The Lake Superior State Lakers hockey team promoted a pair of coaches and signed them to multi-year contract extensions.
Zack Cisek and Mike York have signed contract extensions and will remain with the program as associate coaches.
York was hired as an assistant coach in July 2017 while Cisek was hired the following summer, also as an assistant coach.
“Mike and Zack have done an outstanding job in all facets of Laker hockey," Lakers head coach Damon Whitten said in a prepared statement. "They have both worked tirelessly to recruit outstanding student-athletes from across the globe to Laker hockey. Their efforts in player development and the creation of an elite team culture have guided LSSU to outstanding team and individual successes.”
Coming off a Western Collegiate Hockey Association title last season, the Lakers will open up Central Collegiate Hockey Association conference action on Oct. 15 at home against St. Thomas.
The 2021-22 season will be the first for the CCHA after a lengthy hiatus.
The eight-team league includes seven schools from the WCHA, which disbanded as a men’s college hockey league at the end of the 2020-21 season.
The newly-created CCHA includes Ferris State University, Michigan Tech, Northern Michigan, Bemidji State, Minnesota State, and Bowling Green State in addition to LSSU and St. Thomas.
The Lakers non-conference schedule opens on Oct. 2 on the road in the opening game of a weekend set at Nebraska-Omaha.
The Lakers non-conference games also include road games against the University of Michigan and home games against Union and St. Lawrence.
The Lakers schedule also has an exhibition game against the U.S. National Team Development Program in January at Taffy Abel Arena.