Team Staff
Team Manager: Roberto Orozco
League Rep: Kevin Connelly
Collections: Joel Cipowski
Recruitment: DJ Cipowski and Kevin Smith
Ice Scheduler (V): Roberto Orozco
Ice Scheduler (JV): Chris and Sara Wells
Sin Bin Mgr: TBD
Team Photos: Stephanie Rapacz
Team Video: Robert Freyman
Fundraising: TBD
Spirit Wear: Gina Kiebles
Team App: Carrie DeLaney, Robert Orozco, Kevin Smith
Website: Kevin Smith
Varsity Staff
Frank Esquivel - Assistant Varsity Coach
Frank coached 3 years with Bishop Noll and was part of the 2017 1A State Champion team. Frank's work behind the scenes was integral to the current success of the team.
Kevin Smith - Assistant Varsity Coach
Kevin has been with the Warriors since 2014. He was a big part of the 2017 State title team and oversaw the defense and goaltending, and outside of coaching handled a lot of off-ice and behind the scenes work. This year Coach Kevin is the Defensive Coordinator.
Kevin played 2 years Midget hockey (Junior and Senior year of High School) with the Beaver County Badgers who played in a AA Major travel league and played against AAA tournament teams in Canada, New York, West Virginia, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. In high school he played for the Montour Spartans, as a 3 year varsity player for the two-time North Division Champions. Kevin then skated four years with the Edindoro University Fighting Scots. A two time Captain, he led the Team in scoring his senior year.
He is a Level 4 USA Hockey Certified coach, and is married with two daughters and a son and lives in Highland. His wife, Carol, is a 2001 Alumnus of BNI. Kevin is also the Academic Advisor for Seniors and Juniors at Bishop Noll.
Tony Stumpf - Assistant Varsity Coach
Tony is entering his third year with the Warriors coaching staff and handles the defense. Tony has a long South Chicago hockey history. Starting with skating with the St. Jude Knights in 1980 and playing high school for Mt. Carmel and Thornwood High School. His coaching career began with his Alma Mater and continued with youth hockey.
Coaching the Midwest Blackbirds 8u through 12u including 2 first place finishes and two tournament championships. He has also coached the St. Jude Central States Team the last two seasons, finishing 4th in the State of Illinois and 5th in their Little Caesars American Hockey League (Michigan) last season. This season the 14u team is ranked 38th in the Nation.
Tony is also the head coach with the Purdue Northwest ACHA Division III Team.
Greg Plemons - Assistant JV Coach
Bio
JV Staff
Mike Kaczur - Assistant Varsity Coach
Mike has been with Bishop Noll Hockey since 2016. He was the Sin Bin Manager for the 2017 State Champion Warriors. He holds a Level 3 USA Hockey Coaching Certification. Mike has 13 years coaching youth sports in Northwest Indiana. He has experience as a Head Coach and as an Assistant Coach.
Mike is a graduate of Lake Central High School and Purdue University.
Coaching philosophy: Coaching is teaching and developing skills that can be used to reach goals in life.
Past Coaches:
Rich Sobilo - Varsity Head Coach
With over 30 years coaching experience, Rich has been behind the bench for over 800 youth and High School hockey games at the House, Travel and Varsity levels, including 14 years at the Varsity helm.
A Bishop Noll graduate, Rich was MVP of both the Football and Hockey teams, racking up 70 points his Senior year. Rich continued his career at St. Mary's college in Winona, MN, then at the University of Notre Dame, where he lettered for 3 years and holds many individual season records, including Plus-Minus, SHG's, and GWG's. At both Notre Dame and St. Mary's, Rich was fortunate to be coached by coaching legends, Lefty Smith and Don Olson, respectively.
Rich started coaching at his alma mater in 1989 and almost immediately had success with the Warriors. The team and individual players enjoyed success both on the ice and in the classroom. This year 2022, Coach Rich was inducted into the East Chicago Athletic Hall of Fame for his contributions on and off the field/ice.
Coaching Staff
Ed Hreha - Varsity Head Coach
Coach Hreha coached many years with Bishop Noll and was part of the 1988 State Champion team.
Legend.
Over 40 years of Coaching Experience!
Mike Kurczewski - Head JV Coach/Player Development
Mike has coached youth hockey for 9 years now. He started coaching at St Jude for his first three years winning two AAU league championships and a 2nd place NHIL. From there, he went to the Orland Vikings for a couple of seasons. Currently, he has been with the Blackbirds for four years now and won a NIHL Championship as a head coach at the Gold Level. He currently holds a USA Level 3 Certification but is signed up to get his level 4 this fall.
Mike played AAA hockey starting in PeeWee for the Chicago Young Americans. He took a year off a year of AAA to play Varsity at Marist High School in the Catholic League during the 1996-1997 season as a freshman. After his freshman year, he went back to the Chicago Young Americans for his sophomore season. He finished out his junior and senior years at Team Illinois playing for National Titles in both years but falling short in the National Championship junior year and the Semifinal in his Senior year. Throughout his high school career, he was invited each year to try out for the Team USA National Program/World Junior Team out of Ann Arbor. Coming close to making the team his U17 year as the last cut.
He has been married for 12+ years to wife Brittney and they have 3 kids. Brayden 13, Aubrey 11 and Camden is 7.
Bishop Noll Warrior Hockey
Kevin Connolly - Assistant JV Coach
My name is Kevin Connolly and I found the love of the game at a young age when I started to play hockey for the Chicago Bulldogs hockey organization in 1981. I continued to play hockey through my high school career at St. Francis DeSales graduating in 1992. After playing competitive for so many years it was hard for it to just come to an end. It was at that point I hung the skates up. In 2010 my son started to play and it was at this point I was asked if I would be interested in coaching so I decided to through my hat in the ring. I have served as a head coach and an assistant coach for multiple teams since 2010.Im currently a level 3 coach, as well as the NIHL representative for Midwest and the Illiana representative for BNI.
Scott Brody - Assistant Coach/Statistician
Scott has played and coached numerous sports throughout his life. He has coached with the youth Midwest Blackbirds for several years, including several championships seasons
He is a level 2 USA Hockey Coach
Joshua Belko - Varsity Assistant Coach
Josh coached 4 years at Bishop Noll amd was a part of the 2017 and 2020 State Championship teams. Josh is now the Head Coach for the Munster Mustangs Hockey Team beginning with the 2020-2021 season.