Ryan Egan Named New Chill Head Coach
April 13, 2016 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Coulee Region Chill News Release
The Coulee Region Chill, proud members of the North American Hockey League (NAHL), are pleased to announced that Ryan Egan has been named the team's new head coach. Egan will assume full coaching duties once the Chill's playoff run comes to an end, but has already begun work on scouting and recruiting.
Egan will be replacing current head coach AJ Degenhardt, who announced his resignation back on March 7th. Degenhardt will coach through the playoffs, which begin on Friday for the Chill in Alaska against Fairbanks. For the past two seasons, Egan has been the head coach and general manager of the NA3HL's La Crosse Freeze. He was named head coach of the Freeze back on May 14, 2014.
"I am honored and excited about the opportunity to be the next Head Coach and General Manager of the Coulee Region Chill and would like to thank Kevin and Michelle Bryant for the opportunity," stated Egan. "I am grateful for my time spent in the NA3HL and the experience it has provided me. I look forward to working with the players to accomplish a team goal of winning a Robertson Cup, as well as, providing them the individual outcomes that they are looking to achieve."
In each of those two seasons in the NA3HL, Egan led the Freeze to a spot in the NA3HL's Silver Cup playoffs and improved the team's record each season. This past season, the Freeze finished with a record of 32-15-0, which was good for 2nd place in the Central Division. After sweeping their divisional semi-final series against the Wisconsin Whalers, the Freeze fell in the Central Division Finals to the eventual Silver Cup Champion, North Iowa Bulls.
"I am very exciting about the promotion of Ryan Egan from our Freeze Head Coach to our Chill Head Coach and General Manager. Ryan has worked very hard to create a winning atmosphere in our building and I know he will continue that same trend with the Chill. I also know Ryan will work tirelessly to get our players committed and to move them onto the next level," stated Coulee Region Chill owner Michelle Bryant.
Prior to being named Head Coach of the Freeze, Egan spent five years as the Assistant Coach for Division III Saint Mary's University Men's Hockey team. A native of Inver Grove Heights, Minn., Egan was previously the Head Coach of the San Antonio Diablos Junior A Hockey Club of the Western States Hockey League where he compiled a 65-34-5 record. He was also Head Coach and Program Director for the Tier 1 Midget AAA Omaha Energy.
A Graduate of the University of Wisconsin River Falls, Egan received his bachelor's degree in Health and Human Performance and was a member of the men's varsity hockey team.
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