Castan Sommer enters his first year as associate head coach of the Holy Cross men's ice hockey team in 2024-25, following three seasons as an assistant coach.
During Sommer’s time as an assistant coach for Holy Cross men’s ice hockey, the team earned a second-place finish in the 2023-24 season, the first top two finish in the regular season since the 2005-06 campaign. Sommer also assisted in leading Holy Cross to its first conference championship game in 17 years during the 2022-23 season.
Success within the coaching staff shows through the several awards and recognitions collected by players throughout those years, including Atlantic Hockey Player of the Year and Scoring Champion, Hobey Baker Top 10 Finalist, Second Team East All-American, Walter Brown Award Semifinalist, New England Hockey Writers’ (NEHWA) Second Team honoree, and NEHWA Most Improved Player Liam McLinskey and Atlantic Hockey Goaltending Champion, NEHWA Second Team honoree, and Walter Brown Award Semifinalist Jason Grande. Additionally, the team has earned ten Atlantic Hockey Postseason Team awards during the three seasons in which Sommer was an assistant.
Prior to joining Riga's staff, Sommer served as an assistant coach for the Seattle Thunderbirds (WHL) since 2017. There, he coached 20 players that have gone on to get drafted by or sign professional contracts with NHL organizations and nine players who have represented their countries in international competitions. Before joining the Thunderbirds, Sommer worked as a skating coach at the San Jose Sharks Development Camp.
Sommer spent time with the Manchester Monarchs (ECHL) in 2016 before playing for Kallinge/Ronneby Ishockey Forening in Sweden during the 2016-17 season.
During his time as a student-athlete on The Hill from 2012-2016, Sommer helped the team to 66 victories, including a 54-40-16 mark in Atlantic Hockey action. The Shrewsbury native recorded 29 goals and 35 assists for 64 points over his four seasons in Worcester. Sommer attended the San Jose Sharks Development Camp from 2008-2013 and again in 2015.
Sommer earned his bachelor of arts from Holy Cross in 2016 in international studies, and earned a masters degree in data science from Northwestern in 2023.
