Tim Army '85	Jim McGirr

Two varsity athletics teams at the College welcomed new head coaches this summer. Tim Army ’85 returns to his alma mater to lead the men’s hockey team, while Jim McGirr is the new women’s soccer coach. 

Army, who was an All-American player and later an assistant coach at PC from 1987-93, served as the head coach of the Portland (Maine) Pirates of the American Hockey League for the last three years. Introduced at a press conference at PC on June 17, he succeeds Paul Pooley, who was named associate head coach at the University of Notre Dame. Pooley led the Friars for 11 years.

“Tim brings extensive knowledge and strong teaching skills to the position,” said Robert G. Driscoll, Jr., associate vice president for athletics and athletic director.

A native of East Providence, R.I., Army is a member of the PC Athletic Hall of Fame. He ranks first all-time at PC in games played [151] and sixth in points [179]. Prior to coaching in the AHL, Army was an NHL assistant coach from 1993-2002 under close friend Ron Wilson ’77 with the Anaheim Mighty Ducks and the Washington Capitals. He is married to the former Sue Montambo ’85, who ran cross-country and track at PC. They have two sons, Derek, 14, and Travis, 12.

Army’s assistant coaches will be David Berard ’92, a PC coaching staff veteran of nine years, and Stan Moore, who was a Friar assistant coach from 1988-92.

McGirr, meanwhile, spent the last two seasons as a women’s soccer assistant coach at Villanova, where he helped the Wildcats advance to the NCAA Tournament and earn national rankings both seasons. Before that, he was an assistant coach at Loyola College, a volunteer coach at Rutgers, and an assistant men’s coach at Lafayette College.

McGirr also coached the boys’ team at Bergen Catholic High School in Oradell, N.J., from 1995-99 and has extensive experience coaching at the club level. A 1992 graduate of Rider University, he played varsity soccer for three seasons.

“Jim McGirr is the ideal coach to rebuild our program in the highly competitive BIG EAST,” Driscoll said.

McGirr replaces Tracy Kerr, who resigned in June to spend more time with her family. Kerr served six seasons as head coach.