Former Canadian Olympic coach and five-time NCAA national champion coach Shannon Miller is returning to the bench. She signed a contract to serve as the new head coach for Switzerland's women's national team through the summer of 2029.

Miller was Canada's first ever Olympic coach at Nagano in 1998, and won gold coaching Canada at the 1997 World Championships.

She was also the longtime head coach at the University of Minnesota-Duluth winning five NCAA national championships. During her tenure at UMD, Miller coached current Swiss national team captain Lara Stalder. She replaces Colin Muller who helped Switzerland win Olympic bronze this year.

"With Shannon Miller, we are gaining a coach of international caliber," said Melanie Häfliger, head of women's hockey at Swiss Ice Hockey in a translated release.

"Her many years of experience at the highest level, her impressive track record, and her ability to sustainably develop teams will provide valuable impetus to our Women's National Team program. Shannon understands how to create performance-enhancing structures and support players in reaching their full potential. These qualities make her the ideal person to successfully shape the next phase of development for Swiss women's ice hockey."

For Miller, it's her long awaited return to coaching.

“Switzerland is a great ice hockey nation, and I am honored to have been selected as the new head coach of the Swiss women’s national team," said Miller. "I would like to thank the federation and everyone who has placed their trust in me. I am someone who enjoys building and developing things. It motivates me to support people, to continuously improve myself, and to achieve success together. That’s why this position is such an exciting opportunity for me. I am looking forward to moving to Switzerland, meeting many wonderful new people, and continuing and expanding our successful path together with the players, the national team, the staff, and the entire ice hockey community."

Switzerland's international status continues to grow as the nation now features Alina Muller, Andrea Brandli, Saskia Maurer, and Nicole Vallario in the PWHL, and NCAA stars including Ivana Wey, Naemi Herzig, and Alessia Baechler, along with domestic pros like Stalder, Rahel Enzler, and Lara Christen.

Switzerland also named Cyndy Kenyon the team's new U-18 head coach, while Sarah Forster will become the nation's U-16 women's head coach.