Entering his fifth season as an assistant coach at Miami University, Jeff Blashill is one of the key ingredients that has helped send the Red and White to the NCAA Tournament in two of the last three seasons. Serving as Miami's recruiting coordinator, the native of Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., is responsible for the development of Miami's defensive game plan and works extensively with the team's goaltenders and special-teams units.

Known throughout college hockey circles as a tireless recruiter, Blashill's expertise is not limited to the road. In 2005-06 his defensive unit posted the second-best goals-against average in the nation, (2.03), a mark that was tops in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association. Additionally, Miami's penalty-killing unit, for which Blashill is responsible, was nearly impenetrable last year, successfully killing 87.3 percent of the opposition's power-play chances and ranking fourth nationally.

In 2005-06 Miami employed a platoon system between the pipes, with both goaltenders ranking in the top 10 nationally in both save percentage and GAA. Charlie Effinger, a second-team all-CCHA selection, led the league in both save percentage (.931) and GAA (1.83), while ranking second nationally in both categories. Jeff Zatkoff ranked fourth nationally in GAA (2.02) and was sixth in save percentage (.928), while being a finalist for the CCHA's Rookie of the Year Award.

Two of Blashill's defensemen also enjoyed banner years last season, with Andy Greene and Mitch Ganzak both earning all-conference accolades. Greene was a first-team selection and became the first player in league history to earn both the leagues Best Offensive and Defensive Defenseman Awards in the same season, while Ganzak earned second-team accolades and ranked eighth nationally in scoring by defensemen.

Prior to Miami, Blashill spent four seasons as an assistant at his alma mater and CCHA foe Ferris State where he was involved with the recruiting process and served as the program's goaltenders coach. In his first year with FSU, Blashill's goalies posted the lowest single-season goals-against average (2.28) and allowed the fewest goals in a season (83) in program history. In three of his four seasons in Big Rapids, Ferris State's netminders posted four shutouts, tying the program's single-season mark for shutouts in a season.

During his playing career at Ferris State, Blashill was a three-time recipient of the program's Scholar-Athlete award and was selected as the Bulldogs' 1994-95 Rookie of the Year. Blashill was named to the CCHA All-Academic Team in1996-97. He earned a bachelor's degree in finance in 1998 and was honored three straight years with the FSU President's Award for having the team's highest grade-point average.

Blashill and his wife, Erica, have a six-month-old son, Teddy, and reside in Oxford.