Badgers name assistant coach, sign three, including Benilde's Besse

Wisconsin has hired Matt Walsh as an interim assistant coach, starting Friday.

He played for the Badgers from 1982-86. He was a freshman defenseman on UW's 1983 NCAA title team.

"I've gotten to know Matt a little bit through Wisconsin hockey," Badgers coach Mike Eaves said, according to a UW news release. "He's been very involved in high school hockey and has coached in Wisconsin. Being an alumni, he's got deep roots. He's very excited about coming to this program and helping us move forward."

Walsh has been Coach-in-Chief for USA Hockey's Central District since 1995, meaning he runs seminars for USA Hockey's Coaching Education Program over a six-state area.

"This [hire] has been a process," Eaves said. "It was not done overnight. We had a lot of phone calls. We had a lot of emails. We went through our entire list, scoping it down to a group and then talking in person, or via Skype or travelling somewhat and meeting with the people we thought would be serious candidates.

"I think we've moved diligently, but at a good pace to get this done because we can't have this hole exist too long. We need to get another coach in here so we don't fall behind in any of the areas we do as coaches."

Walsh is hired through the end of April, when the position will reopen for a national search to find a permanent assistant coach. He replaces Bill Butters, who resigned abruptly earlier this month.

Wisconsin has signed forward Grant Besse, of Plymouth, a forward for Benilde-St. Margaret's, and two other players, forward Corbin McGuire of Ridgefield, Conn., and defenseman Tim Davison of De Pere, Wis.

The 5-10, 175-pound Besse has 169 points (96 goals, 73 assists) in 75 prep games. He had 52 goals and 93 pooints as a junior in 31 games. He scored all five goals, three short-handed, in Benilde's 5-1 victory over Hill-Murray in the championship game of the Class 2A state tournament.

"He is very skilled, sees the ice well, can shoot, handles the puck and has great vision," Badgers coach Mike Eaves said of Besse. "He'll bring a lot of offensive tools to the shelf."

McGuire, 5-9, 175, plays for the Jersey Hitmen of the Eastern Junior Hockey League (EJHL). So far in the 2012-13 season, McGuire has two goals and eight points in nine games.

Davison, 5-10, 169, plays for the Chicago Steel of the USHL. Through 10 games, Davison has two goals and three points.

Comcast will air 11 St. Cloud State hockey games in the Twin Cities later this season. They will be Cable channels 13 (St. Paul area) and 23 (Minneapolis area).

The schedule:

Dec. 14 - vs. Colorado College - 7 p.m.
Dec. 15 - vs. Colorado College, 6:30 p.m.
Dec. 27 - vs. RPI, 6:30 p.m.
Dec. 28 - vs. RPI, 6:30 p.m.
Jan. 4 - vs. Northern Michigan, 7 p.m.
Jan. 18 - vs. Denver, 7 p.m.
Jan. 19 - vs. Denver, 6:30 p.m.
Feb. 8 - vs. Minnesota, 7 p.m.
Feb. 9 - vs. Minnesota, 6:30 p.m.
Mar. 1 - vs. Michigan Tech, 7 p.m.
Mar. 2 - vs. Michigan Tech, 6:30 p.m.

SHORT SHOTS

* UMD center Tony Cameranesi, who like teammate Mike Seidel will bring a five-game scoring streak into this weekend's series with St. Cloud State, currently is tied for third in points among all NCAA rookies (4-6-10). The Toronto Maple Leafs draftee has taken the second most shots (3.70) of any WCHA newcomer. North Dakota's Rocco Grimaldi is averaging the most, 3.80, among conference freshmen.