbed as the NCHC Coach of the Year earlier this month.  In just two seasons, Ferschweiler has coached five All-NCHC performers, while three players have earned NCHC individual awards.