FAIRBANKS, Alaska – On Wednesday, Alaska Nanooks Director of Athletics Dr. Gary Gray has named Lance West the head coach for the men's ice hockey program. West has served as the Nanooks' assistant coach for the past nine seasons.

The Penticton, British Columbia native becomes the program's ninth head coach and will replace Dallas Ferguson.

"I am very pleased Lance West has accepted our offer to become the next head coach of the Alaska Nanooks hockey team," Gray said on Wednesday. "I am equally confident his many years of experience as one of our assistant coaches, along with his outstanding recruiting skills over those past several years, will serve us well as he takes on his new leadership responsibilities. Lance will work hard to advance Nanook hockey within the WCHA."

"I am humbled and honored to be named the hockey head coach for the University of Alaska Fairbanks," West said. "I want to thank Dr. Gray and rest of the athletic administration for this opportunity and want to extend a special thank you to Dallas Ferguson for everything he has done for my family and I over the last nine years. Dallas has been nothing but a great role model, mentor and friend."

"Over the past nine seasons, I have seen the passion and love the alumni, boosters, fans and the community of Fairbanks has for the Nanook hockey program," West continued. "I look forward to trying to challenge myself to exceed expectations and know we have the foundation in place to be successful."

A four-year letter winner as a forward at the University of Alabama-Huntsville, West was hired in Ferguson's inaugural year as head coach prior to the 2008-09 season. West also served as a volunteer assistant coach and video coordinator for the Nanooks throughout the 2007-08 season, while also working full-time at the University of Alaska Fairbanks' Student Recreation Center as the Facility Manager. As Alaska's assistant coach, West was primarily responsible for Alaska's forwards, the penalty kill and served as the team's recruiting coordinator.

West has been with the Nanooks throughout the entirety of the Ferguson era, which included six seasons with winning records and seeing the program make its first-ever trip to the NCAA Division I Ice Hockey Tournament in the 2009-10 postseason. Under West and Ferguson's tutelage, the Nooks have also claimed six Alaska Airlines Governor's Cup titles and nine non-conference tournament championships.

Prior to moving to Fairbanks, West served as an assistant coach to his alma mater for seven seasons (2000-07), helping the Chargers to win two College Hockey America regular season championships, four conference tournament appearances and one NCAA tournament appearance in his final season (2006-07). West had previously served as the volunteer assistant coach for UAH from 1995-98, helping the Chargers capture two NCAA Division II National Championships in 1996 and 1998.

As a player, West was considered an offensive-minded centerman who amassed 43 goals and 65 assists for 108 points in 106 career games. As a senior, West was named the team captain and received the UAH hockey team's Coaches Award.

West graduated the University of Alabama-Huntsville with a Bachelor of Science degree in biology with a minor in Chemistry and also earned a Class B Teaching Certification from UAH.

The Nanooks went 12-20-4 overall last season with an 11-13-4 mark in Western Collegiate Hockey Association play, earning a trip to the WCHA playoffs as the league's sixth seed before falling to Minnesota State in the quarterfinals.

For more information on the Alaska Nanooks hockey team, follow @NanooksHockey on Twitter or like the Alaska Nanooks Hockey team page on Facebook.