ORONO, Maine – The University of Maine men's ice hockey program has added Rick Bennett to the staff as an assistant coach ahead of the 2025-26 season.
 
Bennett, who brings over 20 years of collegiate coaching experience to the Black Bears, spent the 2024-25 season as an assistant coach at Quinnipiac and parts of the previous two seasons as head coach of the ECHL's Savannah Ghost Pirates. He served as the head coach at Union College from 2011-22, where he won a National Championship in 2014 and was named the Spencer Penrose Award winner as the NCAA Division I coach of the year in 2014.

"Rick is one of the most genuine people I've ever met," said head coach Ben Barr. "Maine Hockey is fortunate to have him on staff."
 
As a head coach at Union, Bennett guided the program to three ECAC Hockey regular season titles and three tournament titles while earning four NCAA Tournament appearances and advancing to two Frozen Fours. Prior to serving as head coach, Bennett spent six seasons (2005-11) as an assistant coach at Union. Additionally, he served five seasons (2000-05) as an assistant coach at his alma mater, Providence College.
 
Bennett played collegiately at Providence College, skating for the Friars from 1986-90 and serving as a co-captain. He was a Hobey Baker finalist as a senior and was named an All-American for the 1988-89 season while totaling 134 points in 128 career games. Bennett, a third-round draft pick of the Minnesota North Stars in the 1986 NHL Entry Draft, went on to play professionally for 10 seasons across the NHL, AHL, IHL and ECHL.
 
The Springfield, Mass. native earned his bachelor's degree in General Studies from Providence College in 1990.