TORONTO - Ryerson Rams women's hockey head coach Lisa Haley has been named the new head coach of the Hungarian women's national team, leading the team into the 2021 World Championships and the Olympic qualifying phase.

Haley has been the head coach of the Rams program since the inaugural 2011-12 season, and has ample national team experience within Canada.

In 2014 Haley was an assistant coach for the women's national team that won the gold medal at the Sochi Olympics. She has also served as an assistant coach with Team Canada for multiple World Championships, winning one gold and three silver medals.

"We want to give the [team] the best possible preparation before the World Cup and the Olympic qualifiers [and] I am sure that Lisa will be able to develop the players and prepare the team to the maximum," said Marton Vas, the general director of the Hungarian Hockey Association in a translated release.

"I know the recent success of Hungarian women's hockey and the opportunity to add my own to it inspires me," said Haley.

Hungary finished in first place in the Division IA World Championship in 2019, promoting the team to the Top Division for the first time.

"My goal is to achieve more than before. Now that the national team has risen to the elite, we want to stay there, too.

"Being a Canadian and coming from Nova Scotia, I will be particularly proud to represent Hungary at the World Championships in Halifax and Truro in the spring of 2021. We will be ready."

The 2021 World Championships in Canada are scheduled to run from April 7-17 after the 2020 tournament was cancelled due to COVID-19. Haley will continue to coach the Rams, whose upcoming season has also been altered by the coronavirus.