>The rumor mill has been churning for days on this one, but it’s finally official: Mike Kemp, the only coach in the history of the University of Nebraska-Omaha program, has stepped down and will become the school’s Associate Athletic Director, overseeing the hockey program, as well as the golf, soccer, cross country, and track and field programs.

The interesting part of this story is some of the always-rumored names that go along with a head coaching vacancy. The Omaha World-Herald reports…

Other names generating a buzz in coaching circles are former Lancers coach Mike Guentzel, an assistant at Colorado College who was a finalist at UNO when Kemp was hired; former North Dakota coach Dean Blais, who won two national championships with the Fighting Sioux and is now coaching Fargo of the USHL; New Hampshire assistant David Lassonde; and Miami (Ohio) assistant Chris Bergeron, who helped put together a Frozen Four team.

Frankly, I’m surprised that Berg’s name hasn’t been mentioned yet. You’ll also notice former Miami assistant Dave Lassonde.

Your thoughts? Would Bergeron, a Miami grad, coach at UNO?

Another thought in all of this, is where it leaves UNO in terms of league membership? We know that Bemidji State won’t be admitted into the WCHA unless it can find another team, meaning the league would expand to twelves teams. Geographically, this makes sense, as many teams in the “W” are within busing distance from Omaha. Kemp though, has gone on the record saying that he isn’t in favor of the school’s move to the WCHA. Does this change things? Discuss.