Granite City Lumberjacks

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Coaches

Brad Willner - Head Coach/General Manager

Brad Willner is entering his third year with the Granite City Lumberjacks hockey program. Prior to joining the Lumberjacks, Willner was the Head Coach and General Manager of the Alexandria Blizzard of the North American Hockey League for four seasons (2005-09). While there, he led the Blizzard to four straight playoff appearances and captured the Central Division Playoff Championship and earned a spot at the Robertson Cup Championship during the 2007-08 season. During his tenure, Willner helped promote 38 players onto the college hockey scene. (10 Division I, 28 Division III).

Before heading up Alexandria, Willner spent five seasons with St. Cloud State University (2000-05), where he served as an assistant coach in charge of academics, NCAA team compliance, team travel, video breakdown, while helping in recruiting and on and off ice instruction.

During his time at SCSU, the Huskies won the 2001 WCHA Final Five and had 36 players earning WCHA All-Academic honors. Prior to SCSU, Willner served as an assistant coach with Providence College (1996-2000) helping them recruit two NCAA All-Americans and placing 26 players on the Hockey East Academic Honor Roll.

Willner has also coached in seven USA Hockey Select Festivals and assisted with the US Under 17 Team in Huttwil, Switzerland, which won the Gold at the Five Nations Tournament in August of 2005.

Before entering his coaching career, Willner, a fourth round draft choice by the New Jersey Devils in 1991 (77th pick), played professional hockey for the Albany River Rats (AHL) and Raleigh Ice Caps (ECHL) in 1995-96 before suffering a career ending injury. Willner played collegiate hockey for Lake Superior State University winning two NCAA Championships (1992, 1994) and three Central Collegiate Hockey League (CCHA) championships (1992, 1993 and 1995). He also earned Academic All-American Honors in 1995.

Willner played junior hockey for the St. Paul Vulcans, which won the Gold Cup in 1991.

Brad, his wife Alyssa and son Jude, currently reside in Kimball, MN.

Howard 'Jimmy' Borden - Associate Head Coach / Recruiting Coordinator

Howie is in his third year with the Lumberjacks. Before joining the Jacks, he spent 3 years as an Assistant Coach and Head Scout for the Alexandria Blizzard of the North American Hockey League. No stranger to the MnJHL, Borden spent 4 years with the Minnesota Ice Hawks as an Associate Coach and Head Scout helping build a team that won two consecutive MnJHL Playoff Championships, two Regular Season Championships and three straight National Tournament appearances. Coach Borden has also helped coach with the Midwest Elite II High School League.

Mat Hall - Assistant Coach

This will be Mat’s fourth season of coaching with the Lumberjacks. He grew up in St. Cloud, Minnesota, playing High School hockey for St. Cloud Cathedral and was one of the captains for the 2004 State Tournament Team.

After high school, Mat played one year of Midget AAA for the Russell Stover Stars based out of Overland Park , KS. After AAA, he played two years of Junior Hockey. First playing for the Minnesota Ice Hawks of the MNJHL, finishing 3^rd at the National Tournament. In his final year, he played in the Ontario Provincial Hockey League for the Oswego Admirals.

After Juniors Mat went on to play college Hockey for the University of St. Mary’s.

Mat is currently the 5^th generation of Hall’s to be employed by Mathew Hall Lumber.