WILKES-BARRE, PA – King’s College Associate Vice President and Executive Director of Intercollegiate Athletics and Recreation Cheryl Ish has announced the hiring of Jordan Ott as the third head coach of the King’s College women’s ice hockey program. Ott takes over for Brice Baricevic, who held the position in 2019-20 in an interim role.
“We are thrilled to have Jordan join our staff and lead our women’s hockey program,” said Ish. “The search committee was drawn to Jordan’s enthusiasm for the game and her commitment to the Division III philosophy. Jordan’s success as a student athlete is evidence of her competitive nature and we look forward to her bringing her passion to King’s.”
“I am unbelievably excited for the opportunity to be a part of the King’s College family,” said Ott. “I believe that the women’s hockey program has incredible potential and provides student-athletes with a wonderful college experience.”
“Being able to continue my involvement in hockey following the conclusion of my own playing career means the world to me, as it is something I truly enjoy,” said Ott. “I am eager to get started and begin working with the coaching staff to further develop the program.”
Ott comes to King’s College for her first head ice hockey position, after serving as a volunteer assistant coach at her alma mater SUNY Potsdam. As a volunteer with the Bears since 2017, she helped run skill sessions for the team members outside of normal practice hours.
Ott also served as the head softball coach at SUNY Potsdam since 2018, being charged with recruiting, budget management, purchasing, practice planning, travel, player development and team building activities. She has also held the position of Assistant Director of Athletic Communications at SUNY Potsdam since 2018.
“I was drawn to King’s College by the overwhelming support shown for one another throughout the athletic department and campus, as well as the overall experience they are able to offer their student-athletes,” said Ott. “The campus is welcoming and positive, and the student-athletes are eager to improve upon their craft and take another step towards building a winning program.”
A four-year standout on the ice for SUNY Potsdam, she graduated as the program’s all-time leader in points, points per game, goals, goals per game, game-winning goals, power-play goals and short-handed goals. She was named as the United States Collegiate Hockey Organization (USCHO) Division III National Rookie of the Year in 2014, while also earning D3Hockey.com East All-Region Third Team during her time.
An All-USCHO Third Teamer, she was All-ECAC Second Team and was selected as an eight-time ECAC Rookie of the Week as a newcomer. She was also a two-time NFCA Division III All-Region softball player at Potsdam. After her playing time at Potsdam, Ott played professionally for the Buffalo Beauts of the National Women’s Hockey League (NHWL) during the 2017-18 season.
Ott has experience as well as the SUNY Potsdam Student-Athletic Advisory Committee (SAAC) supervisor, where she oversaw supervising and organizing athletes from all varsity teams, coaches, and other fellow faculty members. She also helped complete diversity training for the Potsdam SAAC, and focused on Title IX, diversity, and abuse topics.
A 2017 graduate of SUNY Potsdam with a B.A. in Childhood/Early Childhood Education with a specialization in Science-Chemistry, Ott also got her Master of Science in Education from Potsdam as well in December 2019.
Ott will take over a program that is coming off a season that set a program-high for wins in a season, and graduated no seniors from a 19-person roster. “As we begin this new journey, I hope to help the program continue to grow and develop into a competitive team within the conference,” said Ott. “As we improve and cultivate on-ice skills, systems, and chemistry, we also hope to continue growing the program off the ice as a positive community presence and a program defined by our positive attitudes and values.”
“We are confident that our program has a solid foundation with committed players that are ready for building our success on the ice,” said Ish. “Jordan’s experiences both as a player and a coach have prepared her for this next step. I’m looking forward to seeing our program continue grow and compete next year.”
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What They Said About Jordan Ott
“What the King’s community can expect from Jordan as a person and as a coach, will be someone that is a people person. Jordan is a very outgoing, caring, energetic individual and it will be difficult not to notice those traits once she settles into her new environment. As a coach she is passionate about hockey and has an interest in improving player skills as individuals and developing an on ice product that will produce success for the King’s program.” – Jay Green, Head Women’s Ice Hockey Coach, SUNY Potsdam
“I would say that Jordan’s compassion and professionalism really ring true whenever she interacts with others. She makes a point of listening to others carefully, and recognizes that everyone – no matter what their role with the team may be – brings something to the table. Jordan recognizes each player’s value, and she is able to pull the best out of everybody.” – Nate Oliver, Community Coordinator, Buffalo Beauts
“I had the pleasure of being Jordan’s hockey coach throughout her pee-wee seasons. While coaching the team, it became noticeable Jordan had a natural talent for playing the game. In my opinion, Jordan has heart for the game and is constantly looking for areas of improvement. King’s fans can expect an enthusiastic, determined and hard-working coach.” – Wayne Wells, Former Youth Coach
“This is very exciting news for both our team and the future of our program. Right after getting to interview Jordan Ott for the head coach position, I knew that with her values and beliefs as a coach and a as a person, she would take our team to the next level. I look forward to starting our season!” – Mary Deyell, King’s College Women’s Ice Hockey Senior Forward
