BILOXI, Miss. � The Mississippi Sea Wolves of the ECHL announced today at a news conference that associate coach Steffon Walby has been hired as head coach and director of hockey operations.

Walby, 32, becomes the fifth head coach in team history taking over from Bob Woods, who resigned earlier in the day after four seasons at the helm to accept a position as assistant coach with the Hershey Bears of the American Hockey League.

Serving as Mississippi�s associate coach in 2004-05, Walby was player/assistant coach of the Sea Wolves for three campaigns from 2001-04, when he became the all-time regular season team leader in goals (117), points (270), power-play goals (43), shorthand goals (11) and plus/minus (+72). He is also the all-time team leader in the playoffs in assists (17) and points (27). Walby appeared in a total of 206 games in a Mississippi uniform, scoring 127 goals and adding 170 assists for 297 points, which is an outstanding average of 1.44 points per game.

Named to the All-ECHL First Team for three consecutive years, Walby was selected as a starter and captain in the 2003 and 2004 ECHL All-Star Games. Born in Orange County, California and raised in Lodi, Wisconsin, Walby was named ECHL Player of the Week three times in his career, the ECHL Player of the Month on two occasions, while taking the ECHL Plus Performer of the Month award in December, 2002.

Walby retired from an 11-year professional playing career after appearing in a total of 802 games combining regular season and playoffs, tallying 315 goals, 372 assists and 687 points, for an average of .857 points per game.

Walby played seven seasons in the American Hockey League capped off by being a member of the 1997 Calder Cup Champion Hershey Bears, where he played for Bob Hartley, who is the head coach of the Atlanta Thrashers.

Walby started his professional career with the St. John�s Maple Leafs and played three seasons (1993-96), suited up for three years in Hershey (1996-97; 1999-01), 50 games for the Rochester Americans (1998-99) and 23 contests with the Kentucky Thoroughblades (1998-99). He also played one season in the International Hockey League with the Fort Wayne Komets (1997-98).

Steffon and his wife, Alexis, reside in Biloxi, along with their son, Braxton.

�I want to thank the Mississippi ownership for showing confidence in me,� said Walby. �Working with Bob Woods has been educational especially in the compassionate and competitive side of the game. If I get the same support that he did from players, staff and fans, we�ll continue to see results. We were a winning combination and I look forward to getting that combo back together again some day. I�ve had a great transistion in every phase of my career and I expect it to continue.�

�I brought him down four years with aspirations that he would be the head coach one day,� said Woods. �I am excited for Steffon and very confident that he will do an exceptional job. He has been a big part of the team success over the last four seasons and I know it will be a smooth transition.�

�We have tremendous confidence in Steffon,� said Mike Rogers, Sea Wolves Part Owner and Operating Member. �We�re extremely fortunate to have a guy like Walby step right in. He�s had the opportunity to learn from Bob Woods and Bob Hartley, two of the best coaches in the game and he�s ready.�
 
The Sea Wolves open their 10th Anniversary Season on October 22 at Pensacola, before dropping the puck on their home opener on October 28 versus Texas at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum.

Reserve your piece of the exciting, hard-hitting Sea Wolves hockey action by purchasing 2005-06 season tickets starting at $306 per seat for an adult, which is just $8.50 per game and $240 for a child, an average of $6.67 per game.

A 10 percent deposit will lock in your season ticket today by calling (228) 275-WOLF. Each season ticket also includes two free �Bring a Pal to the Pack� vouchers.

Group discounts are also available by telephone at (228) 275-WOLF. Individual game ticket prices will be released in October.