Former Wildcat hockey player Andy Contois is associate head coach of the USHL's Youngstown Phantoms, which recently claimed its first Clark Cup title by sweeping the Fargo Force in the best-of-five series with a 1-0 victory in the third matchup. The Marquette native graduated from NMU in 2006 with a degree in finance.
Contois joined the Phantoms during the 2021-22 season. He spent two previous seasons with the Indy Fuel of the ECHL, which qualified for the playoffs in both seasons he was with them and led the league in having players called up to the AHL. Prior to his time in Indy, Contois spent two seasons with the Central Illinois Flying Aces of the USHL. He coached seven players who were taken in the NHL Draft and had an additional 45 players move on to play major Division I hockey.
Before his coaching career, Contois had a 10-year professional playing career aplit between North America and Europe. He played three ECHL seasons, tallying 52 goals and 74 assists in 177 games with the Gwinnett Gladiators, Stockton Thunder, Mississippi SeaWolves and Johnstown Chiefs, while earning a spot in the 2008 ECHL All-Star Game. During the 2010-11 season, he split time between Mörrums GoIS in the Swedish Division 1 and the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs in the Central Hockey League, where he helped the Mudbugs win a Miron Cup.
Contois played college hockey at NMU after transferring from LSSU. According to a Mining Journal story, his best statistical season came during his junior year, when he finished with 19 goals and 36 points. He followed that up with a 16-goal, 31-point campaign his senior season.
Previously, Contois played for the Marquette Electricians Midget AAA hockey team in 119 games, scoring 60 goals and totaling 135 points. He also played for Green Bay Gamblers of the USHL following his high school graduation.
