Playing career:

Pittsburgh Amateur Penguins 12U through 18U

4 time state champion with Bishop McCort High

Senior season named to Stellar 6 for top 6 players in Pennsylvania high school hockey

2 seasons in the Ontario Provincial Junior A League 

2 seasons Elmira College Dlll

2 seasons Pro with Dayton and Florence in ECHL, Flint in UHL, Winston Salem in SPHL

Coaching History:

Johnstown Jets 6 years (Mite coordinator, 10U,12U,16U)

Westmont High School assistant for the 2020-2021 season Head Coach 2021 to present

Worked various hockey clinics with Haines Total Hockey 

Ben is a Hollidaysburg native where he started playing for the Altoona Trackers at 8 years old and continued to play travel hockey through U18. His team had an undefeated season winning a PAHL season and playoff banner in 2017, as well as being a 4-year Defenseman for Hollidaysburg High School.

Ben went on to play 2 seasons at East Stroudsburg University before moving back to the Altoona area where he was the head coach of the U8 In-House Program, skills programs and taught various levels of Learn to Skate.

Ben is a USA Hockey Level 3 coach entering his 3rd season with the Mid State Mustangs, previously Assisting the U10 AA teams.

Ben continues his passion for the game bringing a strong defensive minded specialty to the coaching staff with a focus on personal and skill development.

Ty is a Hollidaysburg native who brings knowledge and skill to the Mid-State Mustangs 12UAA team. With a passion for the game that began in his hometown, Ty started his hockey career with the Altoona Trackers, where he honed his skills and developed a deep love for the sport.

As Ty's talent and dedication grew, he advanced to the AAA level, playing for prestigious organizations such as the Esmark Stars and Pittsburgh Penguins Elite programs. It was during this time that Ty earned recognition as a Mid-Am Championship recipient in 2021. This achievement propelled him to compete in the highly competitive 2021 USA Hockey Tier 1 National Tournament, where he showcased his skills on a national stage.

In 2021, Ty made a return to his roots by joining the Mid-State Mustangs, this time as the team's captain. The Mustangs achieved great success, securing a Divisional Championship in the EJEPL. 

Following his success with the Mustangs, Ty continued his hockey journey by playing junior hockey with the Hershey Cubs. In this higher level of competition, he demonstrated his versatility and skill, amassing an impressive 26 points in 44 regular season games. His outstanding performances were recognized three times when he was featured as a Mid-Atlantic Division player of the week.

Ty has decided to return to the area where he grew up playing hockey. Armed with the knowledge and expertise gained throughout his years of playing, he is eager to contribute to the development and growth of the future generation of youth hockey players. Ty's goal is to inspire and empower young athletes, instilling in them the same love for the game and work ethic that has driven his own success.

Noah was born in Altoona, PA where he was introduced to hockey at a young age and started playing for the Altoona Trackers at 8 years old. Noah then continued to play travel hockey and played for both the Mid-State Mustangs and Altoona Trackers. He was on the team of the 2016 Regional Silver Stick Tournament Champions in West Chester, PA and went on to compete in the International Silver Stick Tournament in Newmarket, Ontario, Canada. Also during his last year with the Mustangs, he was a part of the 2018 Western PA State Championship Team and they went to compete in the National Championship Tournament in Green Bay, Wisconsin Where they placed 3rd in the country. Noah also played two years of high school hockey for Bishop Guilfoyle.

During his freshman year in college, Noah played for the Penn State Altoona club hockey team.

Noah is thrilled to be back and a part of a great organization that he grew up in. He hopes to continue the growth of his teams as players and also as individuals.

Cole was introduced to hockey at a young age and started playing for the Altoona Trackers at 9 years old. Cole then continued to play travel hockey, playing for both the Mid-State Mustangs and Altoona Trackers alongside fellow assistant coach Murray. He was on the team of the 2016 Regional Silver Stick Tournament Champions in West Chester, PA and went on to compete in the International Silver Stick Tournament in Newmarket, Ontario, Canada. During his last year with the Mustangs, he was a part of the 2018 Western PA State Championship Team and they went to compete in the National Championship Tournament in Green Bay, Wisconsin where they placed 3rd in the country. 

In addition to travel hockey, Cole played for the Altoona Mt. Lions, winning back to back league championships his junior and senior year. Over the course of his high school career, he was awarded leading scorer of the LMHL for both points and goals, Playoff MVP, and League MVP.

He also played for the Penn State Altoona club hockey team his freshman year, making a playoff run alongside Coach Murray.

Cole is looking forward to the opportunity of guiding the younger generation of Mustangs to successful careers as players, teammates, and individuals.

Quinn Hunter was born and raised in Hollidaysburg, PA where she began her 16 year hockey career. 

Quinn played for the following teams growing up… the Altoona Trackers, the Mid State Mustangs, Steel City Selects, and the Hollidaysburg Area High School team. 

In both 2014 and 2015, Quinn attended Nationals with her Steel City Selects team finishing third overall. In 2016 and 2017, she was apart of the Altoona Tracker u19 woman’s team to win the season and playoff championships. Quinn’s senior year with the Hollidaysburg Tigers she was the Captain of her highschool coed team and went on to be the first female to ever play for PennState Altoona. 

Quinn is excited to get back into coaching, especially in her home town with her childhood teams. She hopes to give players the same opportunities and experiences she had growing up in the sport. She looks forward to being a good role model and coach to all young players.

Zack is a Hollidaysburg native who grew up and started his hockey career with the Altoona Trackers and Mid State Mustangs.

After a stint on different travel teams, he began playing for the Esmark Stars for four seasons. After his travels with the Stars were finished he went to his birthplace Kittanning PA, to play with the Armstrong Arrows AA u18 National team. During his time there he led for two Tier 2 Mid-Am championships winning the second one to advance to Tier 2 Nationals in Irvine California. Throughout his 9th-12th grade years, he was also a member of the Hollidaysburg High School team.

Born and raised in Altoona, PA, Derek Mathews has been around the game of hockey since he learned to skate at the age of four at Penn State.  As Galactic Ice was not open yet, he played roller hockey at Sir Skate along with the Stingers travel program until 2000.  When Galactic Ice opened, Derek was part of the first Squirt team as a nine year old in the Altoona Trackers program.  Coming up through the ranks and adding several banners for the Trackers program, he was also a key member of the Mid-State Mustangs program.  Mathews was a part of the first two U18 AA PA State Championship teams (one with the Trackers in 2008 and one with the Mustangs in 2010).  Mathews also played for the Altoona Mountain Lion Junior High and High School teams.  He was part of the only high school team out of Galactic Ice to play PIHL Varsity AAA during his junior year.

After graduating high school, Mathews played collegiate hockey at West Chester University for their D2 program.  Mathews won two conference championships during his time at the program and also was selected for the National D2 All-Star Challenge tournament (which is played every two years) both times.  He left WCU as their D2 all-time leading scorer and graduated with a degree in Middle Grades Education with concentrations in Mathematics and Social Studies.  Derek currently teaches 7th grade Math at Tyrone Area Middle School.

Tom has been involved in youth sports in the Altoona area for the last twenty-five years including baseball, soccer, roller hockey and ice hockey.  When Galactic Ice opened in 1999, he was the head coach for the first Tracker Squirt team.  For the next seven years he was the head coach for various A Major and AA Tracker teams up to the midget level.  At that point he then became an assist coach under Dave Weaver on the Midget AA Tracker team gaining further experience.  He also coached on various levels of other Tracker teams at the same time.

Paralleling the Tracker organization, he was part of the founding teams for the Mid-State Mustangs, both as a head coach and an assistant coach.  Also during this time span, he also was instrumental in starting the first Altoona High Area High School Junior and Senior High teams.  He spent 13 years coaching within that association.

After his son moved on to play college hockey, he spent the next seven years as an assistant coach for various Tracker Bantam and Midget teams as a way to give back to organization that provided his son such a positive experience.

Some accomplishments achieved along the way were, eight PAHL Tracker banners, multiple tournament victories, a Mid-State Mustangs State title at Midget AA, which included a trip to compete at the USA Hockey Nationals.   He was selected as Head coach of a PIHL High School All-Star team in 2008.   Coached the only local High School team to play AAA hockey in the PIHL.  Coached in nearly 1000 ice hockey games.  Attended every game his son played in a five year span at the West Chester University D2 program, while still traveling with an Altoona Tracker and Altoona High School team for five years, which involved multiple games a week from Ohio to New Jersey.

After nineteen years of coaching hockey, he is returning to his roots of youth hockey to assist his son Derek.

Jamesy Rossi was part of the Sir Skate Stingers Roller hockey program since the age of 5, until Galactic Ice’s opening in 2000.  He was part of the first squirt banner raising team with the Altoona Trackers, in 2001.  With the Trackers and Mustangs programs, he was a part of the first two U18 AA PA State Championship teams (one with the Trackers in 2008 and one with the Mustangs in 2010).  At the 2010 National Championships, Jamesy placed first as the Overall Skills Competition winner. 

In High School Hockey, he was part of the only team out of Galactic Ice to play PIHL Varsity AAA during his Senior season with the Altoona Mt. Lions. During his senior year, he was the leading scorer in Western PA in the PIHL Varsity AAA division, with 55 points in 20 games. He proudly played alongside his fellow coach, Derek Mathews, as line mates for almost their entire career.  The passion of his coaches and peers in the past, have drawn him back to become a coach, to help develop the players on and off the ice.

Coach J.R. grew up in Altoona, Pa.  He started playing roller hockey for the Stingers travel program at the age of seven.  When Galactic Ice opened in 2001  he was on the Tracker squirt team that brought the first banner to the rink. Throughout the years he was a defenseman on several banner winning teams for the Trackers, and a key member of the Mid-State Mustangs program.

J.R.  was on the first two U18 AA PA State Championship teams (one with Trackers in 2008 and one with Mustangs in 2010).  He also played on Altoona jr. High and High School teams and was a part of the only PIHL Varsity AAA team during his junior year of high school. 

After high school, J.R. went on to play in college for Penn State Altoona, serving as the team Captain in 2012.  Additionally, he was selected to play in the College Hockey East (CHE) all-star game in both 2011 and 2012.

The knowledge and life lessons he has learned through hockey led him back to coaching alongside his past teammates and lifelong friends.  He brings a strong defensive minded specialty to the staff and he implements that into his training philosophies.