Shupenia hired to take over Royales

The Marquette Royales have named Kevin Shupenia as the new head coach and general manager of the franchise. The Royales made the announcement on their team website on Wednesday.

Shupenia comes to the Royales after spending the past four seasons with the Ft. Wayne Federals of the Minnesota Junior Hockey League. He guided the Federals to a National Championship tournament birth in the team’s second season of existance.

I’m looking forward to coming to Marquette, a true hockey community in every sense of the word, to continue the success the previous coaching staff has established here. I enjoyed our trip up here with the Federals this past season, seeing the great facility and the town itself, and I’m looking forward to the opportunity ahead”, Shupenia said in a statement released by the team.

Jim Stanaway will stay on with the Royales as the team’s goaltender coach.

Shupenia replaces Mike Stanaway, who is now the head coach of the Marquette Electricians and the General Manager of the Brooklyn Aviators. In their first season in the MNJHL, the Royales won the Busch Cup and made an appearance in the National Championship tournament.