Sept. 26, 2006

COLUMBUS, Ohio - John Markell, Ohio State men's hockey head coach, announced the naming of Shane Clifford as volunteer assistant coach and Kurt Brown as director of hockey operations for the 2006-07 campaign.

Clifford, a native of Hamilton, Ohio, has coaching experience at a variety of levels. During 2005-06, he was the Pittsburgh Penguins' goalie coach and he is in his third season as the goaltending consultant for the Everett Silvertips of the Western Hockey League. He also has worked with the Pittsburgh Forge (NAHL), Johnstown Chiefs (ECHL), Alaska Aces (ECHL) and Robert Morris University (NCAA Division I) and runs the Shane Clifford Goaltending School. Clifford was a goalie in both the IHL and the ECHL.

Brown, a four-year letterwinner for the Buckeye from 1992-96, served as Ohio State's volunteer assistant coach the last four seasons. He earned CCHA All-Rookie Team honorable mention honors in 1992. While at OSU, he was a four-time Ohio State Scholar-Athlete and a three-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree. In 1996, he earned the Center Ice Club Scholar-Athlete award. In his OSU career, Brown played in 65 games, posting a goals-against average of 3.14. At the conclusion of his Buckeye career, Brown spent two seasons playing professionally in the East Coast Hockey League and the International Hockey League. Brown earned a bachelor's degree in psychology from Ohio State in 1996 and graduated from OSU's MBA program in the Fisher College of Business in Spring 2004.

The 17th-ranked Buckeyes start official practice Saturday and will open the season with an exhibition game against Guelph at 8:05 p.m. Oct. 7 in Value City Arena. The regular season begins with a two-game home series against Lake Superior State Oct. 13-14. The Buckeyes and Lakers will meet at 7:05 p.m. both nights in VCA.