The NGHL is thrilled to be working with a dedicated and knowledgeable coaching staff for our NGHL NCAA Exposure Camp, May 19-21, 2023. These current NCAA coaches will run skills sessions, coach games, and lead seminars on recruitment and other helpful topics.
Nelson comes to Buffalo State after graduating from Trine University, where she played ice hockey and lacrosse for the Thunder from 2017-22. She completed her bachelor's degree in Health and Physical Education, along with a trio of minors in Coaching, Exercise Science, and Sport Psychology in 2021, and is currently pursuing a master's degree in Organizational Leadership from Trine.
As a freshman, Nelson was a member of a trailblazing program for Trine, the inaugural season of women's ice hockey at the University and the first collegiate women's team in the state of Indiana. She netted the program's first goal, also the first for a collegiate women's ice hockey program from Indiana.
During her time at Trine, Nelson was selected as American Hockey Coaches Association (AHCA) Krampade All-American Scholar three times, while being named to the Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) Academic Honor Roll three times as well.
A native of Libertyville, IL, a suburb of the Chicago area, Nelson also has coaching experience at the national level, serving on the coaching staff of the U15 USA National Development Camp the summers of 2019 and 20 as a team leader and intern coach. She has also helped to found and coach youth hockey and learn-to-skate programs in the Upper West Indiana Area.
Mike O’Grady was named Head Coach of Chatham Women’s ice hockey in the Summer of 2018 and had a goal of ushering in a New Era for the cougar’s women’s hockey team. During the past three seasons he has earned a record of 31-32- 2 with three consecutive UCHC playoff Appearances including two UCHC Semi-final appearances. Under O’Grady the women’s ice hockey program has attracted players from all over north America including UCHC Rookie of the year and All UCHC playoff team Member Allison Corser James and UCHC Rookie of the year Ally Nolan. In 2020 the cougars finished 7-6 marking the first winning season in program history and they continued to build on their success in their 21-22 campaign finishing at 16-11 over all and 12-8 in UCHC play both setting program win records. The programs success has not just been on the ice under O’Grady’s leadership. In 2021-2022 they served over 100 hours in community service partnering with the Pittsburgh penguins and pens foundation teaching learn to skate and learn to play hockey at the Hunt Armory and in the classroom the Cougars have maintained a team GPA of 3.2 or better. As they continue to take steps forward in the new era of Chatham women’s hockey Coach O’Grady had this to say “I am excited for this season to start, having returned all but two players from our record setting season last year and welcoming in 8 new faces I believe this program has bought into the vision that we have set for this season and have a take a ton of pride in being apart of both the Chatham and Pittsburgh community.”
Outside of Cougars women’s hockey, Coach O’Grady is currently serving his third season as the UCHC Women’s Hockey Coaches Chair. Most notably Coach O’Grady’s work along with the UCHC commissioner’s office helped devise a schedule during the 2020-2021 season and helping manage any restrictions that programs had due to covid in that season. He also has evaluated for USA hockey for 5 years consecutively at their regional tryouts in both the pacific and Mid American districts and was invited to the U15 USA hockey National camp as goalie coach and evaluator. He has also served as head coach at the USA Multi-district regional camp in Bowling Green, Ohio.
O’Grady Graduate from John Carroll University in 2014 with his bachelors in exercise science. After a career ending injury cut his playing career short, he joined the Blue Streaks’ non-varsity hockey staff serving as assistant coach overseeing equipment, community service and recruiting. While a part of the Blue Streaks’ staff they earned one ACHA national tournament appearance and 3 CHMA playoff appearances.
Jordan Ott was named the third head coach of the King's College women's ice hockey program on May 1, 2020. Ott came to King's College after serving as the head coach of the SUNY Potsdam softball program, while also serving as a volunteer assistant coach for the SUNY Potsdam ice hockey program. Before that, Ott was a standout performer on the ice for the Bears. Ott has posted a 4-43-2 overall record in her career as a head coach at King's.
Tori Emoff was named the third head coach in Stevenson University women's ice hockey program history on July 8, 2019.
Josh Funk was named the first women's ice hockey head coach in program history at Hood College in January 2023. The new women's hockey program will launch in 2024.
Funk served as the head coach at Division III Plymouth State from 2020-22. PSU opened his first season with a program-best three-game unbeaten streak (2-0-1) and capped the COVID-19 abbreviated year with a thrilling overtime win over Castleton in the season's last weekend. The Panthers posted three shutouts over their eight games.
In his second season, Plymouth State won seven games and advanced to the first round of the New England Hockey Conference tournament. During his time on the Panthers’ bench, he coached 27 NEHC All-Academic team members and six student-athletes earned American Hockey Coaches Association All-America Scholar accolades.
Prior to Plymouth State, Funk was an assistant coach for the women's program at NCAA Division I Robert Morris University. His career also includes stops at Albert Lea (Minn.) High School, St. Catherine (Minn.) University, Sugar Land (Texas) Imperials and Miami (Ohio) University while he also filled numerous roles with Minnesota Hockey CCM High Performance programs. He is a USA Hockey Level 4 coach.
Funk helped guide Robert Morris to a 20-12-4 record and a spot in the championship game of the College Hockey America tournament in 2019-20 after spending two years as the head girl's hockey coach at Albert Lea.
He got his start in coaching as a student assistant for the Gustavus Adolphus men's hockey program as a senior as the Gusties advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Funk graduated from Gustavus Adolphus in 2012 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology with a minor in coaching. He holds USA Hockey Level 4 certification.
Coach Deming is entering his 11th season within the Delaware program and 8th as Head Coach. In his time with Delaware, Coach Deming has amassed a record of 104-37-4, 9 ACHA (American Collegiate Hockey Association) National Championship appearances and 3 league Championship appearances. Ken has established the University of Delaware Women’s Hockey Team as one of the top ACHA women’s programs in the country. His additional accomplishments include being ranked #1 in the ACHA Eastern Region for the 2017-18 season and coaching and helping develop numerous academic and athletic All Americans.
He grew up in Bellevue, OH playing Tier I / Tier II hockey and 3 years in the ACHA with IUP, Indiana University of PA, prior to joining the United States Marine Corps. Ken spent 6 years in the USMC and is a veteran serving 13 months in Operation Desert Storm.
Last season, Coach Deming had a successful season as Head Coach with a local U19AA women’s team to include an undefeated league season, league champions and playoff champions. To also include 2 Showcase Tournaments victories and qualified for the USA Hockey National Championships. Currently Ken holds the role of Vice President for the Women’s ACHA Division II along with being a certified level 4 USA Hockey Coach and Level 3 USA Hockey Official. He is a National Account Manager for Singer Equipment and resides in Smyrna, DE.
Gina Kearns McLaughlin begins her ninth season at the helm of Neumann's Women’s Ice Hockey team for the 2022-23 season.
The 2019-20 season saw the Knights earn a UCHC playoff berth for the second consecutive season. Neumann went 8-17-1 overall with a 7-10-1 record in the UCHC, good enough to earn the sixth-seed in the conference playoffs. In the opening round of the playoffs, the Knights fell to third-seeded William Smith to conclude their season. Katelyn Brown and Helen Cooney each earned UCHC honorable mention.
McLaughlin led the Knights to one of their best seasons in recent memory during the 2017-18 season, going 12-11-2 overall and 9-6-2 in UCHC play to earn a playoff berth for the first time in five seasons.
Prior to Neumann, Kearns was at Penn State University where she served as the Assistant Women’s Ice Hockey Coach. Since 2011, Kearns was in charge of Penn State's forwards and power plays as well as serving as recruiting coordinator as well as arranging team housing and volunteer opportunities.
Kearns, who played boys high school hockey for Interboro High School and went on to an unbelievable career at Boston University. While at BU, Gina finished the all-time leading scorer for the Terriers tallying 52 goals and 50 assists for 102 points in her four-year career. She was also a three-year captain for BU head coach Brian Durocher. She was the first three-year captain in program history. She is also the first player to score 50 goals and record 100 points in a career.
A native of Norwood, Pa., Kearns graduated from Boston University in 2009 with a Bachelors of Science in Health Science. She and her husband, Bill, have three children, Callie, Maddie, and Brady.
