GRAND FORKS -- It didn't take Cary Eades long to get picked up by another team.
About a week after University of North Dakota announced it wasn't going to renew Eades' contract for next season, UND's former associate head coach accepted a job as head coach of the Sioux Falls Stampede in the United States Hockey League.
Terms of his contract were not released by the team.
"I'm extremely excited and honored," Eades said. "During our discussions in the past couple of days, the new ownership group has shown a tremendous commitment to reestablishing Sioux Falls as a major player in the extremely talented and competitive environment of the USHL.
"I am thrilled in the confidence they have displayed in me and I'm anxious to get started."
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Eades will be taking over a Sioux Falls team that finished with the worst record in the USHL last season.
He turned around the Dubuque Fighting Saints in his only other USHL stint. In 1991, Eades took over a Dubuque team that had finished below .500 four years in a row. Eades led them to marks of 27-19-2 and 30-11-5 in his two years there. He was named USHL general manager of the year once.
Eades then left to coach Warroad (Minn.) High School in 1993 before returning to UND in the fall of 2004.
"Our ownership group and front office are extremely excited about Cary," said Tom Garrity, the new president and CEO of the Stampede. "Cary brings a successful track record of winning and a wealth of experience in developing young players into future college and NHL stars. Cary immediately jumped to the top of our wish list with his passion for developing players, commitment to winning and being an important part of the Sioux Falls community."
Eades was let go by UND, which said it was restructuring duties of the coaching staff. The Sioux are looking for a defenseman to be the team's defensive coach.
The assistant coaching position was posted on Tuesday and will be open through May 30. No replacement for Eades has been named yet.
Schlossman is a sports reporter for the Grand Forks Herald, which is owned by Forum Communications Co.
