Men's Ice Hockey



Chris Davidson
Ice Hockey (M) - Interim Head Coach

Saint Michael's '99
first season
cdavidson@smcvt.edu
802.654.2551


Chris Davidson is in his seventh year as the assistant men's ice hockey coach for the Purple Knights. As a full-time assistant, he is responsible for coordinating the recruiting effort for the men's program, and assists Coach DiMasi with every aspect of coaching the team.

A four-year letterwinner with the Purple Knights, Davidson was voted captain of the 1998-99 squad that captured the NCAA Division II title, the only NCAA national championship ever won by a Saint Michael's program. SMC won the title in a best-of-three series over Southern New Hampshire University. Davidson was honored by being named to the NCAA All-Tournament team after recording a goal and an assist in the series. During his senior season he tallied nine goals and 14 assists for 23 points as one of the team's leading defenders.

Davidson received a bachelor's degree in English from Saint Michael's in 1999, and spent the following year as the assistant men's hockey coach at Manhattanville College before returning to his alma mater in the fall of 2000. While at Manhattanville, he began working on his master's degree in Education, which he will finish at Saint Michael's.

Prior to coming to Saint Michael's, he spent a post-graduate year at the Berkshire School before playing college hockey.

He has worked numerous youth hockey camps and clinics over the years and directs the SMC hockey camp in the summer.

Davidson also completed his second season as the Saint Michael's golf coach in 2005, guiding the Purple Knights to an seventh-place finish at the 2005 Northeast-10 Championships.

Davidson is a native of Clinton, N.Y.




Christian Soucy
Ice Hockey (M) - Assistant Coach

Vermont '93
fourth season


Christian Soucy, one of the top goaltenders in University of Vermont history, returns for his fourth season as an assistant coach in 2006-07.

Soucy completed a 10-year professional hockey career in 2002-03 with the Anchorage Aces of the West Coast Hockey League. Soucy played for 13 teams in eight leagues during his pro tenure, including an appearance with the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks during the 1993-94 season.

While with the University of Vermont from 1991-93, Soucy compiled a 27-24-6 record in two seasons. His .908 save percentage ranks second in Catamounts history, while his 2.99 goals-against average is third all-time at the school. In 1992, Soucy was named the ECAC Rookie of the Year, and also earned First-Team All-ECAC recognition in 1992 and Second-Team All-ECAC honors in 1993.




Bill Laidlaw
Hockey (M) - Strength & Conditioning Coach

Mercyhurst '90
fourth season


Bill Laidlaw enters his fourth season as the Purple Knights' strength and conditioning coach in 2006-07.

A native of Brockville, Ontario, Laidlaw has worked with athletes of all ages and sports in the past 11 years. Prior to joining Saint Michael's, Laidlaw served four years as the men's ice hockey strength and conditioning coach at Norwich University, and held the same position at the University of Vermont for two seasons.

A 1990 graduate of Mercyhurst College, Laidlaw is accomplished in crew, having competed on the varsity crew team at Mercyhurst, as well as the Canadian National Lightweight Rowing Team.

Laidlaw is a special educator at Williston Central School and co-owner of VASTA High Performance Sports Conditioning, LLC. He also is an NSCA-certified strength and conditioning specialist and a certified USA Weightlifting club coach.