Theresa Feaster has been named the first woman to serve on the coaching staff of the United States National Junior Team.
She will be the video coach for the 2021 IIHF World Junior Championship, which is scheduled for Dec. 26 to Jan. 5, 2021 in Edmonton and Red Deer, Alberta.
"I'm just so incredibly honored and grateful for the opportunity to work with coach (Nate) Leaman and USA Hockey," Feaster said. "I'm almost speechless, just thrilled and humbled to be able to part of Team USA and such an incredible tournament like the World Juniors and be part of an amazing staff. I'm thrilled and can't wait to get going."
Feaster is the director of men's hockey operations at Providence College, where Leaman has been the coach since 2012-13.
"Having worked with Theresa for the majority of my time at Providence, she has been an irreplaceable part of our staff," Leaman said. "Theresa's talents and work ethic are second to none and she deserves this opportunity to showcase those talents on the international stage."
In her role, Feaster expects to do anything needed to support Leaman and the rest of the coaching staff.
"I think just generally speaking you're trying to do whatever you can to help the team as far as being both prepared leading up to a game and then during a game just having access to whatever video that the staff needs, so those are kind of the primary roles," she said.
Feaster recently concluded her eighth season at Providence and fourth as director of men's hockey operations this season. A 2014 Providence graduate, she was a graduate assistant for two years, tracking time on ice and other in-game statistics. She was promoted to a full-time job on the coaching staff in 2016, with responsibilities that included video and statistical support and analysis. At the time she was one of two women working as full-time hockey staff members for Division I men's hockey programs, along with Brittany Miller, director of hockey operations at Boston University.
"Nate thought she would be best suited for this position," U.S. National Junior Team general manager John Vanbiesbrouck said. "We want to have the best people to help us win. I am confident she will do just that."
Hockey runs in Feaster's family; her father, Jay Feaster, won the Stanley Cup in 2004 as general manager of the Tampa Bay Lightning, and also was GM of the Calgary Flames.
Joining Feaster on Leaman's staff, announced by USA Hockey on Wednesday, are assistant coaches Ted Donato, Kris Mayotte and Steve Miller. Donato is the coach at Harvard College, Mayotte is an assistant at the University of Michigan and Miller is an assistant at Ohio State University.
U.S. Hockey Hall of Famer Keith Tkachuk was named a scout for the team, along with Detroit Red Wings assistant general manager Ryan Martin and Ben Smith of USA Hockey.
"We're extremely fortunate to have an experienced coaching and support staff in place," Vanbiesbrouck said. "It's a group that brings varied experience and perspective along with a winning pedigree."
The United States will play in Group B at the 2021 WJC, along with Russia, Sweden, Czech Republic and Austria, and its preliminary-round games will be held at Westerner Park Centrium in Red Deer. Group A consists of defending champion Canada, along with Finland, Switzerland, Slovakia and Germany, which will play its games at Rogers Place in Edmonton.
The United States finished sixth at the 2020 WJC in Czech Republic.
Leaman previously was an assistant at the 2007 WJC when the U.S. finished third, and again at the 2009 WJC when the U.S. finished fifth. He also coached Providence to NCAA championship in 2015.
