BY: USA Hockey

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Mark Osiecki (Burnsville, Minn.) will serve as head coach of the 2015 U.S. National Junior Team. A three-time assistant coach for the U.S. National Junior Team, Osiecki helped Team USA capture gold medals in 2010 and 2013, plus a bronze medal in 2011.

"Mark has been a great asset to our National Junior Teams in recent years and we're excited that he will be our head coach," said Jim Johannson, assistant executive director for hockey operations at USA Hockey, who will also serve as general manager of the 2015 U.S. National Junior Team. "In addition to his international coaching success, he has a wealth of experience coaching young players at the junior, college and professional levels. I'd also like to thank the Chicago Blackhawks and Rockford IceHogs for making Mark available to us."

"I'm thrilled to accept the role of head coach for the U.S. National Junior Team," said Osiecki. "Each time I've been on the Team USA staff it's been an extremely rewarding experience. I will incorporate a lot of what I learned from Phil Housley, Keith Allain and Dean Blais at previous tournaments, as well as what I gained from Mike Eaves at Wisconsin. We have great emerging young talent across the country and I can't wait to start working with them in Lake Placid this August."

The 2015 International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior Championship will take place Dec. 26, 2014 - Jan. 5, 2015 in Montreal and Toronto, Canada. The U.S. is seeking its fourth medal in six years, having won gold in 2010 and 2013, and the bronze medal in 2011. Team USA will play its preliminary-round games in Montreal. Quarterfinals will be split between Montreal and Toronto. The semifinals, medal games and relegation games will be played in Toronto.

Osiecki has served on a variety of coaching staffs for U.S. National Teams. In 2000, he was head coach of the U.S. Under-18 Select Team that placed second at the Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament. He led the U.S. Junior Select Team to a first-place finish at the 1999 Freedom Challenge. He was an assistant coach for the 1999 U.S. Under-18 Select Team that finished second at the Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament. Osiecki also served as video coordinator for the 2006 U.S. Men's National Team at the IIHF Men's World Championship.

Currently, Osiecki is finishing his first season as an assistant coach for the American Hockey League’s Rockford IceHogs.

From 2010-13, Osiecki was head coach of the Ohio State University men’s ice hockey team. He served as an assistant coach for the University of Wisconsin men’s ice hockey team from 2004-10, helping the Badgers to the 2006 NCAA national title and the 2010 NCAA national championship game.

From 1997-2004, Osiecki was the general manager and head coach of the United States Hockey League’s Green Bay Gamblers. The Gamblers won four straight division titles (1999-2002) and won the Clark Cup in 2000. Osiecki was named the USHL Coach of the Year in 1999.

The former University of Wisconsin defenseman (1987-90) served as an alternate captain for the 1990 NCAA national championship team. He played two seasons in the National Hockey League (1991-93) with the Calgary Flames, Ottawa Senators, Winnipeg Jets and the Minnesota North Stars. He also competed for the U.S. at the 1992 IIHF Men’s World Championship in Prague, Czech Republic.

Team USA will begin preparing for the world championships when the squad holds it evaluation camp, Aug. 2-9, in Lake Placid, N.Y. In addition to team practices, the team will also play games against Sweden and Finland.

-- ORDA --

Established in 1982, the New York State Olympic Regional Development Authority (ORDA) was created by the State of New York to manage the facilities used during the 1980 Olympic Winter Games at Lake Placid. ORDA operates Whiteface, Belleayre and Gore Mountain ski areas; the Olympic Sports Complex at Mt. Van Hoevenberg; the Olympic speed skating oval, Olympic jumping complex and Olympic arena. As host to international and national championships, the Authority has brought millions of athletes, spectator and participants to the region, resulting in significant economic development.