Ralph Romano

Ralph Romano
Biographical details
Born(1934-08-25)August 25, 1934
Fort William, Ontario, CAN
DiedDecember 16, 1983(1983-12-16) (aged 49)
Playing career
1954–1956Minnesota–Duluth
Position(s)Goaltender
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1959–1968Minnesota–Duluth
Administrative career (AD unless noted)
1969–1983Minnesota–Duluth
Head coaching record
Overall90–121–7
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
1960 MIAC Champion
1961 MIAC Champion
Awards
1989 Duluth–Superior Sports Hall of Fame
1993 Minnesota–Duluth Athletic Hall of Fame

Ralph Romano was an ice hockey goaltender, head coach, and athletic director, all with the University of Minnesota–Duluth (UMD).[1]

Career

Ralph Romano spent his entire adult career with the UMD Bulldogs, playing for the team between 1954 and 1956. After graduating he was named as head coach in 1959 and shepherded the team while it transitioned from the MIAC (in what would become a Division III conference) to an upper-classification team and eventually join the dominant conference of the 1960s, the WCHA.[2] Though his teams didn't win many games after it left the MIAC, Romano was well-regarded at the university and was promoted to athletic director in 1969. Romano remained at that position until he died from a heart attack while attending a game against Denver in December 1983.[3] He was posthumously inducted into both the Duluth–Superior Sports Hall of Fame and the Minnesota–Duluth Athletic Hall of Fame.

Head coaching record

Statistics overview
Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
Minnesota–Duluth Bulldogs (MIAC) (1959–1961)
1959–60 Minnesota–Duluth 15–5–0 8–0–0 1st
1960–61 Minnesota–Duluth 13–3–0 6–0–0 1st
Minnesota–Duluth: 28–8–0 14–0–0
Minnesota–Duluth Bulldogs Independent (1961–1965)
1961–62 Minnesota–Duluth 6–14–2
1962–63 Minnesota–Duluth 7–15–2
1963–64 Minnesota–Duluth 11–14–0
1964–65 Minnesota–Duluth 14–12–1
Minnesota–Duluth: 38–55–5
Minnesota–Duluth Bulldogs (WCHA) (1965–1968)
1965–66 Minnesota–Duluth 7–19–2 3–15–2 8th WCHA First Round
1966–67 Minnesota–Duluth 12–16–0 8–15–0 6th WCHA First Round
1967–68 Minnesota–Duluth 5–23–0 4–20–0 8th WCHA First Round
Minnesota–Duluth: 24–58–2 15–50–2
Total: 90–121–7

      National champion         Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

[4]

References

  1. ^ "UMD Athletic Hall of Fame: Ralph Romano". Minnesota–Duluth Bulldogs. Retrieved 2017-06-03.
  2. ^ "Ralph Romano Year-by-Year Coaching Record". USCHO.com. Retrieved 2017-06-03.
  3. ^ "UMD's 1983-84 men's hockey team lost title game but made a memorable run". Minnesota–Duluth Bulldogs. 2014-07-19. Retrieved 2017-06-03.
  4. ^ "2015-16 Minnesota–Duluth Bulldogs Hockey Media Guide". Minnesota–Duluth Bulldogs. Retrieved 2017-06-03.