Icemen Add Cockerill & Russo to Hockey Operations Staff

JACKSONVILLE, FL – Jacksonville Icemen Head Coach & Director of Hockey Operations Brandon Mashinter is pleased to announce today that the team has named Garret Cockerill as Video/Assistant Coach and Abby Russo as the team’s new Head Athletic Trainer. 

Cockerill enters his first season into coaching, after a seven-year playing career, with three of those seasons played in Jacksonville.  Cockerill played as a physical shutdown defenseman in the ECHL and AHL from 2017-2024. He initially played for the Icemen during the 2018-2019, and made is return to play with the team from 2022-2024.   Cockerill totaled 140 points (30g, 110a) in 315 career ECHL games split between the Icemen, Reading Royals, Tulsa Oilers and Kalamazoo Wings. Cockerill has also registered 19 points in 56 career AHL games with the Cleveland Monsters from 2017-2019.  Prior to his professional career, the Brighton, Michigan resident played four seasons at Northeastern University where he totaled 84 points (19g, 65a) from 2014-2018, while winning a Hockey East championship in 2016.

Russo enters her first season with the Icemen after working as a graduate student with the Allen Americans (ECHL) for the 2023-24 season as well as working the Dallas Stars 2023 Player Development Camp.  Russo recently graduated with her Master of Science Degree in Athletic Training from Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas. As part of her education, Russo worked with several Division-I programs including TCU football, tennis, soccer, beach volleyball, and Texas A&M football. The New Jersey resident received her Bachelor of Science Degree in Health and Exercise Science at the University of Oklahoma where she also participated as a member of the OU Track and Field team for two years. 

Russo takes over for Cody Marean, who recently made the move up to the AHL as an athletic trainer with the Ontario Reign. 

Last season, under the leadership of Nick Luukko and Brandon Mashinter, the Icemen’s Hockey Operations staff received the ECHL Hockey Operations Department of the Year Award. Earlier this summer Luukko was named an assistant coach with the AHL’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. 

The following is a listing of the Icemen’s 2024-25 Hockey Operations Staff: 

Brandon Mashinter, Head Coach
Fourth season with the Icemen; First as Head Coach   

Sean Teakle, Assistant Coach
First Season with the Icemen

Charles Williams, Goaltending Coach 
Second season as a coach with the Icemen

Garret Cockerill, Video/Assistant Coach
First Season as a coach with the Icemen

Patrick Murphy, Strength & Conditioning Coach 
Sixth season with the Icemen  

Matt Conti – Head Equipment Manager 
Fourth season with the Icemen  

Abby Russo – Head Athletic Trainer 
First season with the Icemen

The Icemen open the 2024-25 season on Saturday, October 19 against the Florida Everblades.  Game time is set for 7:00 p.m. Full and partial Icemen ticket packages are currently on sale!  Payment plans are also available. Contact the Icemen office at 904-602-7825, or visit www.jacksonvilleicemen.com for more information.

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