Tolan takes game behind the bench

By Marvin Pave  |  November 23, 2008

Although his playing career was shortened by an injury during his senior year at the University of Massaschusetts at Lowell, Waltham native R.J. Tolan (above) has sustained his passion for hockey through his role as head coach at the Wentworth Institute of Technology.

Tolan, a four-year Catholic Conference All-Star in hockey and baseball at Matignon High in Cambridge, was hit in the throat by a shot during a game against Boston College early in the 2001-'02 season. He underwent a tracheotomy and was hospitalized.

"After two months of rehabbing, it was quite a struggle to get back into the lineup," said Tolan, who played defense for the River Hawks. "After graduation I got the opportunity to coach the middle school hockey team at the Dexter School in Brookline, and I realized then I enjoyed coaching and interacting with young people."

The following year, he was an assistant at Bentley College, then joined the Northeastern staff in the same capacity for one season. Because Wentworth plays out of Matthews Arena, Northeastern's home rink, Tolan was in the right place at the right time when a slot opened at the Division 3 school. He accepted an offer to become associate head coach for the 2005-'06 season, and moved up to the top spot the next year.

He got off to a fast start, sharing ECAC Northeast Coach of the Year honors for his first season in charge of the Leopards program.

Now in his third year as head coach, Tolan has learned to be flexible. His junior and senior players work co-op jobs as part of their education, so practice time is precious.

"Just being part of their lives in a positive way is my greatest satisfaction," said Tolan, who lives in Beverly. "You just want them to be better people when they leave here.

"I still get the same stomach ache before a game that I had as a player," added Tolan, who was coached as a youth hockey player in Waltham by his father, Robert. Tolan also stays in touch with former UMass-Lowell head coach Tim Whitehead (now head coach at Maine) who has been his mentor. "Tim's helped give me the opportunity to get where I am today. I call him frequently, with hockey questions and life questions."

Wentworth (4-1 overall, 3-0 in ECAC Northeast) hosts Franklin Pierce in an ECAC Northeast matchup this afternoon at Matthews Arena.

Brown University juniors Miriam Fuchs of Weston and Rhys Hackford of Newton, and sophomore Anne Hooper of Dover were among the members of the Providence school's NCAA Division 1 champion women's crew team honored at the White House on Nov. 12.

"It is something that they will remember for the rest of their lives," said Brown's head coach, John Murphy, whose team took part in Champions Day at the White House for the second consecutive year

The day began with a tour of the White House, followed by a private meeting with President Bush and then a public ceremony with the president on the South Lawn along with eight other NCAA Division I championship teams.

The Brown women's crew, the most successful unit in NCAA Division I women's rowing history, defended its NCAA championship title last spring at Lake Natoma in California.

Wheaton College juniors David Ferriero of Medway and Alessia Viscomi of Newton were selected to the first and second All-New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference soccer teams, respectively, for their outstanding seasons as defenders at the Norton school.

Offensively, Ferriero tied for ninth in the league with five assists while adding four goals. Of the nine goals in which Ferriero played a part, six either tied the game or provided the Lyons with a lead.

During Wheaton's victory over Clark University in the NEWMAC tournament semifinals, Viscomi netted the lone goal of the match with 1:02 remaining in regulation.

Regina Wilson of Shrewsbury is serving as a cocaptain for the University of Southern Maine women's ice hockey team for her senior season. "Reggie will be the focal point of our defense, giving us strength and speed along the blue line and leadership in the locker room," said head coach John Lauziere . . . Bentley University junior place-kicker Tyler McNamara of Medway was selected to the Northeast-10 Conference's second team. McNamara, a first-team league all-star last fall, led the team in scoring for the second straight year, finishing with 46 points. He was successful on eight of 13 field goal attempts, with a long of 37 yards, and converted 22 of 23 extra points. McNamara is the all-time leader in career field goals for both Bentley and the Northeast-10, with 28. . . . Brothers James and Ben Bayley of Watertown are members of the crew team at Harvard University. James, a senior, competes on the varsity eight, while Ben, a sophomore, rows on the lightweight boat, and both rowed for Harvard in this fall's Head of the Charles Regatta. They were multisport athletes at the Groton School

Marvin Pave can be reached at 508-820-4223 or marvin.pave@rcn.com.