Shawn Walsh, hockey coach, 46

[Deathwatch Central <cdw@slick.org>]

- I am catching up on some older stories... apologies for the delay -
ed.

September 24, 2001

Walsh Loses Cancer Battle
Legendary Maine Coach Won Two National Championships, 399 Games
Compiled by USCHO Staff

BANGOR, Maine — Shawn Walsh, who led the University of Maine to two
national championships in 17 years, died Monday afternoon at Eastern
Maine Medical Center in Bangor, Maine, after a 15-month battle against
a rare form of cancer. He was 46.

Walsh's struggle began last summer, when he had his left kidney removed
after being diagnosed with renal cell carcinoma. However, cancer
remained in his body, and Walsh elected to receive two rounds of
radical and intensive immunotherapy treatments.

In preparation for a stem cell transplant, Walsh had his left lung
removed in March of this year. In May, Walsh underwent the transplant
with cells donated by his younger brother, Kevin. That was followed by
a four-month stretch of taking immunosuppressive drugs designed to
allow the stem cells to attack the cancerous cells. However, it also
shut down the immune system, making him susceptible to infection.

In late August, the effects were beginning to wear on Walsh.

"It's been tougher than I thought. It's day 107 and it's been a grind,"
he said at the time. "The last 40 days I've had a real lack of energy.
Not enough to keep me out of the office, but it's tiring going up
steps."

On Sept. 10, after experiencing difficulty breathing, Walsh checked
himself into the hospital where he diagnosed with pneumonia. At the
time, his brother Kevin said Walsh was in "great spirits," and his
wife, Lynne, said things were "positive."

Throughout the ordeal, Walsh remained optimistic that he would be
behind the bench for his 18th season in October. "I'll be stunned if
I'm not there," he said.

The first on-ice practice of the new season for the Black Bears was
scheduled for Tuesday.

Knowing Walsh's precarious health situation, Maine recently hired
former Lowell head coach Tim Whitehead as an assistant, giving the
program another experienced staff member to go along with Grant
Standbrook. Whitehead was named interim head coach shortly thereafter,
when Walsh checked into the hospital.

Walsh took over a failing program in its first year of Hockey East play
in 1984-85. He quickly built the program into a winner, eventually
going 42-1-2 in 1992-93, when the Black Bears capped off the season
with their first national championship.

In 17 seasons, Walsh went 399-215-44, including seven Frozen Four
appearances. He coached Hobey Baker recipients Scott Pellerin (1992)
and Paul Kariya (1993) and 26 other All-Americans, and ranked 11th in
career victories among active coaches (19th on the all-time list).

"Shawn was one of the most skillful coaches I have ever known," said
Maine athletic director Suzanne Tyler. "His ability to get the most out
of his student-athletes is unsurpassed. Perhaps more remarkable was how
positive he approached everything in his life, including his illness.
Despite his great odds, his pain and the distress his treatments
caused, he maintained a sense of humor and an amazing drive to regain
his health.

"To say he will be missed is an understatement. To say that he will be
replaced is not accurate. His commitment and loyalty to the University
of Maine was impressive. His loss leaves a tremendous void in UMaine
athletics."

Walsh, a one-time president of the American Hockey Coaches Association,
graduated from Bowling Green in 1978, and coached the junior varsity
team during his senior year under the tutelage of head coach Ron Mason.
When Mason went to Michigan State two years later, Walsh went with him,
and stayed as Mason's assistant until leaving for Maine.

After two losing seasons, Maine earned its first NCAA tournament
appearance in 1986-87, and proceeded to go 34-8-2 the next season as
Walsh won Hockey East Coach of the Year. Maine would win 30 or more
games for five straight seasons, until 1991-92, when it was forced to
forfeit games for using an ineligible player.
 
After winning the championship the following season, Maine again came
under NCAA scrutiny in 1993-94. In the aftermath of an NCAA
investigation into the entire Maine athletic department, Walsh was
eventually suspended for one year, the Black Bears were barred from the
NCAA tournament for two, and scholarships were revoked.

But Walsh, who won the 1995 Spencer Penrose Award as national coach of
the year, returned and led Maine back to prominence. In what many
believe to be his finest coaching job, he led the Black Bears to
another championship in 1998-99 with a team void of superstars. This
past season, Maine went 20-12-7, losing to Boston College, the eventual
national champion, in the NCAA East Regional in what would be Walsh's
final game.

"Shawn had many, many high points in his life: two national
championships, numerous trips to the Frozen Four, and Coach of the Year
honors, among them," said University of Maine president Peter Hoff. "As
most people know, Shawn worked hard and earned and enjoyed his
successes.

"Shawn also had some low points, both in his personal and professional
lives. Through the tough times, Shawn dealt with them with great
strength and resilience. He persevered and maintained his love and
commitment to the university, his program, and his adopted state."

Walsh is survived by his wife, Lynne; daughter Allie, 11; and sons
Tyler, 10, Travis, 8, and Sean, 2.

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