Men’s Ice Hockey Coaching Changes Announced

SUNY Cortland’s men’s ice hockey head coach Joe Baldarotta has announced his retirement, according to Cortland director of athletics Mike Urtz. Cortland’s current associate director of athletics Tom Cranfield will coach the Red Dragons in 2013-14 while still assuming his administrative duties. Cranfield previously coached the team from 2001-07.

Baldarotta coached six seasons at Cortland from 2007-13 and led the Red Dragons to the 2008 SUNYAC playoffs. His overall coaching record of 310-266-49 includes a 265-171-38 mark at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point in 16 years from 1991-2007.

Cranfield led the Red Dragons to four consecutive State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) playoff berths from 2002-05. His 2001-02 squad finished 14-11-4 and advanced to the SUNYAC semifinals. Three of his players moved on to professional hockey.

Prior to Cortland, Cranfield served as head ice hockey coach and taught physical education at the highly regarded Northfield Mount Hermon Prep School in Massachusetts from 1995-2001. He was an assistant coach at Cortland for two seasons from 1993-95.

A standout defenseman at Cortland from 1989-93, Cranfield is the school’s career assist leader (73) and ranks 12th in overall scoring with 93 points. As a senior in 1992-93, he earned first team All-SUNYAC honors as the Red Dragons finished 19-9 that season and advanced to the finals of the conference postseason tournament. Cranfield was a team captain and earned the program’s Red Letter Award in both his junior and senior seniors.

Cranfield earned a bachelor’s degree in physical education in 1993 and a master’s degree in education from Cortland in 1995.