Chad Berman, director of hockey operations and men's head hockey coach for the University of Arizona, has been named an assistant coach for Team USA for the World University Games in Italy in January.

Berman was one of three coaches named to a team consisting of 23 American Collegiate Hockey Association players, including two U of A student players – forwards Riley Ruh and Justin Hughes.

This is the first time an Arizona Hockey coach has been selected for Team USA. The team will compete against squads from Poland, Japan, Ukraine and Slovakia.

"It is a great honor to serve as the coach for the team," said Berman, who in his 10th year as the U of A program's head coach. Berman has won the Western Collegiate Hockey League Coach of the Year award twice and has twice been named a finalist for the American Collegiate Hockey Association's coaching award.

Under Berman's leadership, the Wildcats have been recognized for community engagement, winning five national ACHA Community Service awards.

Arizona Hockey, part of Campus Recreation, is set to move into a new home next season in the Mosaic Quarter, a multipurpose sport and entertainment center near Kino Parkway and Interstate 10 that includes the 175,000-square-foot MQ Iceplex. Ground was broken for the facility in November.