Cory Laylin is hoping his successful 2015 extends to games overseas. The Hamline men's hockey coach, who guided a team that had won just three games in two seasons to a NCAA berth last March, will be on the bench of Team USA Under -17 team competing at the Five Nations Cup tournament in Arosa, Switzerland August 10-16.
 
Laylin is one of two assistants for the team that heads overseas under the auspices of USA Hockey. In addition to the St. Cloud native – four Minnesotans – defensemen Clayton Mayer (Champlin) and Layton Phillips (Edina) and forwards Sam Walker (Minneapolis) and Isaac Johnson (Andover) were selected after tryouts earlier this month in Stewartville, NY.
 
Team USA is currently assembled in Washington, DC in early August for practice before heading overseas. They face the host country in an exhibition game August 10. They will meet the Swiss again as part of their tournament schedule August 15. In addition, Team USA will meet Czech Republic (August 12), Slovakia (August 14) and Germany (August 16).
 
It is the first USA Hockey coaching assignment for Laylin, who led the Pipers to the MIAC postseason championship and a second ever NCAA playoff berth last season. But he has plenty of international experience. "I played for four international teams. It's an honor to put on the Team USA jersey," he recalled. "I am excited at this opportunity."