Alec Thieda, Recruiting Coach Manager

Norwich University

Throughout high school, I knew I wanted to play college hockey. I had the drive, work ethic, grades and skill to play at the Division I level. However, I was going through the recruiting process blindly. I was unaware of how the recruiting process worked or what I should be doing to get noticed by college coaches. I eventually thought my grades and skill would make it all happen for me.

I played three years of junior hockey (NAHL and CCHL) before I was presented an opportunity to play for Norwich University, an NCAA Division III school in Northfield, Vermont. There I became a four-year student-athlete, a captain my senior year, an AHCA 2nd Team All-American and a Joe Concannon award finalist (best American-born player in New England). After my time playing at Norwich, I was asked to become a part of the coaching staff. I was an assistant coach specializing in player development and breaking down game and opponent scouting video. I was the bench coach leading the game-day operations. To top off my coaching career thus far, I helped lead Norwich to a 2017 NCAA Division III National Championship. Academically, I received a MBA with a concentration in Organizational Leadership and B.S. in Management with a Concentration in Information Technology and Financial Economics from Norwich University.

I enjoy working at NCSA because I can guide student-athletes and their families through the recruiting process to make sure they know as much information as possible before their college career begins. This is an important time in a student-athlete’s life, and I want to be there to make this process as easy as possible. It is my hope that the information and assistance they gain from NCSA will push them to reach their goal of playing college hockey!