First Year as Head Coach: 2009-10 Season

Recent Highlights:

2023-24:   Miele's Owls had several highlight performances during the year, including a win and a tie against nationally ranked teams, as the Owls tied the #6 ranked team in the nation early in the year, before topping #13 Plymouth State, 3-2 on Feb. 1, 2024 - the Owls' program's first win against a nationally ranked team since resuming varsity play in the 2008-09 season.   Miele also spearheaded the "Hockey Fights Hunger" game in his hometown of Woburn, Mass., as the Owls played the first-ever collegiate game at the O'Brien Rink, which raised $4,500 and several hundred pounds of food for two local food banks.  Individual players enjoyed success under Miele's tutelage, as first-year Christopher Miraldo was named to the MASCAC All-Conference team, and senior Gianluca Marini was announced as a semifinalist for the Concannon Award, presented to the best American-born player in New England Division II and III hockey each year. 

2022-23: Miele steered the Owls back to the MASCAC Semifinals for the fourth straight year after defeating UMass Dartmouth in the conference quarterfinals 5-3, eventually falling to #10-nationally ranked Plymouth State in the semifinals. Junior goalkeeper Valtteri Valtonen was named to the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference All-Conference Second Team for the second straight season.

2021-22 Season: Head Coach Bob Miele led Westfield State to a 13-12-2 record and a MASCAC Semifinals appearance. The Owls upset four seed UMass Dartmouth 2-1 in an overtime thriller in the first round of the tournament, but would eventually fall to Salem State in the Semifinals 4-2. Sophomore Goaltender Valterri Valtonen was named to the MASCAC second team after leading the league in both saves (705) and saves per game (32).

2019-20 Season: Coach Miele guided the Owls back to the MASCAC Semifinals after a 9-7-2 regular-season conference record. There were four Owls named to the All-Conference team, the most in the 10-year history of the program. Senior forward F.X. Girard and junior defenseman Josh Boulos were both named to the first team, while seniors Daniel Backstrom and Thierry Messervier were named to the second team.

2018-19 Season:   Miele was named the MASCAC coach of the year after leading the Owls to a 14-9-3 overall record and a 11-6-1 mark in the conference, which earned Westfield State the #2 seed in the conference tournament, their best in the 10-year history of the program.  The Owls were particularly storong after the semester break, rattling off a 10-1-1 stretch.   Freshman Jake Ratcliffe was named the conference's rookie of the year.  Two Owls players, defensemen Lenny Caglianone and Wyatt Trumbley signed professional contracts after the season. Marcus Payne was named the Westfield State athletics senior-scholar athlete after maintaining a perfect 4.0 GPA while playing three years of hockey for the Owls.

Career Highlights:  Miele was a key component of the Owls’ success as an assistant coach during their first year of varsity hockey after a 20-year hiatus when they posted an 11-9-4 record and qualified for the ECAC Tournament during the 2008-2009 season.  Miele accepted the head coaching position in the fall of 2009.

Miele led the Owls to a 13-10-3 record and a berth in the MASCAC (Massachusetts State College Athletics Conference) postseason tournament during his first season as head coach in 2009-2010. The Owls advanced to the MASCAC Tournament semifinals in 2011, dropping an overtime decision to Salem State.

Westfield posted a 14-9-3 record during the 2012-2013 campaign and was ranked nationally for the first time after starting the season with six straight victories. During the 2013-14 season, the Owls placed third in the highly competitive MASCAC with a 10-7-1 record.

Junior defenseman Carl Greco was named to the MASCAC all-conference first team and signed a pro contract with the SPHL's Fayetteville Marksmen (NC) under the direction of Miele after the 2017-18 season.

“Bob has an outstanding hockey pedigree and brings continuity, integrity, a strong work ethic, and the desire to lead our program in the MASCAC," said Westfield State athletics director Richard Lenfest.

“Bob competed at the highest level in Division III while attending Amherst College,” Lenfest added. “I look for him to instill the qualities in our student-athletes that translate into success on and off the ice.”

Miele’s position is full-time at Westfield. In addition to his coaching duties, he is also the manager of athletic facilities.

About Coach Miele: Miele attended high school at the perennial hockey powerhouse Belmont Hill School (‘96). As a senior he was the team leader in goals, Independent School All-League, an HNIB All-Scholastic, and was selected to the Prep/Private Senior All-Star game.

The Woburn, Mass., native took a post-graduate year at The Hill School (‘97), and also played a year for the Boston Junior Bulldogs where he was a 50-goal scorer.

Miele attended Amherst College (‘02) where he won ECAC East/NESCAC Rookie of The Year honors. As a sophomore he led the team in points and was the Codfish Bowl MVP.

In his junior year at Amherst, Miele won National Player of the Week honors and was voted All-NESCAC second team. Miele eclipsed the 100-point mark as a senior, finishing with 55 goals and 50 assists for 105 points in 95 games. He was also selected to the ECAC/NESCAC/SUNYAC Senior All-Star game.

After graduating from Amherst, Miele attended training camps and played in exhibition seasons with the Missouri River Otters (UHL), Indianapolis Ice (CHL), and Dayton Bombers (ECHL). He also played a year of Senior A for the Texarkana Bandits, where he averaged more than a point a game.