GARY ASTALOS NAMED HEAD COACH FOR ACHA MEN’S NATIONAL UNIVERSITY TEAM COMPETING AT THE 2025 FISU WINTER WORLD UNIVERSITY GAMES IN TORINO, ITALY

GARY ASTALOS NAMED HEAD COACH FOR AMERICAN COLLEGIATE HOCKEY ASSOCIATION MEN’S NATIONAL UNIVERSITY TEAM COMPETING AT THE 2025 FISU WINTER WORLD UNIVERSITY GAMES IN TORINO, ITALY

Has Won ACHA National Championship and Gold Medal over last 15 Months

 

TROY, Mich. – (July 9, 2024) – The American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA) announced today that Gary Astalos (Monroe, Mich.) has been named the head coach of the United States Men’s National University Team that will compete at the 2025 FISU Winter World University Games in Torino, Italy from January 11-23.

 

It has been a magical 15 months for Astalos as he first guided the United States to a 5-0 gold medal triumph over Canada at the World Cup of University Hockey in Cârța, Romania in April of 2023 followed by a 3-0 victory at the 2024 ACHA Men’s Division I National Championship game over University of Nevada-Las Vegas in March at the Centene Community Ice Center in St. Louis, Mo.

 

Astalos just finished his eighth year as the head coach of the Adrian College ACHA Men’s Division I program, having guided the Bulldogs to three ACHA Men’s Division I National Championships by winning the Murdoch Cup in 2018, 2021, and 2024.  In seven appearances at the ACHA Men’s Division I National Championships, Adrian College has made the championship game four times, semifinals six times, and fifth place has been their worst finish.  In addition, during the 2020 season, the Bulldogs were the #1 ranked team in the country for the last 17 weeks of the season before the ACHA Men’s Division I National Championships were canceled due to COVID-19.

 

Under Astalos’ leadership, Adrian College has won eight Great Lakes Collegiate Hockey League (GLCHL) Regular Season Championships and five GLCHL Playoff Championships.  Astalos was named the 2017-2018 ACHA Men’s Division I Coach of the Year and has also earned five GLCHL Coach of the Year awards during his tenure at Adrian College.

 

Astalos owns a staggering 259-25-2 overall record, a 100-2-0 conference mark, and three different winning streaks of 20 games or more.

 

Astalos received a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with an emphasis in Management from Eastern Michigan University (EMU) in 2012 and his Master’s degree in Sports Management from Adrian College in 2018.  During his time at EMU, he was selected a team captain and team most valuable player, earned All-GLCHL accolades and an invitation to the 2010 Winter World University Games Selection Camp, and played in the 2011 ACHA Men’s Division 1 All-Star Game.

 

Gary resides with his wife Armanda and two daughters in Monroe, Michigan.

 

Founded in 1949, the International University Sports Federation (FISU) organizes world-class sports and educational events, all with the mission of providing university students with the opportunities to connect and exchange with students from around the world, in a collaborative and competitive environment.

 

The Torino 2025 FISU Winter World University Games is the largest international winter multi-sport event for student-athletes and will consist of 13 sports and 96 medal events. Featuring more than 2,500 athletes from more than 50 countries in the 18–25-year-old age range, the 11-day event began in 1960 in France and was hosted on American soil in Lake Placid, N.Y., in both 1972 and 2023.  Torino previously hosted the 2007 Winter Universiade, as well as hosting the 1959 and 1970 Summer Universiades, the 2006 Winter Olympics, and the 2006 Winter Paralympics.

 

The men’s ice hockey tournament will consist of twelve teams split into a pair of six team brackets with each team playing five round-robin games.  The top two teams in each pool will advance to the semifinals.  The Men’s preliminary games will be held at the 2,370-seat Palaghiaccio Olimpico in Torre Pellice and the 3,500-seat Stadio Olimpico in Pinerolo, with the Semifinals and Finals played at the 2,327-seat Torino Pala Tazzoli.

 

The ACHA is fielding a United States men’s hockey team at the Winter World University Games for the 11th time.

 

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About American Collegiate Hockey Association

The American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA) was founded in 1991 and is the national association for Non-NCAA Collegiate Hockey throughout the United States.  Our organization of more than 450 colleges and university-affiliated teams representing 48 states provides structure, regulates operations, and promotes the sport of Hockey nationwide.  With approximately 13,000 players and coaches as well as countless volunteers and game officials, the ACHA has experienced tremendous growth over the past decade and continues to be a viable option for college bound student-athletes to continue playing competitive hockey nationwide.  Headquartered in Troy, Michigan, the ACHA’s primary mission is to support the growth of Collegiate Hockey while emphasizing academic performance, personal development, and opportunities for regional, national, and international competition.  The ACHA identifies standards which serve to unite and regulate teams at the collegiate level and finished its 33rd season in March 2024. For more information, visit achahockey.org.

 

About UniUSA

UniUSA (formerly USIUSF) is the official representative and governing body for the United States in all FISU events (Winter and Summer World University Games, World University Championships, and FISU World Cups.) Under the leadership of President Dan Guerrero, and Secretary General Lori Thomas, UniUSA is comprised of the membership of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA), and the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA). A 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization, incorporated in 1968, UniUSA has organized elite teams of American student-athletes in global competition for more than 5 decades.

 

About BTI Events, LLC

BTI Events is the managing partner for the UniUSA, the American arm of FISU. A comprehensive athletic event management company, BTI Events facilitates and provides logistical support for all types of athletic teams traveling to domestic and international events, including U.S. athletes competing in the World University Games. Under the direction of the UniUSA, BTI Events assists U.S. athletes in managing Games and Championships administration, logistics, and information resources.