Christiano Versich was promoted to Associate Head Men's Hockey Coach in August 2025 ahead of the 2025-26 season after initially being named assistant coach of the SUNY Canton men's hockey program in August 2023.
Versich had spent the last 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons as the lead assistant for the Roos in their transition into the SUNYAC. He helped lead the team to eight wins during the 2023-24 season including winning two of three contests against Route 11 rival SUNY Potsdam. The Roos won nine games including six in league play during the 2024-25 season earning a SUNYAC playoff appearance in their first season in the conference.
"Christiano has truly excelled in his role, bringing invaluable knowledge to our forward group and enhancing our power play," Head Coach Alex Boak said at the time of his promotion.
Versich, a 2021 graduate of Colorado College, played three seasons of Division I hockey for the Tigers before playing his final season of college hockey at D-I University of St. Thomas. He comes to Canton after playing professional hockey last season for Cergy-Pontoise in the France Ligue Magnus and for DEAC in the Erste Liga in Hungary.
“I am ecstatic to have Christiano part of our program and working with our players this year,” Boak said at the time of his initial hiring. “I think Christiano will bring a vast knowledge of the game from his experience playing at the Division I level as well as the professional ranks overseas. Our players and I will benefit from having Christiano part of our staff and he will certainly enhance our players development and performance on the ice this season and beyond.”
SUNY Canton won nine games overall and six games in league play in their first season as a member of the SUNYAC in 2024-25. The Roos qualified for the playoffs in their first season in the conference earning the six seed before falling in the first round to Buffalo State. Niko Schoner was named the SUNY Canton Athletics department's Male Co-Student-Athlete of the Year, while Logan Kelly was named the department's Male Rookie of the Year. Brendan Morrow was one of two male student-athletes to have the highest overall GPA in the graduating class entering the final semester.
The Roos earned eight wins during the 2023-24 season including winning two of their three contests against Route 11 Rival SUNY Potsdam. The team also picked up victories against SUNYAC schools Brockport and Fredonia as well as splitting with Lake Forest and sweeping Wilkes.
Canton finished 12-13-0 during the 2022-23 season including defeating five different SUNYAC opponents. The Roos picked up their first ever win against SUNY Geneseo earning a 2-1 road win (1/7/23) against the No. 6 nationally-ranked Knights.
During his time at Colorado College Verisch recorded 45 points (13 goals, 32 assists) in 106 games. After transferring back closer to home to the University of St. Thomas, he recorded five goals and 11 assists for 16 points in 31 games. Following graduation from St. Thomas, Versich played overseas and spent 18 games in the Ligue Magnus (five points on two goals and three assists) and suited up for nine games in the Erste Liga located in Hungary.
“I am extremely grateful, honored and excited for the opportunity to join SUNY Canton’s coaching staff,” Versich said when he was hired. “I cannot wait to get started with the team and Coach Boak. I am looking forward to assisting and continuing to build a special program that is already in place in every aspect I can.”
Before attending Colorado College Versich recorded 34 points (seven goals, 27 assists) in 61 games while splitting time between the Fargo Force and Bloomington Thunder of the USHL in 2016-17. He had 29 points (10 goals, 19 assists) in 56 games for the USHL’s Chicago Steel during the 2015-16 campaign and collected 93 points (36 goals, 57 assists) in 49 career games at St. Thomas Academy. Versich helped the team to the 2013 Class 1A state championship. He was drafted by the Chicago Steel in the seventh round of the 2013 USHL Futures Draft.
(Updated 10/30/25)
