Coaching Staff

PAT MIKESCH - HEAD COACH

Pat Mikesch spent a total of 11 seasons with the Green Bay Gamblers. He joined the USHL club in 2011 and served as associate head coach and director of scouting under Detroit Red Wings head coach Derek Lalonde. He was promoted to head coach in June 2014 after Lalonde was named head coach for the Walleye. Mikesch led the Gamblers to five winning seasons and three playoff appearances in his eight years as head coach. While at Green Bay, he coached and assisted in the development of nearly 30 players who were drafted by the NHL, including Casey Mittelstadt, Nick Schmaltz, Jordan Schmaltz, Andrew Peeke, Andy Welinski, Mason Lohrei, and Gustav Olofsson.

Before Green Bay, Mikesch spent seven seasons (2004-11) as assistant coach at Michigan Technological University. He also led the United States U-17 team to three straight gold medals (2011-13) at the Five Nations Cup. He played for Michigan Tech from 1992-96 and eight seasons of pro hockey in the AHL, IHL, ECHL and Germany.

Originally from Hancock, Michigan, Mikesch and his wife Aimee have three adult children.

Twitter: @MikeschPat

ALDEN HIRSCHFELD - ASSISTANT COACH

The Sylvania, Ohio native played at Northview High School, helping his team play in the 2006 state championship game and was also named Ohio Mr. Hockey in 2006. Hirschfeld went on to play college hockey at Miami of Ohio. As a freshman he played in the NCAA title game and was team captain as a senior.

Hirschfeld split his first pro season between South Carolina of the ECHL and Providence of the AHL before joining the Toledo Walleye for the 2013-14 campaign. After three seasons spending time between Toledo and Grand Rapids of the AHL, Alden spent his final two seasons as Walleye captain. His final season was cut short due to injury. In 200 career games with the Walleye, Alden scored 59 goals with 94 assists. He also scored 3 goals with 5 assists in 26 playoff games with Toledo.

Twitter: @AldenHirschfeld

BRENT BAIN - ASSISTANT COACH

A native of Toledo, Ohio and former Northview High School teammate to fellow assistant coach Alden Hirschfeld, Brent Bain began his career with the Toledo Walleye in 2017. Brent served as the assistant/video coach for the Walleye from 2017 through 2021, and then solely as an assistant coach starting during the 2022-23 season.

Previously, Brent served as the varsity assistant coach for St. John’s Jesuit High School in Toledo from 2015 through 2017.

AUSTIN KEISER - GOALTENDING COACH & VIDEO COORDINATOR

Austin Keiser was born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia. Keiser played prep hockey at the Kents Hill School in Maine, two years of junior hockey in the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL) and then NCAA Division III for SUNY – Potsdam and later, Western New England University. He concluded his playing career in the ECHL for his hometown team, the Atlanta Gladiators. Keiser helped build the first-ever junior team in Milwaukee and was the Associate Head Coach for the Milwaukee Power in the NA3HL.

BRAD FREDRICK - ATHLETIC TRAINER

Brad had been the Athletic Trainer for the Toledo Storm for three seasons and joined the Toledo Walleye in the same capacity in the very beginning. Brad handles the daily treatment and physical evaluation of all Toledo Walleye players, manages player injury rehabilitation and workouts.

A graduate of Bowling Green State University, he spent nine years covering high school athletics in the Toledo area with ProMedica's Sports Care before joining the Toledo Storm. Brad's degree from BGSU in 1995 is in Athletic Training.

ADAM WOZNIAK - HEAD EQUIPMENT MANAGER

Northwest Ohio native Adam Wozniak began his career with the Toledo Walleye in 2016, when he served as the Assistant Equipment Manager for four seasons. In 2021, Adam was hired as the Equipment Manager of the Saginaw Spirit of the Ontario Hockey League. He was named Equipment Manager for the Walleye in 2023.

Adam is a proud graduate of Lake High School, where he played hockey for three years, and Owens Community College, where he received his Associate of Applied Science in commercial art technology.

DAN JONES - STRENGTH & CONDITIONING

Dan has been with the Walleye since 2014-15. A University of Toledo graduate in 1989, he is the founder of Elite Athletes Only (EAO Sports). He has developed and currently trains numerous top amateur and professional athletes in the NFL, MLB, AHL, NCAA D1, D2 and D3 as well as world champion fighters and power lifters. He also trains military and special forces.

Dan is highly recognized for his knowledge on sports specific training, his ability to deliver tangible results as well as motivating athletes so that they are able to compete at their highest level.

A champion bodybuilder, Dan grew up playing hockey and was a USA Hockey and college referee. He is married to Sandy. They have two daughters, Katelyn and Sarah, and reside in Lambertville, Michigan.

MATT ROTH, MD - TEAM PHYSICIAN

When team physician Matt Roth, MD, is not overseeing the health of the Walleye players, he is taking care of patients at Arrowhead Family Physicians in Maumee.

Dr. Roth completed his fellowship in primary care sports medicine and his family medicine residency at ProMedica Toledo Hospital in Toledo. He received his medical degree from The Ohio State University College of Medicine and Public Health in Columbus, Ohio.

Dr. Roth enjoys running and survived his first Tough Mudder challenge in early 2012. He and his wife, Carol, have three children - Alyssa, Mallory and AJ.

ED BURKHOLDER - DIRECTOR OF SCOUTING

Ed Burkholder has been with the Toledo Hockey Operations Department since 2003. Ed scouted for the Detroit Red Wings during Toledo's two year hiatus from the ECHL. Ed started his scouting career in 2000 with the San Angelo Outlaws of the WPHL. In 2001, he joined the ECHL's Greenville Grrrowl and worked two seasons there, including the ECHL Kelly Cup Championship in 2002.

After playing three seasons (1986-89) with the Thorold Jr. B Blackhawks, he became head coach of the Welland Midget AAA hockey club for three seasons and manages several hockey skills clinics in the Niagara area. The former testicular cancer survivor is a highly regarded guest speaker, and has made more than 60 appearances on TSN's hit show "Off The Record" with Michael Landsberg. He also provides the color commentary for the Niagara IceDogs on the OHL Tonight package with TVCogeco.

Twitter: @EdBurkholder