The Colorado Mammoth yesterday named Bob McMahon as the ninth head coach in team history, settling on a veteran coach after a failed pursuit of Toronto forward Jim Veltman.

McMahon, who replaces Gary Gait, is a veteran coach in the MILL and NLL, including a two-year stint as head coach of the Albany Attack (2002-2003) and eight seasons as an assistant coach.

"Bob has enjoyed tremendous success in the NLL," Mammoth general manager Steve Govett said. "I believe he is the right man to coach this team and he has my unwavering trust and support."

McMahon broke into the MILL in 1993, serving two years as an assistant coach with the now-defunct Detroit Turbos. He returned to the professional ranks in 2000 as an assistant with the Albany Attack, a position he held for two years.

In 2002, McMahon was promoted to head coach in Albany, lasting two seasons, a 14-2 season which culminated in a trip to the NLL Champion's Cup Final and an 8-8 campaign a year later.

McMahon was not retained when the Attack was sold and relocated to San Jose for the 2004 season, instead going to Arizona, where he had been an assistant coach since.

Colorado vigorously attempted to convince Veltman to end his fifteen-year playing career and come to Denver to coach, but he elected for one more season in Toronto before joining Rock coach Glenn Clark's staff.