The UMass Lowell River Hawks have a new men’s ice hockey team leader: Norm Bazin, who played for and later helped coach the UMass Lowell hockey-men. Read the news bulletin from UML Athletics and Sun report by Chaz Scoggins here.

Norm Bazin, new UMass Lowell ice hockey coach

From UML Athletics: “As a player, Bazin compiled 32 goals and 36 assists (68 points) in 134 career games. He peaked as a senior with 20 goals and 15 assists – including 17 goals in UMass Lowell’s final 19 games – as the River Hawks posted a 25-10-5 record.

“That year, he helped lead UMass Lowell to the Hockey East Tournament Championship game where it fell, 3-2, to Boston University. Along the way, Bazin scored all three goals in a 3-0 quarterfinal victory over Merrimack and also added a goal in a 4-3 triumph at Michigan State in the NCAA Tournament first round.

“Team honors were plentiful for Bazin as he was named the recipient of the Most Improved Player, Unsung Hero and Gus Coutu (Most Spirited) awards – all voted upon by his teammates.

“Bazin was also an exemplary student, earning Dean’s List honors in each of his eight semesters as well as a place on the Hockey East Academic Honor Roll three times. In 1993, he received the Distinguished Public Service Award from the University for his work with the Special Olympics and SHARE.

“Bazin achieved his bachelor’s degree in criminal justice in just 3 ½ years and earned his master’s degree in education administration in 1999.

“The characteristics which have made Norm such a successful leader since he graduated from UMass Lowell will pay dividends for our hockey program and University,” Skinner said. “We are pleased that one of our most successful alums is returning to the University and we welcome Norm, his wife Michelle, also an alumna, and their two children to the UMass Lowell family.”

“Bazin played professionally for the Birmingham Bulls of the ECHL and the Cincinnati Cyclones of the IHL in 1994-95.

“A native of Notre Dame de Lourdes, Manitoba, Bazin and his wife, Michelle, have two sons, Blake (7) and Coleston (4).”