Doneghey returned to the college game in 1995 , becoming an assistant for Division III Hamilton College for one year before jumping up to Division I , taking the same job with New Hampshire . In the fall of 1997 , with Fairfield ready to begin D-I play the next year , Doneghey accepted the offer to become the team 's new head coach . Although Fairfield was still a Division III program at the time they started offering athletic scholarships for the 1997 – 98 season ( a violation of D-III regulations ) and were ruled ineligible for postseason play . The 1998 – 99 campaign was the first at the D-I level for not only Fairfield , but the entire MAAC ice hockey conference . Even among a group of newcomers the Stags were woefully unprepared for the level of play , winning only 1 contest all season and being outscored 64 to 227 thorough it all . Despite one of the worst records in NCAA history Fairfield made the conference tournament ( all 8 teams qualified ) but lost their opening round match to Quinnipiac 13-2 . Once the disastrous season ended it came as little surprise when Doneghey was replaced
conference tournament
1999 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Men's Ice Hockey Tournament
Mike Doneghey