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Clarkson University Athletics

CLARKSON HOCKEY COACHING STAFF

Houle on Bench

Jean-François Houle '96
The Leonard S. Ceglarski Head Men's Hockey Head Coach
Alma Mater: Clarkson '97
Email: houle@clarkson.edu
Phone: 315-268-3874

The Clarkson Golden Knights are proud to announce the 12th coach in the history of the Men's Ice Hockey program, and he is one who needs little introduction to the Green and Gold alumni and fans.  

Jean-François Houle '97 has accepted the position as The Leonard S. Ceglarski Head Men's Hockey Head Coach in June of 2024 and immediately made an impact, leading the team to a 24 win season and the Championship Game of the ECAC Tournament.  

"I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to return and coach at my Alma Mater. I am excited about the future of Clarkson Hockey and eager to continue the rich history of the program."  said Houle.  "I am looking forward to becoming a mentor and instilling the Clarkson University Values to the next generation of student-athletes. My family and I have forged some deep friendships within the community and we are happy to make Potsdam home again."

In his first season as Head Coach, Houle was named the ECAC Coach of the Year, along with having a record night at the ECAC Awards Banquet.  The Clarkson Coaching Staff had the ECAC Player of the Year, Defensemen of the Year, Goalie of the Year, three first team All ECAC, a second team All ECAC, and an All Rookie Team member.  Two Golden Knights were named All American and well as Ayrton Martino being a Top Ten Hobey Baker Finalist.  Two Knights also inked NHL contracts at the end of the season.

Houle returned to Clarkson after nine seasons in the American Hockey League (the NHL's top feeder program), the last three as the Head Coach of the Laval Rocket, Montreal's top development team. In his role with the Rocket, he has developed what many in NHL circles believe is the best corps of young talent in the league. In 2022, his team captured the Montreal region when he took the team to the Conference Finals.  While with the Bakersfield Condors, the Edmonton Oilers top farm team, from 2015 to 2021, Houle helped develop a significant portion of the current Oilers roster that reached the Stanley Cup Finals in 2024.

Houle has a dual connection to Potsdam as a player and coach for the Golden Knights. He enrolled in the fall of 1993 as one of the most highly-touted recruits in the NCAA. A 1993 NHL draft pick of his hometown Canadians (99th overall pick), Houle made an impact right away, registering 25 points in his rookie campaign, which ranked him sixth on the team that season.  By his senior year, he and Todd White co-captained the team to the ECAC's regular-season title and a number-one seed in the NCAA Regionals. In total, Houle played 143 games with the Golden Knights, scoring 49 goals with 129 points overall, but most fans remember his devastating hip checks and his emergence as one of the best penalty killers in college hockey.  

"People who have been following Golden Knights hockey since we moved into Cheel Arena know JF was among the all-time fan favorites, who played every shift  as if it was an overtime in the national championship.  With work ethic, passion, loyalty and love for Clarkson hockey and the Potsdam Community, JF is the proven leader we need. He has a deep understanding of our program's values and a strong commitment to student athlete excellence both on and off the ice," Athletic Director Kane said.

After a pro career in the AHL and ECHL, Houle would return to Clarkson in 2003 as an assistant under new head coach George Roll. Houle quickly helped the Knights back into contention in the ECAC, as the Knights advanced to the ECAC Championship game in 2004 and then won the ECAC Championship title in 2007, as well as an ECAC regular-season title in 2008, with the team advancing to the NCAA Tournament in both seasons. In his years as assistant coach, Houle was an integral part of recruiting and developing a great corp of Clarkson All-Americans and professional players, including Steve Zalewski, Grant Clitsome, David Leggio, Nick Dodge, and Shawn Weller.  

Houle would leave Potsdam in 2009 to take over as Head Coach with the Lewiston Maineiacs of the QMJHL. After the team folded, he was immediately hired back in the greater Montreal region by the Armada of Blainville-Boisbriand in the "Q". In that position, he was named the 2012 Coach of the Year, and also was a finalist for the award in 2014. 

JF and his wife, Mia, have been returning to Potsdam over the last year, as their son Noah is entering his junior year at Clarkson. Their eldest daughter Emma recently graduated from UC Santa Cruz and is now enrolled in graduate level work at SUNY Potsdam, and they have a seven year old daughter, Lucy.   
Houle in 96

























 


Associate Head Coach - Chris Brooks

BrooksClarkson added Chris Brooks to the staff in the summer of 2022.  Chris will be joining Clarkson after six seasons at Michigan Tech of the CCHA and is a coach with an extensive experience at the professional and collegiate levels both as a Head Coach and Assistant Coach.

From 2017-18 season to the 2021-22 season, Brooks was the Assistant Men's Hockey Coach at Michigan Tech, where he played an integral role in recruiting, special teams, specifically the power play and the team's defensive corps.  In his time at Michigan Tech, the Huskies, have qualified for the NCAA Tournament in 2018 and 2022 (would have qualified in 2020 had the season not been shut down) and won a WCHA Title also in 2018.  Last season Michigan Tech split two games here at Cheel with the Golden Knights.

As a Head Coach, Brooks won the 2016 NCAA Div. III National Championship with the University of Wisconsin Stevens Point where he coached from 2011- 2017.

In 2013-14 and 2014-15 he led UW-Stevens Point to back-to-back national runner-up finishes in its first appearance in the NCAA Division III postseason in 16 years. The berth in the Frozen Four in 2013-14 was the first for the Pointers since 1998. In 2013-14 the Pointers recorded a 22-6-2 record and the 22 wins were the most by a UWSP team since 1999-2000 and then again in 2014-15 the Pointers had a 23-7-1 record.  Brooks and the Pointers won the WIAC Championship in 2015-16 for the program's first time since 1993 and won it again in 2016-17.  

Brooks was honored for his success by being named a finalist for the Edward Jeremiah Award, given to the Division III Coach of the Year in 2014, 2015, and 2016 compiling a record of 67-18-5 over those three seasons.  Brooks was named the WIAC Co-Coach of the Year in 2015-16 and the USCHO.com Division III Coach of the Year that same season.

His Head Coaching experience also extended into professional hockey, where he coached the Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees of the Central Hockey League from 2008 to 2011

Brooks got his start in coaching at Western Michigan from 1999 to 2008, where he started as an Assistant Coach and then was named Associate Head Coach.  Brooks also played for the Broncos from the 1992-93 season thru to the 1995-96 campaign.  He was the CCHA Rookie of the Year in 1993, Asst. Captain in his Sr. season and finished as the Broncos 8th all-time leading scorer with 184 points.  Brooks also played professionally after Western Michigan for the Amarillo Rattlers of the CHL/WPHL where he was named WPHL League MVP in 1997, and for Mobile in the ECHL.  He also saw playoff action in the AHL with Springfield.  

Brooks, originally from Stratford, Ontario, received his MA in Communication in 2007 and a BA in Organizational Communication in 1996 both from Western Michigan University.

 
Assistant Coach - Cory Leivermann

Clarkson University Men's Hockey is proud to announce the addition of Corey Leivermann to its coaching staff ahead of the 2025–26 season. Leivermann will serve as an Assistant Coach on Head Coach JF Houle's staff.  Leivermann is bringing with him a wealth of experience across the NCAA, USHL, and NAHL ranks.
 
A native of North Mankato, Minnesota, Leivermann joins the Golden Knights after spending last season in the ECAC with the Cornell Big Red.  Leivermann helped the Big Red to a big playoff run which included an ECAC Championship and a berth in the NCAA Tournament.
 
"Corey is a great fit for our outstanding coaching staff, he is a young energetic coach with an exceptional ability to recruit NCAA Talent." said Coach Houle. Houle went on to say "Corey excels in skill development and his knowledge of the game and his ability to communicate and use video analytics to help the new generation of players is a great asset to our storied program. As the landscape of college hockey is changing at a rapid pace, Corey's past year experience of recruiting at the CHL and USHL level ensures a seamless transition."
 
Leivermann made the move to the College Rank following a record-setting season as Associate Head Coach of the Fargo Force (USHL). In 2023–24, he helped guide the Force to a league-best 50-win campaign and a Clark Cup championship, while also coaching in the 2024 Chipotle All-American Game, a showcase for the nation's top NHL Draft-eligible talent.
 
Leivermann's coaching pedigree includes prior stints as GM and Head Coach of the Madison Capitols (USHL), Head Coach of the Janesville Jets (NAHL), and scouting and coaching roles across multiple junior leagues. Known for his keen eye for talent and player development, Leivermann has played a pivotal role in moving dozens of players on to NCAA Division I programs and the professional ranks.
 
As a player, Leivermann starred at Minnesota State before finishing his NCAA career as team captain at Gustavus Adolphus College, where he earned AHCA Second Team All-American honors. He also competed professionally with the Mississippi RiverKings (SPHL).  Leivermann holds a BS degree in Management from Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, MN.  Corey and his wife Tanya have ties to the Potsdam area and are familiar with the North Country and they are eager to make Potsdam their home.
 
Leivermann will be involved in all aspects of the program, including player development, video analysis, recruiting coordination, and day-to-day operations.
 
Assistant Coach - Sebastian Ragno
 
RagnoClarkson is excited to announce the addition of Sebastian Ragno to the Men's Hockey Coaching Staff, in the role of the newly created Assistant Coach Position.  Ragno will join, Ceglarski Head Coach, JF Houle, Associate Coach Brooks, and Assistant Coach Leivermann on the Men's bench this season. 
 
In the summer of 2023, the NCAA expanded the size allowable for college hockey programs from 2 paid assistants to 3 full time assistants.  In the 2023-24 season both the Men and Women shared Cam Basarab as that 3rd assistant.  This season, Cam has been named the assistant exclusively with the Women's Hockey staff and Sebastion becomes the 3rd assistant with the Men's Program.
 
Ragno comes to the Knights after spending last season with Stonehill College, where he worked with goaltenders and assisted in skill sessions and recruiting.  Sebastian also worked with the goaltenders from the Women's program at Brown University.  Ragno has also worked with Stop It Goaltending in Foxboro and has been on staff at multiple USA Hockey Development Camps.  
 
With the Knights, Ragno will work with goaltenders and run on ice skill sessions along with help with recruiting.

Strength & Conditioning Coach - Tad Johnson
Tad

Over the past twelve years, the Clarkson Hockey programs have benefited greatly from the experience, passion, and knowledge of Tad Johnson. Clarkson added a key member to the staff with the announcement of Johnson as the new Strength & Conditioning Coach for the Green and Gold's hockey programs in the fall of 2013.

"Tad has a great knowledge and passion for the development of athletes and will be a big asset for our program going forward," stated Clarkson Men's Hockey Coach Casey Jones upon Johnson's hiring. "We are excited and very confident that Tad will challenge and push our players to be their best, helping them reach their individual and team goals."

The past nine seasons, the Knights have been one of the best-conditioned teams in the nation and have proven to be one of the toughest teams to play against on opponents' schedules.

In 2013-14, 2016-17, and 2017-18 Johnson was a driving force for the Golden Knights Women's team, helping them build the endurance and strength necessary to win NCAA titles.

Johnson came to Clarkson from the University of Minnesota where he served as an assistant strength and conditioning coach since January 2012. While with the Gophers he worked with numerous athletic teams, including men's and women's hockey, implementing strength and conditioning programs along with performing and managing all athlete testing and tracking.

In 2012-13 Johnson played a key role in helping the University of Minnesota's Women's Hockey team build the endurance and strength to complete a 41-0 season with the 2013 national championship. Johnson has also worked with former Gopher professional athletes in hockey, swimming and basketball.

"Joining the Clarkson Hockey programs is a very exciting opportunity for me", stated Johnson when he was hired. "It is an exciting time to be a Golden Knight. The passion of the University and the town for Golden Knight hockey is outstanding. Coaches and administrators dedicated to helping the athletes reach their individual and team goals is what every strength coach is looking for, and I have found that at Clarkson."

Johnson holds a Bachelor's of Science degree in Human Performance and Fitness from Northern State University (August 2010) and a Master's of Education degree in Applied Kinesiology (May, 2012) from the University of Minnesota.

Johnson and his wife, Alycia make their home in Potsdam with their young sons, Jacory and Blaize.