University of Minnesota Duluth bench boss Scott Sandelin, whose Bulldogs are just two wins away from claiming the school's first national championship, is one of eight finalists for the 2010-11 Spencer Penrose Award as the NCAA Division I Men's Coach of the Year.

Joining Sandelin, the recipient of Spencer Penrose Award in 2003-04, are Red Berenson (University of Michigan), Dean Blais (University of Nebraska-Omaha), Dave Hakstol (University of North Dakota), Jeff Jackson (University of Notre Dame), Nate Leaman (Union College), Paul Pearl (College of the Holy Cross), and Jerry York (Boston College). The 2010-11 winner will be announced next week following the NCAA Frozen Four.

This winter, Sandelin has directed UMD to a 24-10-6 record (for a .675 winning percentage -- his best mark in 11 seasons with the Bulldogs), a NCAA East Regional title, and a berth in the NCAA Frozen Four. His Bulldogs also turned in their third straight 20-plus win season -- something which hasn't happened since the mid-1980s -- and, for the first time since joining the NCAA I ranks in 1961-62, went an entire season without ever losing back-to-back games.

UMD will face Notre Dame next Thursday afternoon (April 7) in the NCAA Frozen Four semifinals at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.