From Minot State University Athletics
MINOT, N.D. – No stranger to success, Minot State men’s hockey coach Wyatt Waselenchuk has been selected for a unique and distinguished honor.
The Beavers head man, who has been part of all three of Minot State’s ACHA National Championships, has been named an assistant coach for the United State Men’s National University Team that will compete in the 2025 Winter World University Games in Torino, Italy.
“I’m incredibly excited, honored, and humbled to be selected as one of the coaches on staff,” Waselenchuk said. “Having played on the team in 2013, I know what kind of experience it is, and how exceptional the competition will be. The entire event is remarkable, and once again – I’m just so thankful for the opportunity.”
Waselenchuk joins Chad Berman, the head coach at Arizona, as an assistant coach under head coach Gary Astalos of Adrian College (Mich.) who was named head coach for Team USA earlier this month.
The 2025 Winter World University Games will take play January 13-23, 2025, with hockey games starting January 11.
While in the heart of the Beavers’ regular season, with home games against Iowa State and Mary tentatively scheduled at the Maysa Arena, Coach Waselenchuk doesn’t see the added duties of assisting with Team USA affecting Minot State’s performance on the ice this coming winter.
“The timing of the event is a little tough, with our second semester beginning right around the time of the tournament, however, (MSU assistant coach) David Zimmerman is more than capable of handling our day-to-day operations, both on and off the ice,” Minot State’s head coach said. “I have a lot of trust in him, no matter the situation, and I know he will handle things as business-like as we always do.
“We also have a world-class leadership group that I know we can rely upon. They understand the expectation, and I know we will be in good hands.”
Plus, the opportunity to coach with Team USA is more than just an individual honor for Waselenchuk; it’s one that helps define the Minot State program and everyone involved.
“For me to be in a position to receive this honor wouldn’t happen without my team,” Waselenchuk said. “I’ve learned a ton over my past three seasons as a head coach and I have all these young men to thank for that. They make it fun to come to the rink every single day. I owe any personal success to those players that I have been fortunate enough to coach.
“I also have to thank our president, Dr. Steven Shirley, and Kevin Harmon, our Vice President for Student Affairs and Intercollegiate Athletics, for being so supportive. It’s not often you get the kind of backing from the top down at our level like we do. The personal, or team accolades, that we achieve at Minot State are all a direct result of the tremendous support from Minot State and our wonderful community.”
For Waselenchuk, those accolades include being named ACHA National Player of the Year following the 2012-13 season when he led the Beavers to the program’s first ACHA National Championship as the team’s goalie.
He then was an assistant coach for the 2018-19 Beavers’ national championship team, then head coach for the 2022-23 national championship team.
And just this past season, Waselenchuk was named ACHA National Coach of the Year.
(Originally published at https://msubeavers.com/news/2024/7/25/mens-hockey-minot-state-hockeys-wyatt-waselenchuk-named-assistant-coach-for-team-usa.aspx)
