The Iowa State hockey season is fast approaching, and along with it is new personnel. Part of that new personnel is new assistant coach Mark Huber.

Huber is an Iowa State alumnus, and graduated with his business management degree in 2014. He was the captain of Cyclone hockey his senior year, which was also Jason Fairman’s first year as Cyclone hockey’s head coach. 

Huber’s collegiate hockey career was reminiscent of most of Cyclone Hockey’s current players. After playing three seasons in the Minnesota Junior Hockey League for the St. Paul Lakers, his next step was to move onto the collegiate level.

After a stint at St. Mary’s University in Winona, Minn., he headed south to Ames. Huber noted the stark contrast in talent from NCAA Division II hockey to the American Collegiate Hockey Association, which the Cyclone’s are in.

In the 2012-2013 season Huber led the Cyclones in assists, and was among the top-three in points with 29.

Right after college, Huber moved to North Dakota where he worked in the oil fields. Huber decided to head south to the much warmer, Virginia Beach, Virginia, and moved in with his brother.

In Virginia Beach, Huber chased his lifelong dream of acting. After taking some classes, Huber was given his Screens Actor Guild card.

He began to have roles as an extra in both Legends and Lies, as well as House of Cards. Huber had a role along side Daniel Radcliffe, who is known for his roles in Harry Potter, in the movie Imperium. His latest work, Madhouse Mecca, was submitted to the Sundance film festival, and other film festivals around the country. 

“So I’m waiting to see if that’ll be my big break, if somebody will recognize me,” Huber said. “Or, if it was just for that one. You never really know what will happen.”

Huber found similarities between the tiers of acting and the sports world. He related the roles as an extra to being a baseball player for a Single-A team.

On top of that, there is a featured extra, which means an extra who is featured amongst the leading actor, which he described as the double-A level of acting. Huber noted that the acting world is hit and miss.

“There’s no such thing as overnight success, in hockey or acting,” Huber said.

In coming back to the hockey scene, Huber was adamant about the unfinished business he had here in Ames. That unfinished business is a national championship.

Although Cyclone hockey has been a national powerhouse since Fairman’s inaugural season, and Huber’s senior year, they have yet to achieve that ultimate goal.

“I played with a great group of guys here, and that was something we never checked the box in, was winning a national championship,” Huber said.

Huber is just getting to know the players from last year, and is looking forward to tryouts coming in mid-September. The Cyclones first puck drop happens September 15th for the Cardinal and Gold game.

“I’ve heard and seen nothing but good things about the current group we have this year,” Huber said.