Columbus Mavericks Name Kyle Althen First-Ever NCDC Head Coach

LEWIS CENTER, Ohio — May 15, 2026 — The Columbus Mavericks have named Kyle Althen the first head coach in the history of the club's new National Collegiate Development Conference (NCDC) program. Althen, a Columbus-based coach and player developer with deep roots in the Ohio hockey community, will take the reins of the Mavericks' inaugural Tier 2 team when it hits the ice at OhioHealth Chiller North in September 2026.

The hire is a foundational one. Every program that endures is built on a first chapter, and for the Mavericks' NCDC team, that chapter begins with Althen.

"I am excited to get to work with the Mavericks as their first head coach of the NCDC team," said Althen.

"Joey and Jaime have done a great job building a winning culture with the Premier team over the past few seasons and I am excited to build on that with them and the rest of the staff."

Mavericks President and General Manager Joey Recktenwald made clear that the search for the program's first NCDC head coach began and ended with someone who had already demonstrated the ability to develop players and win.

"Kyle has an extensive track record of developing players and a proven track record of success," said Recktenwald. "I'm thrilled to have him on board and look forward to building a team that contends for national titles while developing players for the next step in their careers."

Built in Ohio Hockey

Althen's story is a distinctly Ohio one. A native of Cleveland, he played his high school hockey at Padua Franciscan in Parma before going on to play college hockey at the University of Akron, where he served as both team captain and team president — an early signal of the leadership qualities that have defined his coaching career. He earned his bachelor's degree in sports management from Akron in 2016.

His path into coaching began in the junior ranks. Althen spent two seasons as associate head coach and director of scouting with the Oswego Stampede of the NA3HL, while simultaneously serving as a scout for the Amarillo Bulls in the NAHL. That dual role sharpened the talent evaluation instincts that have become a hallmark of his approach — the ability to identify not just what a player is, but what they can become.

After relocating to Columbus, Althen joined the Ohio AAA Blue Jackets organization and spent seven seasons developing young players at the 14U and 15U levels. His most recent season with the program produced his most visible result yet: he led the 2010 birth-year team on a run to the Mid-Am District championship game in 2025. It was the kind of deep postseason run that speaks to both the quality of his player development and his ability to prepare a group to compete when it matters most.

A Developer at His Core

Althen's coaching work has never been confined to a single organization. For five years, he served as Hockey Director at Battery Hockey Academy, and he has continued to expand his footprint in player development through Althen Hockey Development — his own training and development operation that works with athletes from youth through the junior and college levels across Ohio and the Midwest. The breadth of that work reflects a coach who is as committed to the game between seasons as he is during them.

That developmental philosophy aligns directly with the Mavericks' mission. Since the program's founding, Columbus has built its identity around giving players a legitimate path forward — not just a place to play, but a place to grow. Althen's entire career has been oriented toward exactly that kind of work.

A Staff Taking Shape

Althen will not be building the Mavericks' inaugural NCDC program alone. The organization has also announced the hiring of Fedor Tyutin — an 872-game NHL veteran, three-time Olympian, and Althen's former colleague on the Ohio AAA Blue Jackets coaching staff — as NCDC assistant coach. The two have an established working relationship, giving the Mavericks' first Tier 2 staff a foundation of familiarity and shared purpose from day one.

Together, Althen and Tyutin represent a coaching pairing that is both experienced and player-focused — exactly the kind of staff the Mavericks had in mind when they began planning their expansion to the Tier 2 level.

A New Era Begins in September

The Columbus Mavericks enter 2026-27 as an eight-year-old program stepping into its most ambitious season yet. After seven years of competition at the USPHL Premier (Tier 3) level, the addition of an NCDC team represents a genuine evolution — a commitment to giving Central Ohio's top junior hockey prospects access to Tier 2 competition and the college placement opportunities that come with it.

With Althen behind the bench, the Mavericks have made their intentions clear. This is not an organization simply adding a second team. It is an organization building toward national titles.

The Mavericks NCDC team is scheduled to begin play in September 2026. Roster announcements and schedule information will follow in the coming months.

Players interested in competing for a spot on the 2026-27 Mavericks NCDC roster should apply for the Columbus Mavericks Main Camp, taking place July 9–12 at OhioHealth Chiller North in Lewis Center, Ohio. Applications are available at www.columbusmavericks.com/event-details/columbus-mavericks-main-camp-2026.

For more information, visit www.columbusmavericks.com/future-players or contact the organization at info@columbusmavericks.com.

About Kyle Althen

Kyle Althen is a Cleveland native and University of Akron graduate who spent seven seasons developing players with the Ohio AAA Blue Jackets at the 14U and 15U levels, most recently leading the 2010 birth-year team to the Mid-Am District championship game in 2025. He previously served as associate head coach and director of scouting with the Oswego Stampede (NA3HL) and as a scout for the Amarillo Bulls (NAHL). He has served as Hockey Director at Battery Hockey Academy for five years and operates Althen Hockey Development, training athletes from youth through the junior and college levels. Althen resides in Worthington, Ohio.

About the Columbus Mavericks

The Columbus Mavericks are a proud member of the United States Premier Hockey League (USPHL), entering their eighth season of competition in 2026-27. Based at OhioHealth Chiller North in Lewis Center, Ohio, the organization will field two teams this season — a USPHL Premier (Tier 3) squad and a new NCDC (Tier 2) team — continuing the program's mission of developing players on and off the ice and growing the game of hockey across Central Ohio.