Beauts Announce Shelley Looney and Ric Seiling as Coaches

The NWHL’s Buffalo Beauts have signed Shelley Looney and Ric Seiling as co-head coaches, the team announced on Monday.

Looney is a two-time Olympian, winning gold in 1998 and silver in 2002 with the U.S. Team. She played for the U.S. Women’s National Team for 14 years, playing 151 games with 61 goals and 75 assists.

Looney is currently serving as the Hockey Director for the Buffalo Bison Hockey Association, according the NWHL. Talking about the Beauts and the NWHL’s inaugural season, Looney said in a post the NWHL site, “Being here in Buffalo is perfect because they really embrace their sports… It’s a great fit, and I think the city will really come together to support this team and this league… They don’t have to wait and watch women’s hockey only once every four years.”

Seiling is a former NHLer who played nine seasons with the Buffalo Sabres before finishing his career with the Detroit Red Wings in the 1986-87 season. He was drafted by the Sabres in the 1st round of the 1977 draft (14th overall).

In addition to his time in the NHL, Seiling was an assistant coach with the Adirondack Red Wings (while he was still playing for them) and then came back to coaching in 1994 with the Utica Blizzards in the Colonial Hockey League. He also coached the Owen Sound Platers for a season in the OHL, followed by time with the San Antonio Iguanas and Tulsa Oilers, again of the CHL.

The Buffalo Beauts will open the NWHL’s inaugural season on October 11, when all four teams will be in action.

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