FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ORLANDO, Fla. (June 10, 2025) – The Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) is proud to announce the appointment Michael Walley as the new Regional Director for AAU College Hockey. Walley is an experienced leader and has built an impressive track record of success in the hockey world with more than 15 years of experience as an Executive Director, Commissioner, and President of multiple hockey associations.

“This marks a new wave for AAU Collegiate Hockey and a new future for AAU College Hockey Championships,” said Jo Mirza, AAU President. “Mike has grown hockey in the collegiate space to new heights and has created amazing opportunities for athletes along the way.”

Walley has decades of experience in a leadership role, dating back to his time in the United States Navy. A retired Naval Aviator and Rear Admiral, Walley has taken his skills and applied them to business with more than a decade of success as a leader of non-profit organizations in collegiate sports. This leadership will help guide AAU College Hockey to more success.

"The Amateur Athletic Union has been a leader in sports for 137 years. The AAU knows what it takes to bring sporting opportunities to all," said Michael Walley, AAU College Hockey Regional Director. "We are creating something for college hockey at the perfect time. It is a privilege and professional honor to be invited to be a part of the team that bring collegiate sports to a new era in AAU."

Since 2010, Walley has been the Commissioner and President of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Hockey League and became the Executive Director of the ACC Hockey League in 2019. The ACC Hockey League is a chartered non-profit corporation that is the regional governing body of club or varsity college hockey teams in the mid-Atlantic region.

Under Walley’s guidance, the league has grown to cover 14 states from Alabama to New York, anchored by the traditional Atlantic Coast Conference universities. Walley was the driving force in creating the ACC Fall Showcase, the largest collegiate in-season hockey tournament in the country.

Prior to his work with the ACC Hockey League, Walley worked as the Executive Director of North American Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Hockey Association and the Executive Director of the American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA). Under his leadership, the ACHA increased their team memberships, as well as hosting their first two ACHA National Tournaments in Columbus which became the largest intercollegiate hockey tournament in the country.

AAU College Hockey continues to grow. Last year’s AAU College Hockey National Championships hosted 52 teams from around the country to compete. With Mike Walley as one of AAU College Hockey’s Regional Directors, AAU is set to expand the sport into every state and create new opportunities for even more teams at the collegiate level.