
Russo Named USHL Coach of the Year, Fabrizio Named USHL GM of the Year
May 1, 2025 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Lincoln Stars News Release
Lincoln Stars head coach Rocky Russo and general manager Nick Fabrizio have been honored with the USHL's 2024-25 award for both of their positions, as announced by the league Thursday.
Russo is in his fourth season with the Stars and has overseen a team that has gone 143-86-12-7 and won four playoff series. This campaign represents the second time in the last three seasons that the Stars have advanced to the Western Conference Finals. Russo helped the Stars win their fourth Anderson Cup as USHL regular-season champions this spring and their first since 2003 with a 44-15-3-0 record.
Russo and the 2024-25 Stars rattled off 12 consecutive wins from Jan. 10 - Feb. 14, good for the second-longest winning streak in franchise history. Lincoln broke single-season records for wins and goals (272) while tying a franchise record by scoring five-or-more goals in a game 27 times. The Stars only had two losing streaks all season and went 10-6-1 after losses in the regular season.
Fabrizio is also in his fourth season as Lincoln's general manager. Last spring's USHL draft netted seven players who are with the Stars in this Clark Cup Playoff run. Lincoln especially shined in its first four picks of the 2024 USHL Phase II Draft, selecting Daniel Shlaine (24 goals) in the first round, Alex Pelletier (16 goals) in the second round, Etienne Lessard (All-USHL Third Team Defenseman) in the third round and Kade Kohanski (plus-28) in the fourth round.
Fabrizio made key in-season additions by adding Bruno Idzan (44 points in 36 games) in early December and then trading for Hunter Anderson (26 points in 30 games with the Stars) in early January. The Stars also made a splash in last spring's USHL Draft by making a draft-day trade with Green Bay to acquire Caeden Herrington (USHL defensemen-leading 16 goals).
Lincoln faces Waterloo tonight at 6:35 in Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals. If the Stars win, then Game 5 will be Saturday night at 6:05 at the Ice Box.
United States Hockey League Stories from May 1, 2025
- Hawks Power (Play) to Cup Final - Waterloo Black Hawks
- 2024-25 Stars' Season Ends in Conference Finals - Lincoln Stars
- Waterloo Black Hawks and Muskegon Lumberjacks Advance to Clark Cup Final - USHL
- Russo Named USHL Coach of the Year, Fabrizio Named USHL GM of the Year - Lincoln Stars
- Nick Fabrizio Named GM of the Year - USHL
- Rocky Russo Named Coach of the Year - USHL
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