Heartlanders name Mike Lysyj Associate Head Coach

Coralville, Iowa – Iowa Heartlanders Head Coach & General Manager Chuck Weber announced that Mike Lysyj (pronounced: LEE-see) has been named the team’s Associate Head Coach. Lysyj, 36, joins the Heartlanders after serving as an assistant coach and associate head coach of the USHL’s Cedar Rapids RoughRiders over the last three seasons. Lysyj earned a promotion to RoughRiders Associate Head Coach in 2024-25 and helped the team reach the qualifying round of the USHL’s Clark Cup Playoffs. 

The Hillsborough, NJ native has 11 seasons of coaching experience as an assistant and head coach in the NCAA, NCAA DIII, USHL, WHL and NAHL. He previously worked with Weber as a volunteer assistant coach with Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 2017-18 when Weber was assistant coach of the Engineers. 

Mike Lysyj: “I’m honored to be behind the bench and accept this opportunity as Associate Head Coach of the Heartlanders. Thank you to Owner Michael Devlin, President Matt Getz and Chuck for this opportunity. Having had the opportunity to live and work in Iowa for most of the last five years, I’m excited to stay in eastern Iowa and have the chance to jump into the professional game with a first-class franchise like the Heartlanders and live in Iowa City. My girlfriend Whitney and golden doodle Bauer are also very excited to move with me and I look forward to our opening game October 17^th at Xtream Arena”

Chuck Weber: “Mike is a bright young coach that I have history with going back to the NCAA. I know he will be a great asset to the Heartlanders organization as we continue to push our team forward.”

In Lysyj’s most-recent role from 2022-25 with the RoughRiders, the team made the Clark Cup Playoffs twice. He was Head Coach of NAHL Corpus Christi in 2021-22 and previously served as assistant coach of USHL Des Moines (2020-21) and assistant coach of WHL Everett (2019-20). In Everett, the team compiled a 46-13-3-1 record.

Make sure you’re here: The Heartlanders 2025-26 schedule is here and the team is planning theme nights and a promotional schedule for the 2025-26 season, with details announced this summer. We will be offering a variety of ticket plans and corporate partnership opportunities.

The Heartlanders open the team’s fifth season at Xtream Arena on Friday, Oct. 17 vs. Tulsa. Call 319-569-4625 or visit iowaheartlanders.com/tickets/ticket-plans to learn more about ticket package options or group ticket pricing for company outings, birthday parties or community groups of 10 or more.

Be the first to score the best seats, exclusive ticket availability, and unforgettable in-game experiences—join the 2025-26 Iowa Heartlanders Season Waitlist now and get notified the moment tickets go on sale: https://bit.ly/2526heartlanderswaitlist

For Corporate Partnerships call 319-855-1775 or info@iowaheartlanders.com. Align your business with the excitement of the Heartlanders coming off their best season yet. Partnerships can range from in-arena signage, such as dasherboards and video board advertisements, to digital and social media collaborations, reaching over 20,000 followers. Our team is eager to work with businesses to create tailored corporate partnership packages that meet specific marketing and business objectives.