DURHAM — The last time Mike Souza was in the Whittemore Center for a game he was behind the visitors’ bench. The next time he’ll be on the home side.

And if everything goes as planned, the former Wildcat star will be the next head coach of the University of New Hampshire hockey team.

Souza’s hiring as an associate head coach at his alma mater and current head coach Dick Umile’s three-year contract extension that will take him up to retirement set the stage for what the program anticipates will be a smooth transition at the top.

It also creates a unique hat trick in which all three UNH coaches are former Wildcat players. Associate head coach Glenn Stewart joined the team last season.

“I never really set my sights on coming back to UNH to coach,” Souza said. “I just tried to do the best job I could wherever I was. I don’t think you plan things out or forecast them. That never seems to work out. You just do the best you can, and hopefully an opportunity will open up for you.”

That opportunity came when former Wildcat associate head coach Scott Borek left UNH to take a similar position at Providence.

Souza spent the last two years as an assistant coach at Connecticut under head coach Mike Cavanaugh, and played an integral role as the Huskies transitioned to Hockey East last season.

“(Souza) will have an opportunity to succeed me and take over the program,” Umile said. “That will be the transition going forward. (Athletic director) Marty (Scarano) makes the decisions. Mike knew that by coming back with us he’d have that opportunity when I retire and my career is over. Obviously, I have three years left before that. I’m excited about it. I’ll finish my career coaching at UNH.”

Umile is going into his 26th season as UNH’s head coach. He has 560 career wins, and is one of four active Division I coaches to have 500-plus victories.

The extension is reportedly worth $248,000 per year. UNH athletic director Marty Scarano could not be reached for comment.

After a slow start last season, the Wildcats won nine of their last 11 games and reached the Hockey East semifinals for the second year in a row.

They were the last team to beat Providence, which went on to win the NCAA title. UNH, however, has missed the NCAA tournament three of the last four years.

“I love UNH,” said Souza, a native of Wakefield, Mass. “I always have. I’m honored that Marty and Coach feel that strongly about me. The opportunity to come back is very humbling. We want to compete for a national championship. That’s our ultimate goal. It has been forever. I don’t think we’re that far off.”

The Wildcats eliminated UConn in the quarterfinals of the league tournament with a two-game sweep last March. A month later, Souza was promoted to associate head coach by the Huskies.

However, the chance to return to his alma mater as the heir apparent to Umile was too enticing.

“That’s sort of how it was presented to me,” Souza said. “It had to be pretty persuasive for me to leave UConn. Hopefully, if things go well and we continue to win, I’ll get that opportunity when Coach does retire. Obviously, that weighed into my decision. I had a lot of responsibilities at Connecticut in terms of coaching, and if I came back I had to have the same opportunity.”

Souza was director of recruiting at UConn last year, and on the ice he worked with the power play. He’ll have similar responsibilities in his first year at UNH, although the former Wildcat forward will coach the defensemen.

"To have an opportunity to be the head coach when Coach Umile retires was an offer I couldn't refuse," Souza said. "I consider it an honor. For it to become reality, I can't tell you how excited I am."

Souza also coached at Brown before going to UConn.

“He understands the game,” Umile said. “He was very coachable. He and Glenn were top-notch, Division I hockey players. That’s what’s made them so successful. (Souza) was respected by his teammates. He’s experienced as a coach. He’s played professionally and he’s a good communicator. Those are all qualities you want in a coach.”

As a player, Souza amassed 156 points in four years on 66 goals and 90 assists. During his career, the Wildcats reached the Frozen Four twice, losing to arch-rival Maine in overtime in the 1999 NCAA championship game.

As a senior captain, he received the Jim Urquhart Award as student-athlete of the year.

The 67th pick overall in the 1997 NHL entry draft, Souza played five years professionally in the AHL and the ECHL, and another six in Europe.

“I want the kids to experience some of the things that I’ve experienced with an added bonus on the top,” he said. “The only thing that’s eluded us, as everyone knows, is a national championship. I want to help us get over the hump.”

Having three alums on staff certainly won’t hurt recruiting.

“Recruiting is very competitive,” Umile said. “(Souza and Stewart) will do the majority of the recruiting. They know the University and everything about it. They know the passion for hockey at UNH. They lived it.”

“I don’t think it’s the be-all and end-all of recruiting,” Souza said, “but when you work at a place and played at a place with a long-standing tradition like UNH has, you speak from the heart and that resonates with families.”