TJ Manastersky has been named an assistant men’s hockey coach at Union.
“I am grateful to (Union head coach) Rick Bennett for the opportunity to coach at Union College,” Manastersky said in a statement. “I am thrilled to join a storied hockey program at an elite institution, and I am eager to get to work with Coach Bennett, Coach Ronan, and the exemplary student-athletes.”
“Our program is excited to announce TJ as the newest addition to the men’s hockey coaching staff,” added Bennett. “TJ’s passion and ability to connect with student-athletes was evident in the hiring process. His nine years of head coaching experience at Curry College and his numerous coaching accolades during that time speak volumes about him as a person and a coach. TJ is widely respected in the college hockey community and it will be an honor to work with him and John Ronan this upcoming season.”
Manastersky comes to Union following nine years as the head men’s hockey coach at Curry. During his time there, he led the Colonels to a 113-82-19 record, berths in all four Commonwealth Coast Conference tournaments, and seven postseason appearances in eight seasons overall. He was the youngest coach in the NCAA when hired before the 2012-13 season.
He was named CCC Coach of the Year in 2018-19, when he guided the Colonels to a 16-7-3 record, which included a 13-2-1 mark in the final 16 games of the regular season and a win at the season-opening Buffalo State tournament.
“TJ has done a great job here at Curry College,” said Curry athletic director Vinnie Eruzione. “His dedication and passion, not only for the sport of ice hockey, but for the immediate and future success of his ice hockey student-athletes was outstanding. His teams excelled not only on the ice, but just as importantly off the ice, in the community, and in the classroom. I wish TJ nothing but success as he moves on in his professional and personal life.”
Prior to his time with Curry, Manastersky spent three years as an assistant at Fredonia and two years at Canisius.
Manastersky played collegiately at Oswego and graduated in 2006 with a bachelor’s degree in English and a minor in athletic coaching. He also earned a master’s of science in health and physical education from Canisius in 2009.
