ANCHORAGE – Alaska Anchorage head coach Matt Thomas announced Wednesday that former Alaska Aces coach Louis Mass will join his staff as the Seawolves' new assistant hockey coach.
Mass joins UAA following an eight-year coaching career with the Alaska Aces where he served as an assistant and Director of Player Development. Prior to joining the ECHL coaching ranks in 2007, Mass dressed professionally for seven seasons.
“We were very specific in our search for a new assistant coach,” said Thomas. “We were looking for an experienced individual that had a history of winning and developing players at a high level. Coach Mass hit on all those points and the fact that he is an Anchorage native proved a no-brainer for us.”
Mass comes to UAA with a wide range of coaching and mentoring positions under his belt. The owner of Elite Sports Performance - a training facility that specializes in developing athletes - Mass has also served as an Anchorage Hockey Association head coach and as a member of their Board of Directors. Additionally, Mass was a USA Hockey Coaching Education staff member.
“It's an honor to be joining my hometown college team,” said Mass. “I've followed UAA hockey my whole life and I know Matt Thomas, his staff, and the athletic department have the program headed in the right direction. I'm grateful for this opportunity and I'm very excited for the future of Seawolf hockey.”
Mass played juniors with the USHL's Rochester Mustangs (1993-96) and Lincoln Stars (1996-97), before attending current WCHA member Bowling Green of the now-defunct CCHA in 1997. A four-year letterwinner and a team captain with the Falcons, Mass dressed in 140 games from the blueline, while gaining a bachelor's degree in business administration.
“From the moment I met Coach Mass I knew he was the right person for the job,” said UAA athletic director Keith Hackett. “His experience as a player and a coach, his passion for the game, his strong roots in Anchorage and his desire to be a part of UAA and Seawolf Hockey made him the best choice for us. We are pleased to have him as part of our team.”
“Our staff has a very strong make-up,” said Thomas. “Adding Mass and his winning pedigree in the Sullivan Arena strengthens our group. He has elite recruiting skills and has the bench experience that will help our young team develop quickly. We look forward to him making an immediate impact and bringing stability to our program.”
Mass, who retired from playing after the Aces won the Kelly Cup in 2006, replaces T.J. Jindra, who resigned from the Seawolf position early April.
