Val Belmonte

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Val Belmonte is a former University of Illinois Chicago (U.I.C.) hockey star, who also had an 18 year college coaching career. His longest coaching stint was from 1982-1990 as the Head Coach of the U.I.C. Flames, during which he won the 1987 CCHA Coach of the Year Award. Belmonte has written several books on the sport of hockey, including several manuals published by USA Hockey which serves as the National Governing body for the sport in the United States.

Belmonte coached several players who played in the NHL, including Shawn Cronin, Ray Stazek, and long time minor league star Colin Chin. Belmonte also coached Jeff Nelson, who went on to represent the United States in the World Cup of Inline hockey. Belmonte also, as an assistant at Harvard University, coached Hobey Baker Award winners Mark and Scott Fusco.

From 1999-2004, Belmonte took over as Athletic Director of Union College. In his tenure, Union rebuilt many of their athletic facilities including a state of the art football field and field house.

During his years at Union College, Belmonte served on the executive comm. for the ECAC, and was involving in the breaking away of the ECAC to form a subsidarary the ECACHL.

[edit] Trivia

• Belmonte had an eye reattachment surgery after he was checked into the boards of a new rink, that had a nail sticking out of the boards.

• Athletic Director at Union College from 1999-2004

• Executive Director of the United States Figure Skating Association 2005

• Head Ice Hockey Coach of Oak Park River Forest High School 1974-75 (1975 Amateur Hockey Association of Illinois State Varsity Champion (now known as "Blackhawk Cup"))

• 2006-Present Vice President of Athletic Marketing and External Affairs Quinnipiac University

• A 1969 High School graduate of the now defunct Holy Cross High School in River Grove, Illinois

• Belmonte was inducted into the Illinois Hockey Hall of Fame in 2007