Coach Pionk to lead new Stella Maris high school hockey team

DULUTH, MN (KBJR6) -- A familiar name in the Northland hockey scene will take the reigns of a new high school team set to debut in Duluth soon.

Stella Maris Academy is opening a new private high school in the fall of 2022. They also have plans to launch a new hockey team during the 2023-24 academic year.

Thursday, school leaders announced Scott Pionk will coach the Sentinel Hockey Program.

Stella Maris Academy in Duluth has announced that they’ll be adding a high school hockey program in 2023-24.

The Sentinels will be lead by Scott Pionk of Hermantown, who has over 40 years of hockey coaching experience.
— Matt Halverson (@MHalverson6) April 14, 2022

“Under the leadership of Mr. Pionk, we will create the Sentinel Hockey program to be a virtuous, character-driven program that is embedded within our Catholic school mission and traditions of the faith,” school leaders wrote.

Pionk has 40 years of experience coaching hockey including at the youth, high school, junior and collegiate levels, largely in Proctor and Hermantown.

Pionk has five sons, one named Neal who used to play professional hockey for the New York Rangers, and now plays for the Winnipeg Jets. He also has a son Aaron, who’s committed to playing hockey on the Division 1 collegiate level.

There was no immediate word on which section the Stella Maris team will play in.

The school district also did not immediately share plans for any other possible high school sports teams.

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