Women's Hockey Coaches
Jeff Giesen
Head Coach
Alma Mater: St. Cloud State, 1993
Hometown: St. Cloud, MN
Phone: 320-308-4806
E-mail: womenshockey@stcloudstate.edu
Jennifer Kranz
Assistant Coach
Jennifer Kranz, a native of Waukesha, Wis., completed her second season on the SCSU women's hockey staff in 2007-08. Prior to joining the Husky staff in 2006, Kranz served as the assistant girls' prep ice hockey coach at Shattuck-St. Mary's School in Faribault, Minn., since 2004.
At SCSU, Kranz's responsibilities include recruiting, working with the forwards and monitoring team academics.
No stranger to the game, Kranz was a member of the Providence College women's varsity ice hockey team from 1998-2002. She tallied 22 points (12 g,10a) in 104 career games played with the Friars. After graduating from Providence College with a bachelor's of arts in English in 2002, Kranz joined the Shattuck-St. Mary's School as the assistant coach for the girls' junior prep ice hockey team. In 2003, Kranz was promoted to the head coach position for the girls' junior prep ice hockey team.
During her tenure at Shattuck-St. Mary's, Kranz also served as an academic advisor for the student-athletes, and for two years, was in charge of the community service coordinator responsibilities for the girls' hockey program.
Kranz served as the Team Leader at the 15/16's USA Player Development Camp in Lake Placid in 2006 and 2007, and has been actively involved with the Wisconsin Amateur Hockey Association since 2000 serving as an evaluator.
You can contact Coach Kranz at womenshockey@stcloudstate.edu.
Jason Johnson
Assistant Coach
Jason Johnson joined the SCSU women's hockey staff in 2007-08 after serving as an assistant men's hockey coach at nearby Saint John's University since 2003 under the helm of head coach John Harrington, a former SCSU men's assistant coach and Olympic Gold Medalist.
During Johnson's coaching years at SJU, the Johnnies won back-to-back Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) titles in 2003-04 and 2004-05.
No stranger to the game of hockey, Johnson played four years at Saint John's University and tallied 59 points (27g, 32a) in 95 career games played for the Johnnies. His senior season, SJU finished third at the 1997 Division III National Tournament. Of note, Coach Jeff Giesen was the assistant coach at SJU during that time.
Following his playing days, Johnson began his coaching career in 1998 at SJU as the head men's junior varsity hockey coach. The following season in 1999, Johnson took the assistant boys' hockey coaching position in the school district where he was teaching, St. Michael-Albertville, and coached hockey there until 2003. Since 2002, he has served on the evaluation staff for the Minnesota Advanced 17 Festival and has also served as an assistant coach at the Minnesota Advanced 15 Development Camp.
Johnson's responsibilities at St. Cloud State will include recruiting, video breakdown and working with the defensemen.
For the past nine years, Johnson has been a first grade teacher at the Albertville Primary School. During his tenure in the St. Michael- Albertville school district, Johnson was a lead instructor for third and fourth grade football and he was the head girls' ninth grade softball coach from 1998-2006. Most recently, he was the head coach for the girls' varsity softball team in 2007.
A resident of St. Michael and 2003 graduate of Hamline University with a master's of arts in education, Johnson and his wife Rachel have two sons, JP and Jack.
You can contact Coach Johnson at womenshockey@stcloudstate.edu.
Ian Andersen
Volunteer Goalie Coach
Ian Andersen joined the Husky women’s hockey coaching staff for the first time in 2007-08 as the volunteer goaltending coach. His most recent experience was working with the Minnesota Wild organization as the video coordinator from 2005-2007. Andersen also served as an assistant to the head coach at Michigan State University from 2003-2005, and gained hockey operations experience at the University of Notre Dame from 2000-2003.
No stranger to the game of hockey and the goaltending position, Andersen played four years at Saint John’s University (Minn.) from 1995-1999 as a goaltender for the Johnnies. During his collegiate career, SJU made four Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) playoff appearances, were crowned the MIAC regular season and playoff champions in 1996 and 1997, and also made NCAA Division III playoff appearances in 1996 and 1997, finishing third in the country in 1997.
Currently residing in St. Paul, Minn., Andersen earned his bachelor’s of arts degree from SJU in 1999.
You can contact Coach Andersen at womenshockey@stcloudstate.edu.
Rachel Solgon
Video Production Manager
Rachel Solgon finished her second season with the Husky staff as the video production manager after playing four years on the SCSU women’s hockey team from 2002-2006. During her tenure with the Huskies, Solgon was named the team’s Most Dedicated Player her junior and senior seasons. Playing in a total of 97 career games, Solgon tallied one goal and two assists her senior season.
After receiving her bachelor’s of science in political science from SCSU in May of 2006, Solgon is currently working on her master’s of science in sports management at SCSU. A native of Tucson, Ariz., Solgon resides in St. Cloud.
You can contact Rachel Solgon at womenshockey@stcloudstate.edu.
Jeremiah Minkel
Equipment Manager
Jeremiah Minkel is a 13-year veteran in the SCSU equipment room. He begins his seventh season as the team's equipment manager on a full-time basis at SCSU in 2006-07. He serves as the director of equipment operations for both the men's and women's hockey teams at SCSU, and he also oversees the entire SCSU hockey equipment room staff. His duties include equipment procurement, locker room organization for both home and away games and complete maintenance of the team's equipment. He is widely recognized as one of the top skate technicians in the WCHA, and his work has helped several SCSU players advance to the NHL - including Pittsburgh's Ryan Malone, Colorado's Tyler Arnason, Columbus' Duvie Westcott and Anaheim's (Stanley Cup champs) Mark Hartigan and Joe Motzko. A graduate of SCSU, Minkel hails from nearby New London, Minn. and he attended New London-Spicer H.S. Minkel enjoys hunting and fishing in his spare time.
If you would like to contact Jeremiah Minkel, please call 320-308-4806 or e-mail him at jdminkel@stcloudstate.edu.
Bryan DeMaine
Athletic Trainer
A three-year veteran at SCSU, Bryan DeMaine serves as the men's hockey athletic trainer. He most recently served as athletic trainer/strength and conditioning coach at St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minn. from 2003-2005. His duties at St. Olaf included working as the head athletic trainer for that school's football, men's and women's hockey and the outdoor track and field program. He was affiliated with the Center for Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation during his time at St. Olaf.
DeMaine also worked as the head athletic trainer/strength and conditioning coach at the North Dakota State College of Science from Aug. 2002 through Sept. 2003. At NDSCS, DeMaine worked with that school's football, volleyball, men's basketball and women's basketball programs. As a graduate student at SCSU, DeMaine worked with the St. Cloud Orthopedics Associates and was an on-site trainer for home athletic contests at the College of St. Benedict and St. John's University. He is certified by the National Athletic Trainers Board of Certification.
Bryan DeMaine is a 2000 graduate of the University of Mary and earned his Masters of Science from SCSU in 2004.
Joshua Stuhr
Athletic Trainer
Joshua Stuhr completed his second season as the SCSU women’s hockey athletic trainer. A native of Marion, Wisconsin, Stuhr graduated from Minnesota State University, Mankato in May of 2005 with a bachelor’s of science degree in athletic training. From 2005-06 he served as the Assistant Athletic Trainer at the University of Minnesota, Crookston, working with their hockey team. Stuhr also gained experience working with J. Robinson Hockey Camps this past summer. Currently residing in St. Cloud, Stuhr is working towards a master's of science degree in sports administration at SCSU.
Travis Zins
Strength & Conditioning Coach
Zins completed his third season as head strength and conditioning coordinator at SCSU. He has served as an assistant track and field coach at SCSU since 2000, and comes to the athletic program as one of the best throwers in SCSU history. A four-time national participant, Zins is also a four-time North Central Conference champion and two-time All-American in the shot put. He was the national runner up in the 2000 Division II Indoor National Championships and received All-NCC honors numerous times in the shot put, discus, hammer, and weight throw. A native of Nicollet, MN, Zins received his bachelor¹s of science in physical education in 2002 from SCSU and is currently working towards his master¹s of science in exercise science from SCSU. Zins currently resides in Waite Park.
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