Former Hobart standout fills operations coordinator position for Engineers
TROY, N.Y. – Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) Associate Vice President & Director of Athletics Dr. Lee McElroy has announced the hiring of Ryan Michel as the Operations Coordinator. A native of Camillus, New York, he will work with the men’s hockey program.
“Ryan is a tremendous addition to our staff,” said fifth-year head coach Dave Smith. “His experience as a player and a coach in pro hockey will bring positive new ideas into our environment. He has values that align with the terrific culture within our hockey program, and when you put that with his work ethic, I am very excited for his future. He comes highly recommended from many respected in the game of hockey and we are fortunate to have him join our school and hockey program.”
Among Michel’s responsibilities are video coordination, including breaking down game tapes, preparation and pre-scouting for upcoming opponents, team travel coordination and various administrative duties.
Prior to joining the Engineers, Michel held various coaching positions with Macon Mayhem of the Southern Professional Hockey League (SPHL). His roles included, head coach, associate head coach and director of player development. He first joined the Mayhem is a player during the 2015-16 season, before taking an assistant coaching spot in 2018. On the ice, he notched nine goals and 25 assists for 34 points over 78 games.
Michel’s college hockey coaching experience came in 2017-18, when he was an assistant at SUNY Oneonta. For the Red Dragons, he worked on the defensive side of the puck, creating weekly skill sessions. He was also the team’s recruiting coordinator.
Since 2017, Michel has been an instructor for Salt City Prospects, where he created and instructed practice plans for junior prep school players, working closely with coaches from the NCAA, USHL and prep levels.
A 2015 graduate of Hobart College, Michel played 93 games for the Statesmen, recording eight goals and 60 assists for 68 points from the blue line. He was the Boswell Award winner as the team MVP following his senior year, while earning All-ECAC West First Team honors three times. He finished his college hockey career ranked ninth on Hobart’s all-time assists list.
The Engineers open the 2021-22 season with an exhibition game against area-rival Union College on Saturday in Schenectady (4pm). RPI then hosts Bowling Green for a two-game series on October 8 and 9 at the Houston Field House.
