David Quinn, the head coach of the U.S. National Under-17 Team for the past two years, will be returning to his alma mater July 1 as the associate head coach of the Boston University men's hockey team.

The announcement was made today (June 14) by Terrier executive director of athletics and men's hockey coach Jack Parker.

Quinn, who will take over from Brian Durocher who was named the Terriers' first women's varsity hockey coach on June 3rd, was an All-Hockey East and All- New England defenseman for the Terriers. In addition, his senior year of 1987-88, he co-captained the team along with Tom Ryan.

A 1989 graduate of Boston University with a degree in sociology, Quinn has already established himself as one of top young coaches in the country. In the past two years, he has guided the Under-17 Team to a 35-26-8 record. Playing against older opponents, the team qualified for the North American Hockey League playoffs for only the third time in program history, finishing with a record above .500 for the first time ever. He guided the team, seeded fourth of four teams, to a first-round victory over the Soo Indians, before falling to the second-seeded Springfield Jr. Blues in the NAHL North Division Championship series. The Under-17 Team owned a 10-3 record in international play, including a first-place finish at the Four Nations Cup in Magnitogorsk, Russia and at the Four Nations Vlado Druzilla Under-18 Event, which was held in Piestany, Slovakia, where they played up an age group. The team also finished fourth at the 2004 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, held in St. John's Newfoundland.

On March 9, USA Hockey Named Quinn as the 2003 USA Hockey Developmental Coach of the Year, and as a result was also nominated for the 2003 United States Olympic Committee Developmental Coach of the Year.

In 2002-2003, Quinn guided the U.S. National Under-17 Team to a 6-4-1 record in international competition, including a second-place finish at the Four Nations Cup in Switzerland, and a first-place victory at the Compuware Four Nations Tournament in Ann Arbor, Mich., finishing the tournament with a 3-0-1 record. He also served as an assistant coach for the U.S. National Under-18 Team, which advanced to the International Ice Hockey Federation Under-18 World Championship in April 2003, finishing fourth.

Quinn's coaching career, which began at Northeastern University as the top assistant, began prematurely, as it was thought Quinn would enjoy an excellent playing career both on the international and professional levels. A member of the U.S. National Junior Team that captured the bronze medal at the 1986 IIHF World Junior Championship, it was thought that Quinn would be a strong candidate for the 1988 and 1992 U.S. Olympic Men's Ice Hockey Teams.

In addition, he was the 13th player selected in the 1984 NHL draft when the Minnesota North Stars made him their first-round selection.

However, his hopes for an Olympic Team berth and a career in the NHL came to an end prior to his senior year at B.U. when he was diagnosed with a blood disorder named Christmas Disease that ended his hockey-playing career. He did try to play two seasons of minor professional hockey, but when that ended, he began his coaching career at Northeastern University where he was responsible for recruiting, off-ice conditioning, scouting, video coordination, and game-night coach.

Then, in July 1996, he was named the top assistant coach and head recruiter for the University of Nebraska-Omaha. There, he helped establish the school's first Division 1 men's ice hockey program, which began playing during the 1997-98 season.

A native of Cranston, RI, Quinn then joined the National Team Development Program (NTDP) in Ann Arbor, Mich. Having recently completed its seventh season of operation, the NTDP is designed to prepare student-athletes under the age of 18 for participation on U.S. National Teams and to develop their future hockey careers. Its efforts focus on high-caliber participation on the ice and creating well-rounded individuals off the ice.

In addition to coaching the Under-17 Team, Quinn also assisted with player recruiting and coaching education programs within USA Hockey's grassroots membership.

Quinn has been involved with the USA Hockey coaching ranks since 1995, when he served as a member of the coaching staff for the 1996 U.S. Women's Select Camp. He was also assistant coach at the 1999 and 2000 International Ice Hockey Federation Women's World Championships, as Team USA earned silver both times. Quinn also served as an on-ice assistant at the 2001 U.S. Women's Olympic Trials and as a boys' coach at the 1995 and 1996 USA Hockey Select Festivals.