Lee Elias Named Head Coach of Puerto Rico Women’s National Ice Hockey Program

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - March 1, 2025

San Juan, Puerto Rico - The Puerto Rican Ice Hockey Association (PRIHA) is proud to announce that Lee Elias has been named the Head Coach of the Puerto Rico Women’s National Ice Hockey Program.

Elias has been an integral part of PRIHA since 2022, serving as the organization’s Team Building Coach and as an assistant coach for the Men’s National Team. During his tenure, the team secured the 2022 LATAM Cup gold medal and emerged victorious in the 2023 Fiesta De Hockey series against Jamaica.

With a coaching career spanning two decades, Elias brings a wealth of experience from across professional, collegiate, junior, and youth hockey levels. In addition to his coaching success, he has dedicated much of his career to advancing the study of team building and leadership through his organization, Game Seven Group.

Beyond his professional accomplishments, Elias has deep personal ties to Puerto Rico. His wife’s family is from the island, and their two children, Logan and Alina, are active members of PRIHA’s youth development program. Elias and his wife also maintain a residence in Puerto Rico, further solidifying his connection to the island’s growing hockey community.

Expressing his excitement for this new role, Elias stated:

"Honored and excited doesn’t capture the emotions I have for being named to this position. In the coming weeks, I am excited to connect with our players and continue building on the strong foundation that has already been established, fostering a culture of growth and unity. In addition to competing at the highest levels possible, our goal will be to inspire our players to be the best versions of themselves both on and off the ice. I know from working with our women’s program and youth program in the past that we have a very bright future, and I am humbled to be a part of it.”

Scott Vargas, President and Founder of PRIHA, commented:

"We have put a deliberate focus on the Womens National Program. We took great strides forward last year adding some new talented young athletes that will be with us for years to come and having the women lead us into IIHF competition with their 2nd place finish in the IIHF 3v3 Series in Brazil. We have expressed to our group that we want to do everything possible to prepare for the 2030 Olympic Qualifiers - we want to be competitive there. As we continue our progress towards those lofty goals, we recognize the impact bringing in key leaders like Lee can make to the program. We feel Lee will bring a level of energy and thought leadership to this group that will elevate the existing players, bring in new recruits, create a championship-level team bond, and give the Womens National Program the spotlight it deserves. Please join us in welcoming Lee to this new role!"

Lee Elias pictured with family.

For more information on the Puerto Rico Women’s National Program or PRIHA, please contact: hockeyops@puertoricoicehockey.com