St. Cloud State head coach Bob Motzko, who has led the Huskies to four straight NCAA Tournaments and the 2016 NCHC playoff championship, will lead the United States in the 2017 World Junior Championship, USA Hockey announced.
Motzko returns to the bench at the event after serving as an assistant coach under Minnesota head coach Don Lucia at the 2014 tournament.
"It is a real honor to be asked to lead your country in what is considered one of the greatest hockey tournaments on the hockey calendar," said Motzko. "The growth of talent in the United States has turned us into a perennial medal contender and I expect this year to be no different. I'm excited for this challenge and eager to begin preparations for our National Junior Evaluation Camp in August as we start shaping our team for the World Junior Championship in December."
Motzko is in his 11th season at St. Cloud State, his alma mater. The Huskies finished 31-9-1 this year, the third-best record in the nation. He has been named NCHC Coach of the Year once and WCHA Coach of the Year twice.
Bob has found success everywhere he has coached and we're excited to have him as head coach of our National Junior Team," said Jim Johannson, assistant executive director for hockey operations at USA Hockey, who will also serve as general manager of the 2017 U.S. National Junior Team. "He has a familiarity with our player pool that should blend well with his ability to get the most out of players and we look forward to his leadership."