USCHO Staff
Maine has added Rick Bennett to the men’s hockey staff as an assistant coach ahead of the 2025-26 season. Bennett, who brings over 20 years of collegiate coaching experience to the Black Bears, spent the 2024-25 season as an assistant coach at Quinnipiac and parts of the previous two seasons as head coach of the … Read more
Babson has announced the hiring of Michael Gurska as the new full-time men’s hockey assistant coach. Gurska comes to Babson after spending the last three seasons with the USHL’s Chicago Steel. Originally hired as the team’s director of operations prior to the 2022-23 campaign, he was promoted to assistant coach and director of player development … Read more
Claire Tyo has been named an assistant coach with the Canton women’s hockey team. Tyo joins the Roos coaching staff after a five-year playing career, spending four years with Providence and her final graduate season at St. Lawrence. “I am thrilled to have Claire join our staff and program,” Canton head coach Kalie Hart said … Read more
Lindenwood has announced the addition of Andrew Magera as an assistant coach for the men’s hockey team. Magera comes to Lindenwood after spending the last two seasons at Bemidji State as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator. “Andrew will be a great addition to our staff and team,” said Lindenwood head coach Keith Fisher in … Read more
The NHL’s Edmonton Oilers announced Tuesday they have acquired forward Isaac Howard from the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for London Knights (OHL) forward Sam O’Reilly. The Oilers also announced Howard has agreed to a three-year, entry-level contract beginning in 2025-26, forgoing his last year of NCAA eligibility. Howard appeared in 37 games for Michigan … Read more
Gavin McKenna, the favorite to be the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NHL Draft after racking up the accolades in the WHL the past few seasons with the Medicine Hat Tigers, announced his decision to play the 2025-26 season at Penn State Tuesday night on ESPN’s “SportsCenter.” McKenna picked the Nittany Lions over Michigan … Read more
After it was first announced in June 2023 that Tennessee State would field an NCAA Division I men’s hockey team for the upcoming 2025-26 season, it appears that will not happen. According to a report in the Tennessean, “uncertainty about a home ice location or practice facilities, a lack of fundraising, and unrest about the … Read more
Michigan Tech has named L.J. Scarpace an assistant coach with the Huskies. Scarpace comes to Houghton after serving as a video coach in the NHL since 2017. He most recently worked with the Detroit Red Wings for the past six seasons. Scarpace was a video coordinator and director of player development for the Michigan hockey … Read more
The accolades keep rolling in for rising senior Isaac Howard following a historic 2024-25 campaign, who was announced as the recipient of USA Hockey’s Jim Johannson College Player of the Year award. Howard is the fourth Spartan to earn this distinction, following in the footsteps of Jeff Lerg (2007), Ryan Miller (2001) and Mike York … Read more
Stevenson has announced the hire of Matt Bruneteau as the head coach of the men’s hockey team. Bruneteau succeeds Dominic Dawes, who accepted the head coaching job at Norwich earlier this offseason. No stranger to the program, Bruneteau served as the program’s initial assistant coach back in 2016. While he was on the bench, the … Read more
Niagara has announced that Hobart assistant coach Niko Kovachis will serve as an assistant coach for the Purple Eagles. The move returns Kovachis to his alma mater, where he played four seasons as a defenseman from 2015 to 2019. “Niko is going to do well in the coaching ranks, and I feel this was a … Read more
Penn State has announced the hiring of Moe Bradley as an assistant coach for the women’s hockey team. Bradley will join fellow assistants Makenna Newkirk and Jennifer Wakefield to round out Jeff Kampersal’s staff ahead of the 2025-26 season. “We are delighted to welcome Moe to our Penn State hockey family. She is a dynamite … Read more
Penn State has announced the hiring and return of former Nittany Lions defenseman Vince Pedrie as an assistant coach for the men’s hockey team. Pedrie joins Guy Gadowsky’s staff following the departure of longtime associate head coach Keith Fisher, who accepted the head coaching position at Lindenwood earlier this month. “I am ecstatic to be … Read more
Former St. Cloud State assistant coach Mira Jalosuo has been named head coach for the Huskies. The two-time Olympian returns to St. Cloud after helping the Minnesota Frost (formerly PWHL Minnesota) win back-to-back PWHL Walter Cups in each of the first two seasons of the PWHL. She is the seventh head coach in program’s 27-year … Read more
Courtney Kessel has been named the sixth head coach of the Princeton women’s hockey team. Kessel, who spent four seasons as an assistant coach at Princeton from 2019 to 2023, most recently was behind the bench in the PWHL as head coach of the Boston Fleet. She takes over for Cara Morey, who left for … Read more
Alaska has announced the hiring of Ryan Theros as an assistant coach for the Nanooks hockey team. Theros joins the staff after spending the past two seasons as head coach of the NAHL’s Fairbanks Ice Dogs. “The Nanook family is excited to welcome Ryan Theros to the staff,” said Nanooks head coach Erik Largen in … Read more
King’s women’s hockey has announced the addition of Jess Michals as an assistant coach. “I am thrilled to welcome Jess Michals to our coaching staff,” said King’s head coach Quinn La Rock in a statement. “Following a distinguished playing career at the Division III level, Jess brings a wealth of experience and a relentless drive … Read more
St. Olaf has announced the hiring of Ashley Holmes as an assistant coach for the women’s hockey team. Holmes joins Johnson’s staff after spending two seasons as the director of operations for the Minnesota women’s hockey team. Prior to that, she served as an assistant coach at fellow MIAC member Augsburg for nine seasons. “Ashley … Read more
Saint Michael’s men’s hockey coach Damian DiGiulian announced his retirement from college coaching on Friday after 13 years guiding the Purple Knights. DiGiulian departs following a 2024-25 season in which he was named Northeast-10 coach of the year after leading the Purple Knights to the league tournament title. A national search for his successor will … Read more
Michigan finished with the most players or recruits picked of any NCAA program in the 2025 NHL Draft in Los Angeles.