Sports Envoy
Sports Envoy Program

Lonnie Hannah II

Sledge Hockey

Served as envoy

  • 2014  –  Kazakhstan
  • 2016  –  Slovakia

Lonnie Hannah II is a former ice sledge hockey player. He won medals with Team USA at the 2002 Winter Paralympics and 2006 Paralympics.

He received the Whang Youn Dai Overcome Prize for competing at the 2006 Paralympic Winter Games in Turin, after being diagnosed with cancer the previous year. He also carried his country’s flag at the Games’ Closing Ceremony. In 2007 he started to coach the first ice sledge hockey program in Texas, affiliated to the San Antonio Rampage American Hockey League [AHL] team. The team’s roster contains mainly injured military personnel in rehabilitation at San Antonio’s Brooke Army Medical Center [BAMC].

Bradley Emmerson

Sledge Hockey

Served as envoy

  • 2016  –  Slovakia

A member of the National Team since 2003, Brad Emmerson got his chance to compete at his first Paralympic Winter Games in 2006, and was a major contributor for the bronze medal-winning squad. Emmerson tied for second on the team in scoring (two goals, three assists) and in plus/minus rating (+4).

Emmerson is now a veteran on the U.S. Paralympics Sled Hockey National Team, and has held a slot on the national team for five years helping lead the U.S. to a bronze medal at the 2008 IPC Sledge Hockey World Championships in Marlborough, Mass., the 2009 World Championships in Ostrava, Czech Republic and a gold medal in 2010 Japan Para Ice Sledge Hockey Championships. Emmerson was also part of the 2010 gold medal U.S. Paralympis Sled Hockey National Team.

In addition to his years on the national team, Emmerson has spent eight years with the Buffalo Freeze sled hockey club and now has been named the first-ever head coach of the Novice Buffalo Sabres sled hockey team.

Off the ice, Emmerson spends his time speaking to students throughout the northeast about overcoming obstacles to achieve goals with hard work and belief in one’s self. Emmerson also blogs about his experiences with Team USA right here on the U.S. Paralympics Web site.