Monday, June 13, 2011
The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com
Wiseman returns to Michigan as assistant coach

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Two decades later,
program's all-time
great scorer is back
By STEPHEN J. NESBITT
Daily Sports Editor
Nearly 20 years ago, Brian
Wiseman headlined the Michigan
hockey team led by the watchful
eyes of head coach Red Berenson
and his untested battery of assis-
tants, Mel Pearson and Billy Pow-
ers.
When Wiseman came to Ann
Arbor, Michigan's hockey pro-
gram was just starting to find its
feet. And his freshman campaign
began an unprecedented streak -
the Wolverines have not missed
a single NCAA Tournament bid
since 1991.
And the unproven cast of
coaches became perhaps the most
renowned trio in college hockey.
Now, Wiseman is one of them.
After Pearson left Ann Arbor in
May to become the head coach of
his alma mater Michigan Tech,
Berenson began a coaching search
that ended with the hiring of
Wiseman this past Thursday.
Wiseman was a four-year let-
terwinner, captain, All-American
and Hobey Baker finalist under
Berenson at Michigan during his
career from 1991-94. The Wolver-

ines reached the Frozen Four in
1992 and 1993.
"When this opportunity came
up, he was the first name that
came to my mind," Berenson told
the Athletic Department. "Now,
we ended up with some great can-
didates, but Wiseman was our
choice.
"He was one of the first play-
ers we had play at Michigan that
wanted to come back before he
left. He just loved it here."
Wiseman tallied 248 points as
a Wolverine - good for third all-
time for the program - and his
164 assists rank him second in
Michigan history.
And he always wanted to return
to Ann Arbor.
After a significant minor-
league career and a three-game
stint with the Toronto Maple
Leafs, Wiseman reconnected with
the Michigan hockey program as
an administrative assistant from
2000-02.
"I have a strong passion for
Michigan and the Michigan hock-
ey program, so when I went there
as a student-athlete, it was always
a place - even at that time - that
I wanted to get back to in some
capacity," Wiseman said Thurs-
day. "It started then. Once the
position opened up a few weeks
ago ... I let (Berenson and Powers)
know that I was definitely inter-
ested."

Wiseman stepped behind the
bench to serve as an assistant
coach for Princeton during the
2003-04 season. He took a five-
year hiatus from hockey, working
as an account manager for M-I
SWACO, a Houston-based oil and
gas supplier.
But Wiseman had his eye on
returning to the college game -
and Michigan - all along.
He returned to guide the Hous-
ton Aeros, an American Hockey
League team he played with in
the minors, as an assistant coach,
leading the Aeros to the Calder
Cup finals this season.
The Aeros dropped a 2-1 series
lead and were finished off by the
Binghamton Senators on Monday.
Wiseman called his final game in
Houston "bittersweet."
"I felt bad for the staff here and
especially the players for all the
hard work they put in this year,"
Wiseman said. "But at the same
time, I'm thrilled and excited to
get to Ann Arbor and get to work
recruiting - getting out and find-
ing the next wave of players to
come through Ann Arbor.
"I can't wait."
Pearson - essentially a flight-
less bird due to a phobia of flying -
was a key and successful recruiter
in Michigan and Ontario, and
Wiseman will be expected to
maintain Michigan's long-stand-
ing reputation of bringing in top

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FILE PHOTO/Daily
Assistant coach Brian Wiseman was selected to fill a void behind the Michigan bench.
Canadian talent. Four members of have been the only way it could
Michigan's 2011 recruiting class have ended better, but the Wolver-
are Canadian-born players. ines lost, 3-2, in overtime against
But for Wiseman, it's a chal- Minnesota-Duluth in the NCAA
lenge he's willing to accept. title game on Apr. 9.
"This is a step," Wiseman said. But as one era ends and Pear-
"Michigan's been a special place son returns to Houghton, Mich. to
for me, so this is a step and an revive his alma mater - the worst
opportunity for me to learn more team in Division-I hockey last sea-
about college hockey and coaching son, with a 4-30-4 record - the
from Red and Billy and to be in a next chapter at Michigan looks
place that I truly believe in." just as bright.
Michigan's trio of coaches' 19 "This'll be Wiseman's time to
years together at the helm saw the move in, and I think he'll make
team rise from the ashes to two- us better coaches, he'll make our
time NCAA national champions in team better, and he'll make the
1996 and 1998. A third title would program better," Berenson said.

I

4

Stonum given two-years' probation for second.DUI

Senior receiver also
charged with driving
with suspended license
By STEPHEN J. NESBITT
Daily Sports Editor
In his Friday morning sentenc-
ing at the 15th District Court in
Ann Arbor, wide receiver Dar-
ryl Stonum was sentenced to two
years' probation for a second
offense of operating a vehicle
while intoxicated.
Stonum, a senior on the Michi-
gan football team, was initially
arrested just after 2 a.m. on May 6
by University of Michigan police
after being pulled over near the
intersection of State Street and
William Street.

Two breath tests at the police
station showed Stonum's blood-
alcohol level at .11 and .13 - both
well above the .08 legal limit in
Michigan. ,
At the time, Michigan coach
Brady Hoke decided to spend Sto-
num indefinitely from the team.
Hoke has set no timeline for Sto-
num's return.
The Stafford, Texas native
pleaded guilty to the charge of
drunken driving last week and
will face a 365-day suspended jail
sentence following the two years'
probation.
Suspended sentences are often
dropped if the defendant does not
violate his probation.
Stonum will remain in Judge
Julie Creal's sobriety court pro-
gram for his two years of proba-
tion.

Creal, who made the ruling on you, and you have extraordinary
Friday, had some choice words for resources available to you other
the suspended Michigan receiver. places. I want you to take advan-
"This is a great opportunity tage of all of those."
for you to grow up and recognize Stonum did not comment dur-
your responsibilities to society," ing the sentencing.
The, embattled wide receiver
faces a review on June 24, but also
"This is a great has an arraignment on June23 for
an onalincident in which
opportunity Stonum was found Thursday to
be driving under a, suspended
for y u to license.
According to reports, Stonum's
grow up." attorney, Douglas Lewis said the
defendant was moving his car to
avoid a parking ticket.
The secondary incident is inde-
Creal said. pendent of Friday's sentence, but
"We've had this conversation Creal said Stonum's license could
before, and I'm sure we'll have it be suspended in one-year seg-
again. You've been in here to see ments by the state of Michigan if
the resources that are available to he's convicted.

In addition to two years of pro-
bation and a one-year suspended
sentence, Stonum must pay $1,130
fines and costs, $720 in probation
oversight fees and a $100 Ann
Arbor Police recovery fee for his
recent legal trouble in Ann Arbor.
Stonum must attend a MADD
victims panel, attend a substance-
abuse assessment this week, take
daily breathalyzer tests and have
drug screens.
Creal also suggested that Sto-
num begin looking for a job to
cover the expenses of his sen-
tence.
Stonum was also arrested in
September 2008 for driving while
visibly impaired, and he spent
three nights in jail during July
2010 because of multiple viola-
tions the terms of his two-year
probation sentence.

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