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MANAGEMENT

Patrick Cavanagh

Owner & CEO
In 1989, Patrick Cavanagh began his Professional hockey career as an original Hampton Roads Admiral at the age of 18, which was followed by the Admirals first ECHL Championship in 1991. He went on to play within the New York Rangers, St. Louis and Tampa Bay organizations and was nominated into the Professional Hockey Players Association’s Executive Committee by his peers, which led to the ECHL’s initial Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). Always an advocate for the grassroots of youth hockey development in the United States, Cavanagh founded the Cavanagh’s Developmental Hockey Program (CDHP) in 1990. The program operated in over 30 states and provinces in North America, reaching unprecedented success. That success was due in part to the “break your comfort zone” development model, which changed the way “hockey schools” were operated. Cavanagh followed that up with the purchase of the previously failed Arc Ice Sports twin sheet facility in 2003 and rebranded the building as the Chilled Ponds Ice Sports Complex. The facility received a comprehensive overhaul, which included every aspect of design, operations and functionality. Now a thriving business and global destination, immediate corporate success of Chilled Ponds led to Cavanagh’s recognition by Inside Business as one of the region’s “Top 40/under 40” in 2003. After the successful launch of the Hampton Roads Whalers youth hockey organization in 2006, Cavanagh was a pioneer in the formation of the Whalers Junior Hockey franchise. Overcoming the restrictive, geographic and competitive obstacles, the Whalers became the first Southeastern junior hockey franchise and provided players with athletic and scholastic opportunities within the sport of hockey that was previously offered only in traditional hockey regions of the United States. His expectation for excellence was immediately realized when the Whalers won the league Championships in their first two seasons and set an unprecedented, operational standard by winning eight League and National Championships in 13 seasons. This achievement led to over 250 University commitments and scores of players being promoted to higher levels of play. Credited with the rapid expansion in junior hockey, the Whalers success has ultimately opened the entire Southeastern region of the United States to the world of junior hockey and has been responsible for the development of many up-and-coming, American-born hockey players. With his acquisition of the ECHL’s Norfolk Admirals franchise, Cavanagh continues the Norfolk Admirals legacy of excellence with renewed focus on Championship caliber hockey, fan experience, game day entertainment and community betterment. The Admirals ownership brings Cavanagh’s 30 year objectives together by way of creating and developing Hampton Roads Whalers grassroots youth hockey, Learn to play, Rec and Travel Hockey to Junior Hockey National Championships, local player NCAA commitments to Professional Hockey with the Admirals. The success of the Hampton Roads Whalers and Chilled Ponds complements the success and history of the Norfolk Admirals. The three together give Hampton Roads players full access and opportunities for our the greatest achievements the sport of hockey offers.

Billy Johnson

President
Johnson was named Admirals President in November 2020. He is a veteran of professional sports who led the startup of the ECHL’s Las Vegas Wranglers and navigated the organization as President and Chief Operating Officer from 2003 through 2014. Under Johnson, the Wranglers became the most prominent professional resident team-sports organization in Las Vegas’s history. Johnson was nominated five times for the ECHL’s Executive of the Year Award. Johnson is known for out-of-the-box promotions and marketing and was the creative spark for the team’s highly anticipated Midnight Games, The World’s First Indoor Outdoor Game, and Regrettable Tattoo Nights. He sparked several high-concept one-off-themed promotions that often satirized current events, pulling the team from the sports pages and into the news headlines. Johnson cites Chuck Barris—a prolific game show producer and host of The Gong Show—as an entertainment and public engagement influence. Before hockey, Johnson enjoyed a storied minor professional baseball career at all levels. He led the startup Nashua Pride in the independent Atlantic League in 1998. As Vice President and General Manager, he was awarded the league’s 2000 Executive of the Year award for attendance increases and building the 2000 Atlantic League championship team with owner Chris English and field manager Butch Hobson. He’s received two 40-Under-40 awards: The inaugural New Hampshire 40-Under-40 in 2002 and 2005 in Las Vegas. He has a journalism degree from the University of Kentucky and wrote and published a novel, “If I Die Tell Steve Martin I Found His Journal” (2014). He has been a featured columnist and blogger for numerous news organizations, most recently featured in the Las Vegas Sun as “Ice Ice Billy: Mostly Random Nonsense” (2011 to 2015). Since the Las Vegas Wranglers, Johnson has worked in the tourism space as a territory President and overall Sr. Vice President of Marketing for an adventure tour company with operations in the Southwest and Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. Johnson began his career as the mascot “Billy Bird” for the Louisville Redbirds (AAA, St. Louis) in 1988 and was coached and costumed by The Famous Chicken. He has a 14-year-old puggle named Kimi Raikkonen, named after his favorite Formula 1 racing driver.

HOCKEY OPERATIONS

Jeff Carr

Jeff Carr

General Manager & Head Coach
Carr was hired in August 2022 as the team's assistant coach. In November 2022, he was named head coach after Rod Taylor left his position. The 2023-24 campaign will be Carr's first full season as Admirals head coach. Carr spent the last five seasons as the head coach of the Southern Professional Hockey League’s Knoxville Ice Bears. He was named the 2021-22 SPHL Coach of the Year after leading the Ice Bears to a 42-10-8 record, which was the franchise’s first regular season title since 2009. (The 42 wins set an all-time league record in SPHL history). In five seasons under Carr’s leadership, the Ice Bears combined record was 151-83-24 (.632%). The Eagle River, WI native began his coaching career in 2012-13 as an assistant coach with the WSHL’s Salt Lake City Moose. He was promoted to head coach for the next two seasons in which the Moose secured playoff births. After a brief stint with the Odgen Mustangs in the WSHL, Carr was named the assistant coach of the ECHL’s Utah Grizzles in 2016-17. One year later, he was named Knoxville’s head coach.
Joel Rumpel

Joel Rumpel

Assistant Coach
Rumpel was hired as the Admirals assistant coach on December 11, 2022. The 2023-24 season will be his first full season as the Admirals assistant coach. The Swift Current, SK native recently completed his playing career which spanned seven seasons as a goaltender. Rumpel played seven games in the American Hockey League with San Jose and Iowa. He played in 91 career ECHL games with Allen, Cincinnati, Wichita, Utah, and Kansas City. He signed with the Admirals in 2019-20 but would play with Stjernen in Norway that season. Rumpel finished his career in the ECHL with a 49-28-9 record and a 2.92 goals against average (GAA). Rumpel won a Kelly Cup championship in 2014-15 and 2015-16 with the Allen Americans. Before his professional career, he played four years at the University of Wisconsin, suiting up in 115 games with the Badgers going 53-50-11 and a 2.51 GAA. He was named a Hobey Baker Award finalist in 2013-14 going 21-6-1 in goal.
D'arcy Wiart

D'arcy Wiart

Head Athletic Trainer
Wiart enters his second season as the Admirals' Head Athletic Trainer. He works with the Admirals through co-operation with Ivy Rehab Physical Therapy. Wiart is a graduate of Endicott College and Georgia Southern University. He has 11 years of experience working in the ECHL, USHL, NAHL, SPHL and high school settings. His standout moment in his career to date was winning a Clark Cup with Dubuque in 2010-2011, their first year back in the USHL. Wiart is certified as a performance enhancement specialist (PES) in Graston Technique and in dry needling. Wiart calls McAllen, TX home in the off-season with his wife, Brenda. They have two boys, Beto and Mauricio, and two dogs, Flatts and Sugar, always keeping them moving.
Garett Hoglund

Garett Hoglund

Head Equipment Manager
Hoglund enters his second season as Head Equipment Manager for the Admirals. He oversees all of the club’s equipment needs along with running the team’s home dressing room at the Norfolk Scope. Prior to joining the Admirals, Hoglund spent eight years with the Minnesota Wild and started working as a dressing room attendant and Assistant Equipment Manager. He also spent time as an equipment manager in Tulsa, OK with the Tulsa Oilers before heading south to work as an Equipment Manager with the Orlando Solar Bears.

Mark Cinq-Mars

Strength & Conditioning Coach

Craig Rush

Team Chaplain

FRONT OFFICE

Marco Myers

Marco Myers

Director of Entertainment
Myers enters his fourth season with the Admirals as the Director of Entertainment and In-Arena Host. He oversees all aspects of game-day entertainment and fan experience. Serving as In-arena host, Myers conducts interviews with players and coaches rink side, while also bringing the hype during intermissions to further connect the fans with the action on the ice. He also assists with group sales initiatives including non-profit fundraising, school spirit nights, youth hockey scrimmages, and business outings. A native of Chesapeake, VA, Myers graduated from Old Dominion University (ODU) with a Bachelor’s Degree in Sports Management and a Minor in Coaching. He is a life-long Admirals fan and grew up playing hockey locally for the Hampton Roads Whalers. In his free time, Myers loves to spend time with family, cook, and attend live shows and concerts.
Brandon Schlick

Brandon Schlick

Merchandise & Operations Manager
Schlick enters his second season as the Merchandise and Operations Manager. He joined the Admirals in November 2021 as a part-time Merchandise Manager and was ultimately promoted to full-time in January 2022. Schlick is a Virginia Beach native and has been in the 757 for the majority of his life. He attended Randolph College in Lynchburg where he graduated with a Masters’ Degree in Coaching and Sport Leadership. Brandon was also a member of the basketball team at Randolph for all four years (NCAA-III). In his time away from the rink, Schlick likes to spend time at the beach and with his family. He resides in Virginia Beach with his fiancée, Sara, his dog, Tori, and his cat, Ivy.
Casey Christensen

Casey Christensen

Inside Sales Manager
Christensen enters his third season with the Admirals and his first as the Inside Sales Manager. He originally joined the Admirals as an intern in 2021-22, worked as the Sales and Operations coordinator starting in January 2022, and was promoted to Inside Sales Manager in March 2023. He was born and raised in Lake Hopatcong, NJ, and served in the U.S Navy for five years as a Cryptologic Technician onboard USS Ralph Johnson. In his free time, Christensen likes to spend time with his wife Shelly-May, play disc golf, and watch Green Bay Packers football. Christensen currently attends Old Dominion University where he will complete his marketing degree in December of 2023.

Ellie Schoenthaler

Corporate Account Executive, Advertising & Sponsorship Sales
Schoenthaler joined the Admirals midway through the 2022-2023 season as an inside sales representative. She now specializes in corporate sales as well as sponsorship and advertising. Schoenthaler brings previous sales experience to the front office from her time with the Indiana Pacers of the NBA.
Weston DeWitt

Weston DeWitt

Director of Broadcasting & Communications
DeWitt enters his fourth season as the Admirals Broadcaster and Director of Communications. DeWitt also specializes in videography/editing of the team's behind-the-scenes coverage. After being born and raised in Rapid City, SD, DeWitt now calls Phoenix, AZ home. He is a graduate of the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communications at Arizona State University (ASU). In his senior year at ASU, DeWitt was named Sports Director of the student radio station and was named “Best Sports Director” in the country by the Intercollegiate Broadcasting System (IBS). Before joining the Admirals, DeWitt was a Video Editor at MLB and NHL Network. He was also a contributing writer to Sports Illustrated MMA, covering the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), Bellator MMA, and the Legacy Fighting Alliance (LFA). DeWitt called his 100th professional hockey game on February 6, 2022, against the Atlanta Gladiators. He was a member of the 2023 ECHL All-Star Classic broadcast team that shown on NHL Network. DeWitt resides in Norfolk with his fiancée, Shelby.

Becca Robinson

Marketing Coordinator
Robinson enters her first season as the team's Marketing Coordinator. Born and raised in Norfolk, Becca grew up going to Admirals' games with her friends and enjoying everything her hometown has to offer. After earning her degree in Strategic Communications from Flagler College in St. Augustine, FL., Robinson worked in New York City at a Public Relations Agency and in Richmond before returning to the 757. When not working, Becca loves spending time with her friends and frequenting her favorite Norfolk restaurants.
Caleb Fraser

Caleb Fraser

Inside Sales Representative
Fraser enters his first season with the Admirals as an Inside Sales Representative. He joined the Admirals originally as an intern in 2021-22 and was promoted to a full-time position in April 2022. Fraser served five years in the U.S. Navy from 2013 to 2018 as a navigation electronics technician onboard the USS Chicago homeported in Guam and Hawaii. Raised in the Hampton Roads area, Fraser grew up attending Admirals games with his family and friends, while also playing hockey for the area's local youth hockey programs, the Jr. Admirals, Hampton Roads Whalers, and Peninsula Prowl. He lives with his wife Emily and his mini-dachshund Moose in Portsmouth. In his free time Caleb enjoys coffee dates with his wife and watching the Washington Capitals together.
Marcos Hernandez

Marcos Hernandez

Account Executive, Business Development
Hernandez enters his second season with the Admirals and his first as Account Executive, Business Development. He joined the Admirals as an Inside Sales Representative in 2022-23 and was promoted to his current position in July 2023. He was born and raised in San Antonio TX, and served in the U.S Navy for 14 years as an Aviation Ordnanceman. Marcos is currently studying business management and marketing at Old Dominion University. He resides in Virginia Beach with his wife Crystal, and his children Ellan and Leo. He likes to spend time with his family, play softball, and watch football.
Brandon Snyder

Brandon Snyder

Inside Sales Representative
Snyder joined the Admirals front office as an inside sale representative in May of 2023 after working as a game operations intern for the Admirals during the 22-23 season, and the Norfolk Tides game day staff. Brandon is from Uncasville, CT and recently graduated from Old Dominion University with a bachelor's degree in sports management and a minor in business analytics. Brandon likes to spend time with family, play video games, and cheer on the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Logan Woolcock

Logan Woolcock

Inside Sales Representative
Woolcock joined the Admirals team as an intern for the 2022-23 season and was promoted to a full-time position as an Inside Sales Representative in May of 2023. He graduated from Virginia Wesleyan the same month with a degree in business management. Born in Hughesville, Pennsylvania, Woolcock is eager to grow and develop as a young sports professional. He enjoys basketball, comedy, and playing disc golf with his coworkers and friends.