ECHL: Atlanta Gladiators welcome Matt Ginn to coaching staff

When the Atlanta Gladiators open the 2024-25 season, they will be led by a new assistant coach. The team announced today that Matt Ginn has been named to the coaching staff for the upcoming season. Ginn joins the Gladiators after serving as head coach of the Manchester Storm in the Elite Ice Hockey League (EIHL) for the past two seasons.

During his tenure as goalie, his competitive spirit stood out to former Holy Cross coach Paul Pearl when Ginn arrived at the school as a freshman and earned the starting goalie job. starting goal. Pearl was particularly struck by Ginn’s dedication to keeping the net clear even during practice. While playing for Holy Cross (NCAA Division 1), Ginn set numerous college records. Throughout his college career, he accumulated a total of 3,587 saves, recorded 8 shutouts, played a total of 7,760 minutes and made over 1,000 saves in the 2013/14 season alone. Ginn attended Holy Cross from 2011-2015 and was recognized by being named to the NCAA All-Rookie Team (AHA) during the 2011-2012 season.

Ginn later served as a goalkeeper for the Atlanta Gladiators, playing for the team for three seasons and making 90 appearances. Throughout this period, he was teammates with Gladiators head coach Derek Nesbitt. He also took care of the net for the Florida Everblades (2014-15), then the Kansas City Mavericks and the Greenville Swamp Rabbits (2020-21) before returning to the Manchester Storm for the 2021-22 season.

During his time with the Storm, Ginn was the team’s starting goaltender for a total of three seasons. For the 2018-19 and 2019-20 seasons, he was in net for 108 games and had a record of 45 wins, 61 losses and 0 ties. He maintained a goals-against average of 3.08 and a save percentage of .917. He then held a coaching position for the next two years. In his first season as head coach of the Storm, Ginn ably led the team to a 22-28-4 record, demonstrating a notable eight-point improvement from the previous year. This feat not only secured a playoff spot for Manchester but also placed them in sixth position in the Elite League under Ginn’s leadership. This successful first season would pave the way for a stellar performance the following year for the Storm, as Ginn demonstrated his coaching skills by guiding the team to 61 points and a 27-20-7 record. His presence and leadership endeared him to Manchester fans, making him a fan favorite during his five-season tenure abroad. The Storm’s commendable fourth-place finish in the standings last season landed Ginn the EIHL Coach of the Year. He received the award through a vote of EIHL general managers and his fellow coaches.

Matt Ginn is set to join the coaching staff of the Atlanta Gladiators, who will kick off the 2024-25 season by taking on the Indy Fuel at home on October 19 at 7 p.m.