Michigan State coach Danton Cole has completed his coaching staff with the hiring of Chris Luongo and Joe Exter as assistant coaches.
Luongo and Exter will join current director of hockey operations Brad Fast and volunteer goaltending coach Jason Muzzatti to round out the Spartan coaching staff.
“I am eager to have both Chris and Joe join our staff here at Michigan State,” Cole said in a statement. “It is an exciting day, and I know they are ready to be a part of continuing the Spartan hockey tradition of excellence. Both are outstanding coaches, great fathers and exceptional role models for our student-athletes.
“Chris and I have worked together several times since we were teammates at MSU. He is an incredibly driven coach with a passion for teaching and helping young men grow on and off the ice. His knowledge and work ethic will benefit both our student-athletes and the university.
“Joe brings a tremendous amount of experience in both the Big Ten Conference and college hockey to MSU. He is a very bright and hardworking coach that will be a great addition to our Spartan family.”
Luongo, a former Spartan hockey captain, returns to his alma mater after having spent the last two seasons serving alongside Cole as an assistant coach with the U.S. National Team Development Program. Prior to joining USA Hockey, Luongo spent four seasons at Alabama Huntsville. Luongo served as an assistant under Cole from 2008 to 2010, and then took over as head coach for two seasons, from 2010 to 2012, when Cole departed for USA Hockey. He also served as an assistant at Wayne State from 2006 to 2008.
Exter comes to East Lansing after spending the last six seasons as an assistant coach at Ohio State and prior to that, served as an assistant coach with the U.S. NTDP from 2007 to 2011.
Exter was on the coaching staff of the U.S. Men’s National Under-18 Team for four IIHF World Men’s Under-18 Championships, helping Team USA to a bronze medal in 2008, before capturing three consecutive gold medals from 2009-11.
Before joining USA Hockey, Exter, who was a goaltender at Merrimack, spent the 2006-07 season with the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders of the United States Hockey League. He got his first college hockey coaching opportunity in 2005-06, serving as an assistant coach at American International.
