Blasi’s top-seeded RedHawks look to make another run to Frozen 4

Miami head hockey coach Enrico Blasi leads his team during NCAA Frozen Four college hockey practice at the Verizon Center in Washington, Wednesday, April 8, 2009.

AP Photo Miami head hockey coach Enrico Blasi leads his team during NCAA Frozen Four college hockey practice at the Verizon Center in Washington, Wednesday, April 8, 2009.

ENLARGE PHOTO

High school sports results for May 26
5/26/12
Reds' six-game winning streak broken
5/26/12
Annual Warrior Soccer Classic kicks off today
5/26/12
Dragons' rally falls short against Lansing
5/26/12
WSU baseball ousted from tournament
5/26/12
> More sports headlines

By Pete Conrad, Staff Writer Updated 7:59 AM Friday, March 26, 2010

OXFORD — Enrico Blasi has given a unique twist to Miami University’s reputation as the Cradle of Coaches.

In the past, coaches like football’s Ara Parseghian, Woody Hayes and Bo Schembechler, basketball’s Herb Sendek and baseball’s Bud Middaugh spent their time on the Oxford campus in part as a stepping stone to greater glory in the big time.

But Miami’s hockey program, under the guidance of Blasi, is no stepping stone.

This is the big time.

“We’re not a mid-major program,” Blasi said. “We’re a major program. It’s happened.”

Blasi’s RedHawks, the national runners-up last April, started the 2009-10 season as the nation’s top-ranked team, and they will take that same ranking into this weekend’s NCAA tournament as the overall No. 1 seed.

Over the last five seasons Miami has a 133-51-21 record with a winning percentage of .700, which is the nation’s best.

“Everybody associated with our program deserves a lot of credit, including the players,” Blasi said. “They’re the ones that play every day, they’re the ones that work every day, put their trust in what we have to say. When we win, we all win, and when we lose, then I lose, but that’s OK.”

In 2007 Blasi signed a contract extension to remain with the RedHawks through the 2016-17 season. Three years later, nobody in the Miami administration is asking for the money back.