UOIT Ridgebacks Media Release
Monday, February 23, 2009

Canadian hockey great named UOIT Ridgebacks women’s hockey head coach

Oshawa, Ont. – University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT) Athletic Director Ken Babcock announced on Monday that Karen Nystrom has been named the new head coach of the Ridgebacks women’s hockey program. Founding head coach Gary Pitcher stepped down following the conclusion of the 2008-09 OUA regular season, passing the torch to his assistant coach and national team hero.
 
”I am very excited to announce Karen as our new women’s hockey head coach," Babcock commented at a press conference held at the Campus Ice Centre on Monday afternoon. "She is a natural fit for the program and her knowledge of the game at all levels is exceptional. We look forward for her to step into her new role with the team and we are certain that the program will continue to grow and reach great heights under her direction. This move is part of the overall plan established from day one that would see Karen transition from her initial assistant role to head coach after year two."
 
Nystrom has quite an impressive hockey resume as a member of the Canadian National team for almost a decade. In her career with Team Canada, she won three World Championship titles (1992, 1994 & 1997), a 3 Nations Cup title (1996) and a Pacific Rim championship (1995). She also won an Olympic silver medal at the 1998 Winter Games in Nagano, Japan.

Not only has Nystrom excelled on the ice, but in coaching as well. She served as an assistant coach with the Toronto Jr. Aeros as well as and for an U-18 team Ontario which won a gold medal. For the past two seasons, she has gained valuable experience behind the bench with the Ridgebacks as an assistant coach.

When asked what her coaching style will entail, Nystrom commented that she will bring the same intensity to the Ridgeback team as she did on the ice throughout her playing career, with a focus on conditioning, team speed and aggressiveness. She also remarked how she is looking forward to the new challenges she is about to face as a head coach in the CIS, striving to build the program into a one of the top teams in the country.

Nystrom takes over for Pitcher, who is the programs’ founding head coach, leading the Ridgebacks since the building process began to take place four years ago.

”With the pillars put in place now put in over the past two years, coach Pitcher has left the program in a great situation to move forward,” remarked Babcock when asked about Pitcher’s performance. "He simply did an outstanding job putting together a competitive roster of 22 eligible players from scratch, which requires all of the players to be full-time students at UOIT, a daunting task. Two years later, the team is in great position to move towards contender status when our student-athletes move into their third and fourth years with our program."

Despite competing with a young roster against OUA schools with four and five year players, the Ridgebacks represented the University extremely well each time they took the ice. The team continued to move forward in year two of the program and under the guidance of coach Nystrom, the Ridgebacks players and coaching staff will work hard towards taking the team to the top of the league in the upcoming years.

RIDGEBACKS WOMEN’S HOCKEY TIMELINE

January 25, 2006 – UOIT becomes the 19th member of the OUA

February 8, 2006 – UOIT announces inaugural coaching staff

June 8, 2006 – Nystrom joins UOIT women’s hockey staff as an assistant coach

September 29, 2007 – UOIT women’s hockey first ever OUA game (3-2 OTL to Western)

November 3, 2007 – UOIT’s first win (4-2 at Waterloo)

June 19, 2008 - CIS accepted the UOIT’s application for membership, becoming the 52nd member institution of the national association.

October 10, 2008 – UOIT’s first home win at the 2008-09 home opener (3-2 shootout win over Brock)

January 10, 2009 – UOIT’s first shutout (Emma Thompson, 3-0 victory over Queen’s)

A QUICK LOOK AT KAREN NYSTROM

National Team Involvement
1998 - Winter Olympics (Silver)
1997 - World Championship (Gold)
1997 - 3 Nations Cup (Silver)
1996 - 3 Nations Cup (Gold)
1995 -  Pacific Rim (Gold)
1994 - World Championship (Gold)
1992 - World Championship (Gold)

Notes
- At the 1992 Women’s World Hockey Championship, Nystrom scored three goals and two assists in five games.
- In 1996-97, Nystrom was the leading scorer in the COWHL playing with the Newtonbrook Panthers
- From 1988-89 to 1996-97, she was named to the OWHA All-Star team in every year
- Silver medalist at the 1994 Provincial Championship with the Scarborough Firefighters
- Highest Scorer in COWHL from 1991 to 1993
- From 1984-85 to 1990-91, she was OWHA Champions with the Scarborough Firefighters
- 1985 and 1987 won gold medals at the Ontario Winter Games
- Played in the NWHL for six years where she was an All-Star and league scoring champion
- UOIT Ridgebacks assistant coach for the last two years
- U-18 Team ONTARIO Assistant Coach - Gold Medal
- Former assistant coach of the Toronto Jr. Aeros
- Currently works for Nike Canada as a Customer Service Manager

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FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Scott Dennis
Sports Information and Marketing Coordinator
Durham College and UOIT Athletics
905.721.2000 Ext. 2784 (P)
905.721.3117 (F)
scott.dennis@dc-uoit.ca

(Photo courtesy of Michelle Roebuck - Communications Officer, Durham College & UOIT)