St. Thomas Athletics Director Michael Eagles announces retirement

Before joining the St. Thomas University athletics department, Eagles had an outstanding hockey career. He won two Ontario Hockey League championships and the Memorial Cup with the Kitchener Rangers. As a member of Team Canada in 1983, he won a bronze medal at the World Junior Championships.

 

He was drafted by the Quebec Nordiques in 1981, and during his 17-year professional career, he played for the Nordiques, Chicago Blackhawks, Winnipeg Jets, and the Washington Capitals before retiring in 2000.  

 

Eagles was named Athletics Director in 2008 after coaching the men’s hockey Tommies for six seasons, and he continued coaching the men’s team until 2011. He was named the Atlantic University Sport and Canadian Interuniversity Sport (now U SPORTS) Men’s Hockey Coach of the Year in 2002-03. He is a member of the New Brunswick Sports Hall of Fame, Fredericton Sports Wall of Fame, and Sussex Sports Hall of Fame.

 

Over his 21 years at St. Thomas, his dedication and leadership in varsity athletics earned the respect of his coaches, student-athletes and peers at STU, as well as his colleagues in the region.

 

He was always deeply invested in the success of student-athletes in competition and the classroom, and their positive experience was always his priority.

 

During his tenure, St. Thomas hosted numerous Atlantic Collegiate Athletics Association regional championships, Canadian Collegiate Athletics Association national championships, and U SPORTS national championships—most notably, women’s hockey in 2014.  

At the AUS level, Eagles has served as the women's hockey chair—overseeing rules and regulations for that sport. At the ACAA level, he recently ended a tenure as president, and has also served as the women's rugby sport chair and the student-athlete financial awards resource person.

"Student-athletes from St. Thomas and across our wider AUS conference have benefitted greatly from Mike's dedication throughout the years," said AUS president and CEO Phil Currie. "His expertise and his passion will be greatly missed around our table. We wish him all the best and congratulate him on his retirement."

 

“In my time around the AUS and ACAA tables as a fellow athletic director, and now in my role with U SPORTS, I’ve had the privilege of witnessing Mike’s dedication to student-athletes and his passion for sport first hand,” said U SPORTS CEO Pierre Arsenault. “During his time with St. Thomas, Mike has gone over and above to champion university sport. His absence will be felt not only at St. Thomas, but by the ACAA, AUS and U SPORTS. I’d like to sincerely congratulate Mike on his retirement. I know that both student-athletes and we as sport administrators will continue to benefit from his many contributions.”