Former Maine coach Tim Whitehead to be new hockey coach at Kimball Union Academy

Terminated Maine hockey coach Tim Whitehead has landed on his feet at the prep school level. The former bench boss of the Black Bears for 12 seasons has been named the new head hockey coach at Kimball Union Academy in Meriden, NH.

Whitehead had tremendous success in his first few seasons at the helm in Orono after taking over for Shawn Walsh. Maine advanced to the NCAA Championship game in 2002 and 2004, as well as several other Frozen Fours in his first few seasons behind the bench.

Maine began to struggle, missing the NCAA Tournament five of the past six seasons. His teams still produced NHL talent during that stretch including the Detroit Red Wings' Gustav Nyquist and Brian Flynn of the Buffalo Sabres.

Whitehead replaces Mike Levine who left to become Brendan Whittet's assistant at Brown University. Levine had really elevated the hockey program at KUA to unprecedented heights. Boston College recruit J.D. Dudek and Penn State recruit A.J. Greer are returners. Two St. John's Prep standouts are heading to KUA, as well. Tyler Bird and Jack McCarthy, both Brown recruits, are scheduled to be at KUA in September.

Whitehead coached Maine for 12 seasons following a stint as the head coach at UMass-Lowell. He also had been an assistant at Maine and Lowell in the 1990s. Whitehead's wife will be on the faculty at KUA.

Red Gendron replaced Whitehead at Maine, it was announced last month. The former Maine, UMass and Yale assistant had also coached in the NHL and AHL with the New Jersey Devils organization. Gendron has named Ben Guite his second assistant and is still searching for his top assistant.

Jeff Cox covers hockey for SBNation. Follow him on twitter @JeffCoxSBNation.