ICE CATS COACH BIOS AND CONTACT INFO

Ice Cats Hockey Director, Kendall Cornine is a NJ native, attended Morristown-Beard School where she set the New Jersey high school all-time scoring record with 199 points (104 goals and 95 assists) and was named the New Jersey High School Player of the Year in 2015. She was also named the New Jersey Devils High School Player of the Year in 2014 and 2015. Cornine went on to play collegiate hockey at the Rochester Institute of Technology, where she captained the team her junior and senior seasons, and holds RIT’s all-time leading scorer title at the Division I era. Her career continued at the professional level - after her senior season, Cornine was the second-round draft pick by the Metropolitan Riveters of the National Women’s Hockey League (NWHL/PHF), where she played for four seasons. Her coaching career started with the New Jersey Colonials organization where she served as the Director of the Tier 1 Girls program and coached across the U8 through U16 level (2019-2021). She also coached the boys and girls varsity hockey teams at the Morristown-Beard School (2019-2021). Before joining the Ice Cats organization, Cornine spent multiple seasons within the Mid-Fairfield Hockey Club. She is a level 4 certified USA Hockey Coach. Cornine is also a Physical Education Teacher and Coach at New Canaan Country School.

Kaycie Anderson is originally from Minnesota where she played 5 years of varsity hockey for Orono High. She also spent time with the Minnesota Crunch hockey club. Kaycie went on to play Division 3 hockey at Norwich University. After college, Kaycie started her professional career with the Connecticut Whale, and finished with the Metropolitan Riveters. 



Jordan Brickner A native of the Chicagoland area, Jordan attended Hotchkiss School where she played four seasons for the Bearcats, as well as the Mid Fairfield CT Stars. Jordan played 2 seasons at Colgate followed by 2 at the University of Wisconsin. After a successful college career, Brickner played in Europe with the Salzburg Eagles and Hockey Club Lugano and as a member of the CT Whale of the NWHL. 

Jordan also coaches teams, clinics, camps, and lessons at Twin Rinks, home of Connecticut’s premier spring hockey program, the CT Breakers. Established in collaboration with DYHA, Twin Rinks programming, and the CT Breakers provide players the opportunity to train with top-end coaches in a travel hockey environment while still allowing them to play spring sports. More information on the CT Breakers program can be found here: Twin Rinks Stamford – Where champions are born.



Michael Carlucci grew up playing “A” level travel hockey for 8 years where he won 6 CHC state titles and 2 New England Regional Championships. He played on Team Connecticut, 4 years of Trinity Catholic Varsity Hockey, earning 2 State Championships and 1 State title, followed by 2 years of University of Connecticut Club hockey. Mike’s extensive coaching career includes the Greenwich Blues, Trinity Catholic High School, the New England Generals, and the New Canaan Winter Club. Mike has also been Hockey Director for the Rinks at Shelton and SoNo Ice House and Travel Hockey Coordinator for the Fairfield Ice Academy. Mike’s most important contribution to youth hockey the area been through the creation of the longest running, successful spring hockey program, CT United Spring Hockey (originally known as CT Flames). Founded in 2011, this 10-week, professionally coached program focuses on skill development that isn’t possible during a regular-season schedule with regular games. https://ctunitedhockey.com/ Mike's dedication to our young hockey players is both generous and inspiring to watch. contact info   privatehockey@gmail.com, 203-912-0873

Johnnie Chiapperino started playing hockey at age four in Whitestone, N.Y. where he was a winger on offense and filled in on defense, as well. He became known for his gritty play and growing abilities. Chiapperino played for a number of teams out of Suffolk and Nassau counties on Long Island along with the New York Apple Core, a premier New York junior program, then went on to play in British Columbia and Vancouver, making a name for himself.

Chiapperino would eventually travel across the seas on his hockey journey to places like Switzerland, Sweden, and Finland as he pursued his dream of being a professional player. During his time in Switzerland, he started double-duty as the team's athletic trainer, as well, which exposed him to the coaching side of the game. He has also previously served as Ice Hockey Director at Fairfield Ice Academy.

Darnell Dorival

Cassie Dunne, a Chestnut Hill PA native, attended Penn State University where she captained the ACHA D1 team her senior year. She continued her playing career professionally with the Connecticut Whale and Metropolitan Riveters of the National Women's Hockey League. Cassie began her coaching career with our very own Ice Cats while playing for the Whale. She then spent time with the Philadelphia JR Flyers U16 and U19 teams.



Brett Farson also coaches teams, clinics, camps, and lessons at Twin Rinks, home of Connecticut’s premier spring hockey program, the CT Breakers. Established in collaboration with DYHA, Twin Rinks programming, and the CT Breakers provide players the opportunity to train with top-end coaches in a travel hockey environment while still allowing them to play spring sports. More information on the CT Breakers program can be found here: Twin Rinks Stamford – Where champions are born.



Brooke Kudirka is originally from Omaha Nebraska and grew up playing for the St. Louis Blues Hockey Club. She played Division 1 hockey at St. Cloud State University. After college Brooke began her coaching career with the Little Caesars U12 AAA team. After moving to Connecticut, Brooke has been coaching for Mid fairfield with their Bantam A1 team. 

Alyssa Monahan is a current member of the Manhattanville Women's Ice Hockey team. She spent her youth career playing with the Brewster Bull Dogs.



Pete Moseley

Ava Panzer is a recent graduate of Manhattanville College. Ava was a member of the Womens Ice Hockey and Field Hockey teams. She is originally from Pawling NY, and grew up playing for Pawling Youth Hockey organization. Ava currently coaches for Darien Youth Field Hockey and CT Elite. We are thrilled to have Ava join our team. 



Lindsey Reihl

Taylor Rolston is a Michigan native who grew up playing for the Little Caesars Hockey Club before doing a postgraduate year at Choate Rosemary Hall. She went on to play Division 1 hockey at Yale University. Taylor continued her playing career professionally with the Connecticut Whale and Metropolitan Riveters of the National Women's Hockey League. 



Chris Taliercio is originally from New Jersey where he grew up playing for the Morris County Colonials organization. After leaving NJ, Chris attended Cardigan Mountain School for 9^th grade, followed by St. Paul’s School. He went on to play Division I college hockey at Dartmouth College. After a successful 4-year college career for the Big Green, Chris continued to play the following 3 seasons with the Minnesota Wild and Florida Panthers organizations in the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL). Currently, Chris and his wife Chelsea reside in New Canaan with their 3 children. Chris has coached at various camps throughout his career and post-playing career, including Elite Hockey Camps and Robbie Glantz Power Skating. He is a USA Hockey Level 4 certified coach and coached at both the NCWC and DYHA Ice Cats Programs, most recently the Ice Cat u10A1 teams.  

Jay Thornhill hails from Montreal, Quebec. He began his playing career stateside at the Loomis Chaffee School. He was a member of the soccer, hockey, and track teams. He went on to play soccer and track at St. Lawrence University. He started his coaching and teaching career back at Loomis, before moving to the Hotchkiss School. Jay also served as the Athletic Liaison of Admissions while at Hotchkiss. After Hotchkiss, he took on the role of Assistant Athletic Director, PE Teacher, and coach at the New Canaan Country School. Jay is also the boys varsity hockey coach at NCCS. 

Jamie Tropsa began playing hockey at the age of 5 on the ponds. He then played organized hockey with MidFairfield Youth Hockey. He played for Stamford High School, coached by Al Gurney who is instrumental in the success of Darien High School girls hockey program. He went on to play for Suffolk University where he was a 2 year MVP and team captain. After college he came back to Stamford and opened his business Blue Line Sports at the Darien Ice Rink. He continued my partnership with Al Gurney running summer hockey camp, Darien Hockey School, now in its 35th year and renamed Blue Line Hockey Academy. Jamie has coached ice hockey at all levels. He coached 1 year at Iona College, 5 years with the Darien High School Boys, 13 years with the New Canaan High School boys, and continues to coach the Darien High School girls team. Along the way he coached Mites, Squirts and Peewee house teams at DYHA. He also coached Bantam and Midget boys. Jamie has been a coach within the extremely successful Ice Cats girls program, switching coaching duties between U12 and U14 and now currently with the U10 and U19. 2013 was a “banner” year for Jamie as Darien High School girls team won their 2nd FCIAC championship and his IceCats U14 team made it all the way to the finals at the National Tournament where they earned a silver medal. He was also honored with FCIAC co-coach of the year and the SCHRA Walt Mather Coach of The Year at the youth hockey level. Jamie's passion is hockey, and his goal every season is to teach and inspire young hockey players to love and learn the game. 

Gray Weicker started playing hockey at the age of seven as goalie, a position he stayed with throughout his entire hockey career. Moving through the town leagues and travel teams, he played for the New York Westsiders and Bergen Rockland Rangers in the Metropolitan Junior Hockey Association. In 1979 Grey was recruited by St. Lawrence University. A successful four years of varsity hockey culminated in being named captain and All American Goalie his senior year. Gray signed a contract with the Hartford Whalers in 1983 and played in their farm system in Utica and Binghamton, NY. Gray then began a successful career in the financial industry on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. He was drawn into coaching girls hockey when he started coaching my daughters in 2001 and continues to coach girls to this day. Gray finds that in coaching hockey he receives more fulfillment from teaching something he is passionate about and having a positive impact on his players overall personal development, than he did throughout his business career. Gray's goal is always to find a way to bring out the best of each individual player, to the benefit of the entire team.