Hockey Director & U11AA Head Coach

Bringing over 10 years of coaching experience, Allie LaCombe is in her fifth season as a co-founder and coach with the Nashville Warriors. She has coached and developed players at every level of the game, including guest coaching at NHL Development Camps for the Vancouver Canucks and Carolina Hurricanes. A native of Eden Prairie, Minnesota, LaCombe played NCAA Division I hockey at Syracuse University before her professional playing career that included time in the NWHL with the Connecticut Whale and in the European Women’s Hockey League (EWHL) with the Vienna Sabers (Austria) and Almaty Aisulu (Kazakhstan). Beyond her own playing career, she works in Digital Marketing and has trained NHL, AHL, USPHL, and NCAA players in elite skill development. She is currently serving as the Assistant Hockey Director, Head Coach of the U11AA team, and Mite Director for the Nashville Warriors.

SKILLS COACH

Viktor Tikhonov joins us for his third season with the Nashville Warriors as a Player Development Coach. Tikhonov is a Russian native and former professional NHL forward. Viktor was originally selected 28th overall in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft, by the Phoenix Coyotes. After several years in the National Hockey League(NHL) with the Coyotes, Tikhonov moved to the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) in Russia, where he spent four years with SKA St. Petersburg. In 2015, he returned to the NHL, signing a contract with the Chicago Blackhawks, appearing in 11 games for them before he was claimed on waivers by the Coyotes. Born in Latvia while it was still a member of the USSR, Tikhonov has represented Russia internationally, participating in severalWorld Championships and the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. Viktor resides in Brentwood, Tennessee with his wife Genia and two children Lev and Sofia.

U10 AA Co-Head Coach & Mite Program Director

Colby Collier a native of East Tennessee is joining us for his fourth year with The Nashville Warriors as a U10AA Co-Head Coach. Collier also does digital content and media for The Nashville Warriors and The MD Media.

Additionally, he runs a non-profit tournament series called The Wish Cup which benefits the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Middle TN and runs a travel roller program in the summer months. Colby resides in Nashville with his wife (Mandi) and their two children (Asher and Sutton Claire).

Powerskating Coach

Coach Jacki is returning to the Warriors for her fifth season as our Powerskating Coach and brings a phenomenal skill set to our program. Jacki has served as a Powerskating Instructor for numerous teams National and International. She has worked for the NY Islanders training camp and AHL Soundtigers, NHL, OHL, College and Prep School and Jr players teams. As a National and World International Figure Skating competitor, the former founder & owner of S2S, Jacki Munzel has been teaching skating and power skating for over 35 years. Her focus on the technique of skating sets her apart from other skating instructors; she works with her students until they feel the right approach. She is also the Nashville Predators NHL Powerskating coach.

U18AA Head Coach & U14AA Co-Head Coach

The Nashville Warriors are excited to welcome Bruce MacIsaac to our coaching staff for his first season with the program. Originally from Nova Scotia, Canada, Bruce MacIsaac grew up immersed in hockey. After finishing college, he moved to Virginia to help grow youth hockey in the southeastern U.S. with ARC Ice Sports (Canlan). In his first season, he led the inaugural 1998 Tidewater Sharks Peewee AA team to a Southeast District Championship in Atlanta, Georgia. In 2000, Bruce relocated to Long Island, NY, where he spent the next 18 years coaching with the Long Island Gulls Tier 1 AAA program. During his tenure, he coached some of the top AAA talent to come out of Long Island, leading teams to four appearances at the USA Hockey National Championships and securing several New York State titles. More than 80 of his former players have advanced to the NHL, minor leagues, NCAA Division 1, Major Junior, or prep school hockey. Bruce is currently a USA Hockey Level 5 certified coach and serves as the U18AA Head Coach and U14AA Co-Head Coach.

U14AA Co-Head Coach

John McCabe is entering his second season with the Nashville Warriors as Co-Head Coach of the U14AA team. Prior to joining the Warriors, McCabe served as head coach at Finlandia University, where his teams achieved both academic and athletic success, including 12 players named to the MCHA All-Academic Team and two MCHA All-Freshmen selections. He previously spent time at the University of Alabama-Huntsville, helping lead the Chargers to two College Hockey America titles and two NCAA regional semifinal appearances. During his coaching career, McCabe recruited and developed numerous players who advanced to the NHL, as well as many others playing professionally in North America and Europe. McCabe is a USA Hockey Level 4 certified coach and has worked with USA Hockey as an evaluator and clinic speaker.

U10AA Co-Head Coach

Matej Ilencik is a native of Slovakia and rejoins us for his third season with the Nashville Warriors and is serving as the U10AA Head Coach. Ilencik started playing junior hockey at 14 years old in Slovakia and quickly developed into a Junior National Team player during his U16, U17 and U18 playing years for Dukla Trencin. He also competed for the Slovakian National Team in World Juniors U18 for 3 years. After his career in Slovakia, he spent 4 years in Sweden in the highest Swedish junior league (Sodertajle SK) and continued on to play two years professionally for Dukla Trencin and Liptovsky. Unfortunately due to injuries, he had to retire early and has been focusing on strength training.

Player Development Coach

Howard ”Howie” Jennings brings a wealth of experience and a unique perspective to coaching. He played Junior A hockey with the Ottawa Jr. Senators, Hawkesbury Hawks, and Applecore before transitioning to a successful career as an ice hockey official, officiating over 3,500 games. For the past two seasons, he has served as an assistant coach with the Nashville Warriors Mite Development Program, helping young players build a strong foundation in skills, teamwork, and passion for the game. Howie joins us for his second year coaching with the Warriors. His extensive background as a player, official, and coach makes him a well-rounded and valuable mentor for developing athletes.

U9AA Head Coach

The Nashville Warriors are excited to welcome Ryan VanBuskirk to our coaching staff for his first season with the program as the U9AA Head Coach. A Detroit, Michigan native, Ryan brings a wealth of experience both as a player and a coach. During his playing career, Ryan competed at the OHL, AHL, and ECHL levels, earning the distinction of being drafted twice—first by the Phoenix Coyotes in 1998 and later by the Washington Capitals in 2000. With eight years of coaching experience, Ryan has been dedicated to developing young players and fostering their growth on and off the ice. In addition to coaching the Nashville Warriors U9AA team, he also leads the Southeast Young Kings and the Southeast Elite 2016 Spring/Summer teams. Ryan currently resides in Primm Springs, Tennessee with his wife and children.