{ Scholarships

A Slap Shot
for Women’s Ice Hockey
An anonymous donor endows a
scholarship honoring a BU goaltending guru.

Pucks whiz by Allyse Wilcox’s head at ninety Geragosian, who calls the gift “more than
miles per hour daily during hockey season, and flattering,”has always worked with young people:
she wouldn’t have it any other way. “I’ve always at university rinks throughout New England, in
loved the position,” says Wilcox. “I saw it as more the classroom as a marketing teacher atWakefield
of a challenge and more pressure. I think I do High School, and at his many camps and clinics
better under pressure.” Wilcox (CGS’07, SHA’09) in Massachusetts. Now retired from teaching, he
is one of three Terrier goalies who play women’s spends the bulk of his time volunteer coaching
ice hockey, which became a varsity sport just two the Terriers. His unwavering philosophy has two
years ago. And, thanks to an anonymous donor, parts: a personalized approach and a positive
2 that means she is one of two candidates for the climate. Says Geragosian, who wasn’t told about
Mike Geragosian Scholarship.
The $500,000 endowed
scholarship commitment is both
a boost for the team and a tribute
to Geragosian, who has been a
volunteer assistant coach with
the men’s team for nine seasons.
“Mike is clearly one of the best in
the business,”says women’s head
coach Brian Durocher (SED’78).
“For an individual to recognize
this and endow a scholarship, it
just speaks volumes of what Brian Durocher (SED’78), women’s hockey coach; Mike Eruzione (SED’77), director of
Mike’s meant in his eyes.” special outreach; Coach Mike Geragosian; Jack Parker (SMG’68,Hon.’97), men’s hockey
coach; and Michael Lynch, assistant vice president and director of athletics, from left.

BOSTON UNIVERSITY | | FALL 2007

 unications
iversity AthleticComm
s:BostonUn
Photograph

From left:
Allyse Wilcox (CGS’07, SHA’09) makes a save at last
season’s game against the University of Connecticut.
Varsity player Melissa Haber (CGS’08) defends
the goal during last February’s Beanpot
game at Boston College.
The Women’s Ice Hockey team celebrates a
goal against Northeastern University.

the scholarship until it was finalized, “I was really
takenabackthatsomeonewouldhavenotonlythat
generosity, but also that value in the philosophy.”
After earning a spot in the University of
Massachusetts, Lowell, Hall of Fame and making
All–New England as a goalie, Geragosian became
one of the first specialized hockey coaches—even
the Bruins, he says, didn’t have a goalie coach
until the ’80s.
“We certainly owe a debt of gratitude to
Mike, because his good will and his work have
generated this generosity and put us in a nice
situation,” says Durocher, adding that endowed
scholarships relieve financial pressure on the
athletics department and free up funds for the
program’s other needs.
Women’s ice hockey was a club sport at BU from
1973 to 2005, when it was elevated to a varsity
sport. The switch meant full funding from BU, but,
as a new program, the team needs all the support
it can get.“There’s that great history of ice hockey
here at BU on the men’s side,” says Durocher, “and
our job is to try to parallel it, follow it, or even
better it if we can down the road.”
Michael Lynch, assistant vice president and
director of athletics, worked with the donor
to design the scholarship. “I think it will only help
us to develop a national-caliber program even
faster,” he said. “The donor feels [that Gerago-
sian] represents BU well and brings a great deal of
credibility and moral stature to our program.”
The team will face a more challenging schedule
this season, said Durocher, but he is confident
that with drive and increased support and recog- 3
nition, it will continue its success. “We’re going to
take on the challenge and show potential BU
student-athletes that we want to play with the best
teams,” said Durocher.
And Geragosian hopes the scholarship in his
honor initiates “a new wave of helping Boston
University fund its women’s athletic programs
with strong equality. An endowed scholarship
shows those players that, boy, you guys are
important.”
–Alyce Nicolo (COM’07)