UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Head coach Guy Gadowsky and the Penn State men’s ice hockey team announced the support staff additions of Alec Marsh and Derek Avery earlier this week.
Marsh, a 2019 graduate and former Nittany Lion forward, will serve as Director of Player Personnel & Video while Avery, a 2024 graduate and former student manager, returns as Director of Operations & analytics.
Marsh played four season under Gadowsky helping Penn State to its first ever Big Ten Championship in 2017 and back-to-back NCAA Tournaments in 2017 and 2018. Marsh skated in 132 games for the Nittany Lions scoring 22 goals while adding 32 assists for 54 points.
Following his collegiate career, Marsh played professionally for three season split between the SPHL and ECHL from 2019-2021 before concluding his career in the UK with the Coventry Blaze of the EIHL in 2021-22. He recorded 23 goals and 27 assists for 50 points in 107 total professional contests.
Marsh then began his coaching career at the youth level with the New Jersey Rockets in 2022 advancing to head coach where he led the U14 squad to the 2024 National Quarterfinals and the U16 midget team to the 2025 National Semifinals.
Last season, Marsh served as the assistant coach at Division III Hobart and William Smith College where he also handled all video operations as well as travel logistics. The Statesmen were the top team in the nation for Division III winning the SUNYAC Tournament and advancing all the way to the national championship game before falling to Hamilton in overtime 2-1, to finish the season 30-1-0.
Avery received his bachelor’s in computer science with a minor in statistics in 2024 while serving as a student manager in hockey operations. Following graduation, he was named a hockey analytics and video graduate assistant before receiving a job offer as Team Services Manager for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins of the American Hockey League. Avery would go on to complete his graduate certificate in data analytics and engineering in while working for the Penguins in the spring of 2025.
With the Penguins, Avery coordinated all player and staff travel for road trips, trades, recalls and assignments while serving as the point of contact for hockey operations personnel in various aspects including housing, immigration and contracts.
Avery provided support for the scouting department and research and development team in Pittsburgh through various projects during his time with the organization.
Penn State is set to begin the 2026-27 campaign at the Ice Breaker Tournament in Connecticut on October 9-10.
For more information on the 2026-27 season, visit the men's hockey ticket page at GoPSUsports.com or call 1-800-NITTANY Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.