ST. PAUL, Minn. – Don Lucia (Plymouth, Minn./University of Minnesota), one of the most successful collegiate coaches in the United States today, has been named head coach of the 2014 U.S. National Junior Team, USA Hockey announced here tonight at a press conference at the Xcel Energy Center.

The U.S. National Junior Team will compete in 2014 IIHF World Junior Championship Dec. 26, 2013 - Jan. 5, 2014, in Malmo, Sweden. The U.S. is seeking its fourth medal in five years, having won gold in 2013 and 2010, and the bronze medal in 2011.

In his 26th season as a head men's ice hockey coach at the NCAA Division I level, Lucia's 622 wins rank fourth all-time among active coaches. He has won two national titles (Minnesota-2002, 2003) and his teams have averaged nearly 24 victories per season.

"We're extremely pleased to have Don as the head coach of our National Junior Team," said Jim Johannson, assistant executive director for hockey operations at USA Hockey, who will also serve as general manager of the 2014 U.S. National Junior Team. "He has developed some of the best American-born players over the last 25 years and has excelled at each stop in his career. He's a proven winner and without question one of our nation's premier coaches."

"I'm honored to have the opportunity to represent our country as the head coach of the National Junior Team," said Lucia, who was the recipient of the Spencer Penrose Award as the nation's top collegiate coach in 1994 and is also a three-time Western Collegiate Hockey Association Coach of the Year honoree. "Last summer, I had a chance to work with many of the players who will be on the radar for the 2014 squad and I look forward to getting back to Lake Placid this August for our camp as we begin preparations for the World Junior Championship in December."

Lucia has had a variety of U.S. coaching positions. Last August, he was a camp coach at the 2012 U.S. National Junior Evaluation Camp in Lake Placid, N.Y. In 1996, he served as head coach of the U.S. Select-16 Team in a series vs. Finland. In 1995, he was the head coach of Team West at the United States Olympic Festival in Denver, and later that year was an assistant coach for the U.S. Men's Select Team that competed for the Tampere Cup in Finland.

Lucia has been the head men's ice hockey coach at the University of Minnesota since the 1999-2000 season, winning national titles in 2002 and 2003, and guiding the Gophers to two other Frozen Four appearances (2005, 2012). From 1993-99, he was at the helm of the Colorado College program, which he took to a pair of NCAA Frozen Fours (1996, 1997). Lucia began his head-coaching career in 1987 at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, where he stayed until 1993.

Lucia's first coaching stint came as an assistant coach at the University of Alaska Fairbanks (1981-85). He also served two seasons as an assistant coach at the University of Alaska Anchorage (1985-87).

A native of Grand Rapids, Minn., Lucia played collegiately at the University of Notre Dame (1977-81).

Brown, Lassonde, Motzko Named Assistant Coaches; Muse Will Serve as Video Coach

Greg Brown (Scituate, Mass.) will be making his Team USA coaching debut, though he has contributed to a pair of U.S. National Junior Evaluation Camps, including last summer's event. Currently an associate head coach for the Boston College men's ice hockey team, Brown is in his ninth season as a member of the Eagles' coaching staff. He has helped guide BC to five NCAA Frozen Fours, including national championships in 2008, 2010 and 2012. Brown is a two-time U.S. Olympian, having played for the both the 1988 and 1992 U.S. Olympic men's ice hockey teams.

David Lassonde (Denver, Colo.) returns as an assistant coach on the 2014 U.S. National Junior Team after helping Team USA win the gold medal at the 2013 IIHF World Junior Championship in Ufa, Russia. Lassonde tutored goaltender John Gibson, who was voted the most valuable player of last year's tournament. Lassonde is completing his second season as an assistant men's ice hockey coach at the University of Denver, and his 25th season overall as an NCAA assistant coach.

Bob Motzko (St. Cloud, Minn.) is an assistant coach for Team USA for the first time. He's finishing his eighth and most successful season as the head men's ice hockey coach at St. Cloud State (Minn.) University. His Huskies were co-champions of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association in 2012-13 and are in contention for their fourth NCAA Tournament bid during Motzko's tenure. Prior to SCSU, Motzko served in multiple coaching capacities at three different schools, including a four-season span on Don Lucia's staff at Minnesota (2001-05). Motzko has also been a head coach and general manager in the United States Hockey League.

Dan Muse (Clinton, Conn.) will serve as the U.S. National Junior Team's video coach for the second year in a row. Muse is concluding his fourth season as a men's assistant coach at Yale University, and his sixth season overall as an NCAA assistant coach. In addition to his work with the U.S. National Junior Team, Muse has also coached at USA Hockey Player Development Camps.

NOTES: Jim Johannson (Colorado Springs, Colo.), USA Hockey's assistant executive director of hockey operations, is the general manager of the U.S National Junior Team for the fifth consecutive year ... Tim Taylor (Guilford, Conn.), who spent 28 season as the head men's ice hockey coach at Yale University, will serve as the director of player personnel for the U.S. National Junior Team for the fifth straight year ... Team USA will compete in a group with Canada, Czech Republic, Germany and Slovakia at the 2014 IIHF World Junior Championship. For more information about the tournament, click here ... Approximately 45 players will be invited to the 2013 U.S. National Junior Evaluation Camp in Lake Placid, N.Y., Aug. 3-10. Invitees to the camp and a complete schedule will be announced in the spring.