BIDDEFORD — The apple, they say, doesn’t fall far from the coaching tree.

That amount of truth will be played out in real life, Friday, when the UNE hockey team hosts perennial power Norwich, at the Biddeford Ice Arena (faceoff 7 p.m.).

Both teams are coached by disciples of the late Charlie Holt, who put the University of New Hampshire on the hockey map, during his tenure there in the 1970s and 80s.

UNE, of course, is coached by Holt’s son Brad, who has forged his own fine career in the family business, and who played under his father in the late 1970s.

It was Brad Holt who got UNE’s hockey program off the ground three years ago, bringing it to its first NCAA D III campaign this year.

He’s about to coach his second varsity college contest.

On the other bench will be McShane, who played for Charlie Holt before carving out his own successful coaching path, first at Providence College, and for the past 15 seasons, at Norwich.

McShane has guided the Cadets to six conference titles, and a National Championship back in 2000.

He remembers Brad Holt as a youngster, a rink rat at old Schneider Arena, UNH’s former home.

“I’ve known Brad since he was a small boy,” said McShane, by phone from his office in Vermont. “He was a stick boy, hanging around the locker room all the time.”

The two have had their paths intertwined ever since.

Both coached at the New Hampton prep school (”His father helped me get the job,” said McShane).

Later, after McShane arrived at Norwich, Holt took the job of head coach of the Green Mountain Glades junior club, and wound up sending players McShane’s way.

“He’s done a great job at both of those places,” said McShane. “I’m sure he’ll do a good job at (UNE).”

Where the Cadets are now is where UNE wants to be.

Norwich is coming off consecutive ECAC East conference titles, and is the pre-season favorite to repeat (UNE is ranked last in the pre-season poll).

And while it hasn’t played yet this season, the Cadets are ranked 12th in the country by USCHO.com.

McShane said that like most years, the 2009-10 version will be a work in progress.

“Our defense should be respectable,” he said, “because we’ve got everybody back. Offensively, we weren’t very good. We’re hoping to pick that up. We lost some goal scorers, so our freshmen are going to have to do the job. We can’t wait a year and develop them. They’ve got to do it right away.”

It’s unlikely that Norwich will take it easy on the Nor’easter newbies.

Even so, McShane is encouraged to see new D III programs such as UNE take to the ice.

“I think it’s fantastic,” he said. “It helps our game tremendously, and maybe give incentive to other schools to start programs.”

Saturday (3 p.m.), the Nor’easters will host St. Michael’s, who were picked to finish ninth, one slot above UNE.

— Contact Dan Hickling at dhickling@journaltribune.com.