By Gary Anderson

September 16 - Andy Yohe will lead Team USA into battle again at the Sochi 2014 Paralympic GamesUSA Hockey announced today Andy Yohe will lead the reigning ice sledge hockey Paralympic champions at Sochi 2014 with Taylor Chace and Josh Sweeney named alternate captains.

The 35-year-old from Iowa captained the United States to victory over Japan in the gold medal match at Vancouver 2010 and was a member of the squad that had secured Paralympic bronze in Turin in 2006.

Yohe took a break from international competition following Vancouver, before which he had also lead his side to gold at the 2009 International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Ice Sledge Hockey World Championships in Ostrava, as well the World Sledge Hockey Challenge title in the same year and the 2010 Japan Para Ice Sledge Hockey Championships.

Returning to action this year, Yohe will be supported by Chace and Sweeney, who have been acting as alternate captains for the 2012-2013 season, which saw them help to lead the US to top placed finishes at the 2012 World Sledge Hockey Challenge and 2013 USA Hockey Sled Cup, as well as a silver medal at the World Championships in South Korea, back in April, where they lost neighbours Canada in the final.

Andy Yohe in action during the Vancouver 2010 gold medal match against JapanAndy Yohe in action during the Vancouver 2010 gold medal match against Japan
























"Andy Yohe was captain of the 2010 US Paralympic team that won the gold medal in Vancouver, and the players in our locker room have great respect for him," said Jeff Sauer, head coach of the 2014 US Paralympic Sled Hockey Team.

"As a coaching staff, we like that his return to Team USA brings a fresh sense of attitude and responsibility.

"Josh Sweeney and Taylor Chace are strong players for us on the ice and they will continue in leadership roles that they took on last season."

Yohe will lead a 17-strong US squad to Sochi 2014 which is due to run from March 7 to 16, and the final team line-up will be confirmed on January 1 next year.

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