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Northern Michigan have hired Ben Russell as an assistant coach, the team announced Friday. 

Russell joins the Wildcats after spending the past two seasons working for Cornell. A product of Grand Rapids, Mich., Russell first got into coaching in 2020 when he joined St. Olaf College (NCAA D-III) as an assistant coach. 

Following two seasons with the team, Russell moved on to Cornell where he served as director of hockey operations for the 2022-23 season. He continued in that role in 2023-24 but also served as an assistant coach for the Big Red. 

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Before getting into coaching, Russell played high school hockey in New York and a year of 18U AAA with the Syracuse Jr. Stars. 

As Russell moves on to join Northern Michigan, he will be joining a staff that includes newly hired head coach Dave Shyiak. 

"We are really excited about Ben joining our staff and community," Shyiak said in the team's release. "He grew up in the U.P. and understands the history and tradition of Wildcat hockey. Ben is an up and coming young coach bringing a unique set of skills to our group."

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