he National Collegiate Development Conference is proud to announce that the Ogden Mustangs’ Kenny Orlando has been named the Mountain Division Coach of the Year. 

The Mustangs won the Mountain Division regular season championship and also the Mountain Division playoff championship, which sends them on to the Dineen Cup Championship, which begins on Friday, April 26. 

He posted a record of 37-12-3-1 for 78 points this year, which just barely edged the rival Utah Outliers for the regular season title. They would go on to defeat both the Idaho Falls Spud Kings (3-1) and Utah Outliers (3-0) in the two rounds of the Mountain Division playoffs. Now, they will face the New England champion South Shore Kings, who had defeated the Atlantic Division champion P.A.L. Jr. Islanders for their spot in the Dineen Cup Finals. 

During the season, the Mustangs featured the league’s best overall offense (195) and had the second most wins (37), regulation wins (33) and second best goal differential overall (+70). Their special teams were outstanding all year, as well, with the No. 3 power play (22.8 percent) and penalty kill (86 percent) and third-most power play goals (49). The Mustangs also finished fourth NCDC-wide in fewest goals against (125). 

A former SUNY-Canton college hockey player, he is one of the few former USPHL players to have become a head coach in the league. He played for the former Philadelphia Flyers Elite team briefly in the league’s inaugural season of 2013-14. He also played for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights, currently a USPHL member, when they were part of a different Tier III league. 

He became an assistant coach for Temple University and then head coach of Villanova University in the ACHA, before beginning his junior coaching career as an assistant coach with the NAHL’s Austin Bruins. He has been the Mustangs’ head coach since they entered the USPHL in 2020-21

“I’m honored to receive this recognition, and I share this award with both the coaching staff and our players,” said Orlando. “These young men have bought into our team goals and went out to turn them into a reality. It’s been a pleasure to work with these guys all season and see them matching our staff’s passion for the game. We’ve created a tight-knit bond that’s been key to our success all year.” 

— Joshua Boyd/NCDCHockey.com

(April 20, 2024)