Commissioner's Office

Commissioner: Craig Barnett

Associate Commissioner: Gregg Kaminski

League Registrar: Michelle Miller

Administrative Assistant: Carol Walker

Coaches Liaison: Kevin Zielmanski

Rules Interpreter: Lori Hegedus

Craig Barnett begins his first season as Commissioner of the PIHL in 2016-17.  Barnett is a former professional hockey player with 20 years of coaching and administration experience at the NCAA I, II, and III levels.

Most recently, Barnett served as the Director of Player Personnel with the North American Hockey League (NAHL), USA Hockey's only Tier II Junior hockey league since 2013. Barnett was responsible for the league-wide scouting efforts including directing the Event Scouting System as well as providing NCAA Education and Compliance resources for the NAHL, NA3HL, and NAPHL and directing the leagues successful Future Prospect Combines located throughout the United States. Barnett's experience and relationships in the college hockey world provided a unique perspective to coaches and players in the NAHL family of leagues looking to gain opportunities at the next level. This past season, 256 players in the NAHL earned a NCAA opportunity.

In addition, Barnett also was the head coach for Erie Cathedral Prep, a member of the PIHL for the past 3 seasons. During his tenure, Erie Cathedral Prep was a Penguins Cup finalists, winning the championship in 2015 and 2016, as well as representing the PIHL at 2 Pennsylvania State Championships, capturing the state title in 2015.

A native of Oakville, Ontario, Barnett played college hockey at Plattsburgh (NY) State University in which he was a member of the 1987 NCAA Championship team. He was also named to their all-decade team (1985-1994) and was the university's Student-Athlete of the year in 1989.

Barnett then played professionally in the New York Ranger organization for two years before entering the coaching ranks. Barnett started the hockey program at the University of Findlay (OH) in 1995 and took that program from club status to the NCAA I level as a charter member of the CHA (College Hockey America).

In 2002, Barnett became the Hockey Director and Assistant Athletic Director at Lake Forest Academy, a prestigious boarding school on the north shore of Chicago. Barnett then became the Director of Athletics at Becker College in Worcester, MA where he was instrumental in starting their NCAA III hockey, football and lacrosse programs. Two years later, Barnett landed the Director of Athletics position at Mercyhurst College in Erie, PA where he was responsible for 24 NCAA II varsity sports as well as their 2 NCAA I hockey programs.

In 2011, Barnett was named the Commissioner of the American Lacrosse Conference, a league who had won seven of the past nine NCAA I Championships before being absorbed by the Big Ten conference in 2014. In the fall of 2014, Barnett became the Commissioner of the Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association, a NCAA I/II league whose conference has won the past 3 NCAA Championships - Loyola (IL) in 2014 and 2015, and Ohio State winning in 2016. Craig resides in Erie, Pennsylvania with his wife Andrea and three children, Olivia, Braeden and Jace.

e-mail: commissioner@pihlhockey.com    phone: 814.449.9868

Gregg Kaminski is in his first year as the Associate Commissioner of the PIHL after having served as league intern in the spring of 2017. 

Kaminski has spent 16 years as a coach at the high school, collegiate club, and amateur levels. He is a level 4 certified USA Hockey coach. Some of his most notable coaching memories include a division championship with Robert Morris University in 2007 as Head Coach of Men's Hockey-ACHA Division III.  And on the women's side, 2 league championships, 3 national playoff appearances, and 3-time National Coach of the Year Finalist honors as Head Coach of Women's Hockey, ACHA Division II at California University of Pennsylvania from 2010-2014. 

Kaminski hails from Pittsburgh, PA and played hockey locally with North Allegheny Hockey Organization from 1992-96, North Pittsburgh Amateur Youth Hockey Organization, '94-95', and then with Geneva College in 1997 where he started the club hockey team while serving as team Captain and President until graduating in 2001. 

He has an earned Bachelor's Degree of Science in Elementary Education from Geneva College, a Master of Science Degree in Sports Management with a concentration in Intercollegiate Athletic Administration from California University of Pennsylvania, and most recently earned a second Master's in Business Administration with a concentration in Leadership and Management from Carlow University.  

He currently resides in Allison Park, PA.

e-mail: associate@pihlhockey.com   phone: 412.298.9163

412-860-5876