Alberts, Kemp quiz six potential candidates

Trev Alberts and Mike Kemp have been busy.

The University of Nebraska at Omaha's athletic director and associate athletic director were expected back in Omaha late Tuesday after meeting with six potential hockey coaches in interviews in two separate locations on a three-day trip, Alberts said.

“We had a chance to sit down with some candidates and it was very, very productive,” Alberts said. “We've sat down with some extremely competent, dynamic candidates.”

Alberts declined to reveal any of the candidates who have been interviewed to replace Kemp as the Mavericks' second-ever head coach.

Among those UNO is believed to be interested in are former North Dakota coach Dean Blais, Colorado College assistant Mike Guentzel, Minnesota assistant Mike Hastings, Minnesota-Duluth assistant Steve Rohlik and Boston University assistant David Quinn. Guentzel and Hastings are former Omaha Lancers coaches, while Rohlik and Quinn are former UNO assistants.

Blais, reached by telephone Tuesday, deflected questions about the vacancy and whether he has had an interest in it.

“I think you're better off talking to Trev Alberts,” Blais said. “I'm not going to get myself into a ‘he said, they said.'”

Nor was Alberts. “I don't want to talk about any one specific candidate,” he said, “because I don't think that's fair to any of the other ones.”

Alberts said he hasn't decided whether to interview other candidates, nor has he decided if a second interview will be conducted with any of those who have previously been interviewed.

He said he is still looking at a mid-June to July 1 timetable for making a hire.

“I think the next step for me is to spend some good, quality time going over what we've learned to see if there are further questions we want to have answered,” Alberts said. “We're committed to having the best hockey program. We're going to exhaust all means to find the best possible candidate.”

Blais' name frequently appears when there is a college hockey opening — or even a rumor of one. He led the Fighting Sioux to two national championships and a runner-up finish during a five-year stretch between 1997 and 2001 and made seven NCAA tournament trips during his 10 years behind the bench. His record of 262-115-33 (.679 winning percentage) includes five regular-season Western Collegiate Hockey Association championships and two WCHA tournament titles.

Blais left North Dakota for the NHL's Columbus Blue Jackets, for whom he worked in player development and as associate head coach.

He returned to the state of North Dakota and spent last year as the head coach and general manager of the Fargo Force, a USHL expansion team which reached the Clark Cup finals.

“We think our hockey program has an opportunity to be an elite program,” Alberts said. “This process has shown me that our program is viewed at the highest level.”

Contact the writer:

444-1027, rob.white@owh.com