Jon Skarlis is the new full-time assistant coach for the Lawrence men’s hockey team.
Skarlis joins the staff of head coach Brett Wall, who took the reins of the Vikings in June 2022.
“I want to thank (director of athletics) Jason Imperati and Brett Wall for the opportunity to join the Lawrence University community and the athletic department,” Skarlis said in a statement. “It was clear after a few conversations with Coach Wall that we share a lot of the same values within coaching, and I was drawn in by the vision he has for the program moving forward.”
Skarlis comes to Lawrence from the USPHL’s South Shore Kings in Foxborough, Mass., where he served as the head coach of the U18 AAA team and as the assistant coach for the NCDC team. Skarlis had worked with the Kings since February 2020. Skarlis also served as director and was an instructor with South Shore Kings Youth Skills.
“Jon is a big addition to our team at Lawrence,” Wall said. “Jon’s previous coaching experience at the Tier II level and understanding of the entire picture of NCAA Division III athletics made Jon a great fit for us. I am looking for Jon to take a huge role in recruiting as well as on- and off-ice player development.”
A 2019 graduate of Bethel, Skarlis won four letters for the Royals while playing forward and defense. He earned a bachelor’s degree in organizational communication with a minor in athletic coaching.
Skarlis got his start in coaching in 2019 when he joined the staff at Irondale High School in Brighton, Minn. He coached at Irondale for a year before moving to the South Shore Kings.
“I was very impressed with the campus and desire to win from Mr. Imperati and on the ride home after visiting, I knew I wanted to be at Lawrence University,” Skarlis said. “I look forward to coaching our student-athletes and making sure as a staff we give them the best experience possible on and off the ice.”
