Head Coach for Select Team Announced!!!

2010-03-06


CHRIS VAN TIMMEREN, HOPE COLLEGE

The ACHA Division 3 launched the application for staff considerations for our Select Team over the summer.  The interest from our member teams was impressive and we are proud to announce the next member of the Select Team staff.  With nearly forty applicants for the coaching positions, the task of narrowing the field was difficult but commissioner Rick Kaminski and Select Team General Manager Scott Solomon did just that.  After slimming the field to the top 12, Solomon conducted interviews with all of the remaining candidates, asking countless questions about systems, styles, experience and overall thoughts on the inaugural trip.  The field was cut in half and the decision on the Select Team's head coach was made.  The remaining five candidates have be named as Selection Committee members and will be considered for the two assistant coaching positions this fall.  Division 3 is proud to announce the inaugural Select Team Head Coach, Chris Van Timmeren (Hope College).  The five coaches that have been named to the Select Team's Selection Committee, to help choose the players for the team are:  Sean Weaver (UCF), Jon LaRochester (Farmingdale), Justin Berger (Cal U of PA), Nate van Niejenhuis (Dordt), Ben Hammock (Salisbury). 

 

When questioned about the process and about the final decisions Scott Solomon, the Select Team's General Manager, said the following. "We have great coaches in the Division 3 and these decisions took more time than we originally planned because of the tremendous interest in this Select Team.  This team is not about the coaches, the players, the staff or the parents, it is truly about Division 3 and the quality of hockey that we put out week in and week out.  We want to showcase that talent at our All-Star Challenge and we want to reflect that talent when we make our first trip.  Division 2 has set the bar real high, going 11-0 in two trips and we wanted a team and a coaching staff that wanted nothing more than to make the statement that our top players are just as good.  We have that with Chris.  Every season the goal for Chris is a National Championship, not getting to the tournament, but winning it.  His streak of 9 straight appearances at the National Championship is really impressive and when you combine that success with his involvement in the University Games since 2004, adaptive coaching style, and general work ethic and preparation we knew we had the right choice.  Now that choice wasn't too easy because you had last year's coach of the year, Nate van Niejenhuis, who also had some international experience.  Ben has also brought teams overseas before.  Justin has put together one of the best five year runs in ACHA history, including a National Championship.  Sean Weaver is a perennial fixture now at Nationals, as is Jon LaRochester with Farmingdale.  With all that coaching talent, selfishly, I wanted all of them to help me put together this roster.  This group of coaches, lead by Chris, represents all four regions and having their input on the players that will represent us as a Division will encompass what this Select Team is all about"   

 

After he was informed of the decision Chris Van Timmeren stated, "Just being considered for a coaching position for this team is a honor but actually being named it's head coach is a absolute thrill and responsibility that I will not take lightly.  Having seen firsthand the challenges that face the University Game's Teams and the select team's for Division 2, I know that having little time to prepare such a meaningful trip will not be easy.   We have great people and lucky for me, Scott and Rick have surrounded me with a good sampling of them.  I look forward to leaning on them throughout the process.  The most important things for me are to make sure we portray the Division 3 in the proper way and that the players get a rewarding, competitive, cultural experience that they remember for the rest of their lives."

 

More about the newly named Head Coach of the Division 3 Select Team can be found below:

 

Chris Van Timmeren has been a part of the Hope College since its inception 14 years ago.  Hope College competes in the Michigan Collegiate Hockey Conference in the North Region.  Chris has led Hope College to 9 consecutive winning seasons, and has an overall record of 215-70-9-3 for a winning percentage of 72% as head coach. 

 

Since taking over as Head Coach at Hope, Van Timmeren has taken the Flying Dutchmen to the Division 3 National Tournament in all 9 years that they have been eligible.  The 9 year streak is the longest in Division 3.  Hope has never finished lower than ninth at the National Tournament with 1 ninth place finish, 4 fifth place finishes, 2 fourth place finishes, and one runner up finish.  Hope has also earned four MCHC Tournament Championships, and three MCHC regular season championship in Van Timmeren’s 10 years.  Chris has been voted MCHC Coach of the Year three times in that time as well.  He was also the American Collegiate Hockey Association Coach of the year in 2006-2007 and 2007-2008 and North Region Coach of the Year in 2008-2009.  Hope’s team has a 96% graduation rate since he took over.   

 

Van Timmeren has been the President of the MCHC since 2002.  He has also been the ACHA D3 North Regional Coordinator since 2002.  Chris is level 4 certified by USA Hockey and was selected to be on the World University Games tryout coaching staff in 2004, 2006, and 2008.

 

Chris was born and raised in Grand Rapids, MI where he played at Grand Rapids Christian High School.  He is a Hope College alumnus, and was integral in starting Hope’s hockey team as a junior.  He played two seasons at Hope before graduating with a bachelor’s degree in Geology.  Chris began coaching as an assistant at Hope during the ’99-’00 season, and took over as Head Coach the following year, making for a total of 11 years on the coaching staff.  Van Timmeren currently lives in Holland, MI and works in sales.