Former Air Force player and assistant coach Joe Doyle is returning to his alma mater as the Falcons’ new assistant coach, replacing Mike Corbett, who was named the head coach at Alabama-Huntsville in July.
Doyle, a 1989 Academy graduate, served as an assistant coach with the Falcons from 1994-98 and from 2002-06. He comes to the Academy from USA Hockey where he was a regional director of the American Development Model from 2009-13.
“I am extremely excited to return to the Air Force Academy, work with the amazing student-athletes and support the mission of producing tremendous Air Force officers,” Doyle said in a news release. “I have to thank Dr. Hans Mueh and Derm Coll for this opportunity and am so excited to again work with Frank Serratore and his staff and continue their pursuit of championships both on and off the ice. I need to thank the leadership and hockey department at USA Hockey for their support and confidence over the last four years. The experiences and opportunities they have afforded me have made this college hockey opportunity a reality. I will continue to support and advocate all things USA Hockey as they truly offer the best youth sports experience in the world.”
A four-year letterman for the Falcons as a forward, Doyle is a member of the Academy’s Hockey Wall of Fame. During his junior and senior years, he was selected as the team’s MVP and was a part of the first class in AFA history to post four consecutive winning seasons. He played in 110 career games and posted 126 points on 57 goals and 69 assists.
“We are excited to have Joe back in the fold,” Serratore added. “He is one of our program’s all-time greats and did a terrific job for us early in his coaching career. The experience he gained with USA Hockey will enable him to bring even more to the table this time around.”
In 2006, Doyle spent a year in Baghdad, Iraq, where he spearheaded an effort to train Iraqis at Camp Rustamiyah. Doyle retired from the Air Force in 2009 after serving 20 years on active duty and earning numerous awards.