Shawn Walsh, who led the University of Maine, Orono, to two Division I Men's Ice Hockey Championships in 17 years, died September 24 in Bangor, Maine, after a 15-month battle with a rare form of cancer. He was 46.

In May, Walsh underwent the transplant with cells donated by his younger brother, Kevin. That was followed by a four-month stretch of taking immunosuppressive drugs designed to allow the stem cells to attack the cancerous cells. However, it also shut down the immune system, making him susceptible to infection.

Walsh posted a career record of 399-215-44 in 17 seasons behind the Maine bench. He took over the program in its first year of Hockey East play in 1984-85 and quickly built it into a winner, eventually going 42-1-2 in 1992-93, when the Black Bears won their first national championship.

Walsh led Maine to seven Frozen Four appearances, coached two Hobey Baker award recipients (Scott Pellerin in 1992 and Paul Kariya in 1993) and 26 other all-Americans. He ranked 11th in career victories among active coaches (19th on the all-time list).

Tim Whitehead, who recently had been hired as an assistant, was named interim head coach when Walsh checked into the hospital. The first on-ice practice of the new season for the Black Bears had been scheduled for the day after Walsh died.

"Shawn was one of the most skillful coaches I have ever known," said Maine Athletics Director Suzanne Tyler. "His ability to get the most out of his student-athletes is unsurpassed. Perhaps more remarkable was how positively he approached everything in his life, including his illness. Despite his great odds, his pain and the distress his treatments caused, he maintained a sense of humor and an amazing drive to regain his health.

"To say he will be missed is an understatement. To say that he will be replaced is not accurate. His commitment and loyalty to Maine was impressive. His loss leaves a tremendous void in Maine athletics."

Walsh, a one-time president of the American Hockey Coaches Association, graduated from Bowling Green State University in 1978, and coached the junior varsity team during his senior year under the tutelage of head coach Ron Mason. When Mason went to Michigan State University two years later, Walsh went with him, and stayed as Mason's assistant until leaving for Maine.

This past season, Maine went 20-12-7, losing to Boston College, the eventual national champion, in the NCAA East Regional.