The University of Maine on Wednesday announced it has extended head men’s ice hockey coach Tim Whitehead’s contract through the 2013-14 season, a three-year extension on a deal that was set to end following the 2010-11 campaign.

“I am confident that under Tim’s leadership, our team will continue to compete for conference and NCAA championships,” Maine AD Blake James said in a news release. “Tim understands the balance of athletics, academics and the importance of developing the young men within our program. He appreciates and understands the culture of Maine Hockey, and is the right person to lead our program.”

In turn, Whitehead expressed his gratitude to James.

“Our coaching staff is very pleased to have the support of our Athletic Director, Blake James, and our University President, Robert Kennedy, as we move forward with our men’s hockey program in the future,” Whitehead said in the release.

Whitehead has 199-126-36 record in nine years as coach of the Black Bears. He has led Maine to six NCAA Tournament appearances and four Frozen Fours. Whitehead’s .625 NCAA Tournament winning percentage ranks third among all active NCAA Division 1 coaches and second all-time among Hockey East coaches. In 2002, he earned the Spencer Penrose Trophy as the Division I National Coach of the Year. He has been a finalist for the award three additional times while at Maine.

The news comes on the heels of an up-and-down seaosn during which the Black Bears failed to qualify for the 16-team nation tournament, though came close in an overtime loss to eventual national champion Boston College in the Hockey East final.

There have been, for several years, rumblings that alumni, boosters and fans are unhappy with the coaching job Whitehead has done at Maine.

But the numbers are hard to debunk. Coming off an admittedly down year, with some signs of life at the end, it will be very important for Whitehead to establish a sense of steadiness and control, and help settle things down into less of a topsy-turvy pattern for the Black Bear program.

His next contract will depend on it.