BRUNSWICK, Maine - Jeff Pellegrini, assistant coach of the Bowdoin College men's ice hockey team has joined long-time friend Peter Ward and the Beantown Bullies for the spring/summer. Pellegrini and Ward go back 14 years as they played high school hockey against one another then two years of Junior hockey together. Pellegrini, a former assistant at UMass Boston, assumes the duties formerly held by Bill Riley, who accepted a head coaching position at the Groton School.

Pellegrini brings a wealth of hockey knowledge and recruiting experience to the Polar Bears. His first collegiate coaching experience was as an assistant coach at Nichols College, where the hockey program had not experienced a winning season in nearly thirty years. Pellegrini recruited two freshman who were nationally ranked in scoring for the Bison, as well as the conference rookie of the year and three All-League rookies. He helped lay the foundation for the Bison team that captured the 2009 ECAC Northeast Championship.

After leaving Nichols, Pellegrini became the assistant ice hockey coach at UMass Boston in 2006 and has been instrumental in the Beacons success over the last few seasons. He served as the team's primary recruiting and video coordinator and helped lead the team to their best season since 1981. In 2008-09, UMass Boston reached the championship game of the ECAC East Men's Ice Hockey Tournament for the first time in school history. Eight of Pellegrini's recruited players have gone to play in the professional ranks. He also coaches and evaluates players for USA Hockey New England District Select festivals.

Prior to his arrival at Nichols College, Pellegrini was the head coach of the Boston Junior Blackhawks where he was selected the 2004 Coach of the Year and was selected to coach the IJHL All-Star Team. In addition to his success coaching the Blackhawks, Pellegrini also had a successful career as a player. He finished as the program's all-time leading scorer and was a three time most valuable player and three time defenseman of the year.