Hamlin, Gravelle named full-time Lancer coaches
Two of the University of Windsor’s most successful part-time coaches have been elevated to full-time status with Wednesday’s hiring announcement of hockey’s Kevin Hamlin and volleyball’s James Gravelle.
Both appointments take effect at the end of July.
“We are delighted to be able to retain both as our full-time coaches,” said Mike Havey, director of athletics and recreational services. The announcement comes just a week after the university hired its first full-time coach of women’s hockey in Deanna Iwanicka.
“We are grateful to the senior administration of the university for providing the support to make this transition possible,” Havey said in an email.
Despite going up against a slate of full-time coaching opponents, Hamlin guided the Lancer men to appearances in two national championship tournaments and an OUA Queen’s Cup title.
Under his direction, the Lancers have qualified for the playoffs for the last nine years.
He has twice been named OUA coach of the year despite the fact he was the only part-time coach in Canadian university hockey. “It was a lot of late nights and early mornings,” Hamlin said. “The opportunity to solely focus on one passion is something I’m very much looking forward to.” Hamlin retired in June from a 28year career in teaching and administration with the Windsor-Essex Catholic District School Board. The men’s volleyball program has been riding an upward curve of success over the last five seasons with Gravelle at the helm. Last season, the Lancers qualified for the national championship tournament for the first time in program history and they also won the team’s first OUA medal with a victory over Ryerson University in the bronze-medal game.
“I’m hoping some of the juggling from a time-management perspective will get more manageable,” Gravelle said. “I think it will be a lot easier from a recruiting perspective as well as for game planning.” Gravelle had been shifting a career in the mortgage business around coaching and family commitments, including being a dad to three children under the age of six. Since taking over the program in 2013, Gravelle has placed an emphasis on fundamentals and player development.
Much of his strategic plan comes from the time he spent as a Team Canada assistant coach with the national B squad in 2015 and 2016, as head coach of the Canadian Universiade team in 2017 and as head coach of Ontario’s under-17 boys team in 2017.
Windsor point guard Miah-Marie Langlois was among 12 athletes selected by Canada Basketball to participate in a four-game Asia exhibition series next month. Langlois and the No. 5-ranked Team Canada will play 10th-ranked China and 13th-ranked Japan between Aug. 1-7. Training camp opens Thursday in Edmonton.