Josh Koepplinger was named as head coach of the men’s hockey (D3 / white) team on August 17, 2026.
Koepplinger begins his first year at the helm of the Panthers after an eight-year career in minor league hockey that included stints in the Southern Professional Hockey League (SPHL), Federal Prospects Hockey League (FPHL) and the ECHL. He began his professional career after a four-year collegiate career at Lawrence University in Appleton, Wisc., where he scored 47 goals, handed out 44 assists and accounted for 91 points in 102 games.
A native of Saginaw, Mich., Koepplinger played his first two seasons of professional hockey for the Macon Mayhem, where he tallied 12 goals, 13 assists (25 points) in 51 games. In 2020-21, he joined the Carolina Thunderbirds, delivering eight goals and 17 assists in the FPHL before appearing in four contests for the Knoxville Ice Bears.
Koepplinger played 31 games during the 2021-22 campaign for the quartet of Quad City (SPHL), Jacksonville (ECHL), Vermilion County (SPHL) and Iowa (ECHL), recording nine goals, eight assists (17 points) in the process. He returned to the Triad for two seasons with the Carolina Thunderbirds (2022-24) enjoying single-season highs in goals (38), assists (38) and points (76) in 2022-23.
Koepplinger spent the final two seasons of his minor league career in the FPHL with Danville (2024-25), Athens (2025-26) and Twin City (2025-26). His experience on multiple levels will be particularly valuable in player development.
As a proven goal scorer, Koepplinger brings more than an understanding of scoring, but also ways to create scoring opportunities, find open space, play without the puck, read defensive structures, and adjust to different lines and systems. Those experiences provide Koepplinger with an offensive perspective that can translate into a high-octane offense for the Panthers.
Competing for multiple organizations and coaches, along with coaching players one-on-one for individual development, Koepplinger has learned first-hand a variety of systems, coaching philosophies, locker-room cultures and approaches to player development. Those experiences can be particularly beneficial when coaching a collegiate club program where player development and chemistry among student-athletes with different hockey backgrounds are important components of building a successful team.
