COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- USA Hockey on Friday named Lou Vairo coach of the 2003 U.S. men's national team for the fourth consecutive year. Vairo will lead Team USA at the 2003 IIHF Men's World Championship, to be held April 26-May 11 in Helsinki, Tampere and Turku, Finland.

The coach of the 1984 U.S. Olympic team, Vairo has been director of special projects for USA Hockey since 1992. He also served as an assistant on the silver medal-winning Olympic squad last year before guiding the U.S. to fourth place at the World Junior Championships, its best finish since 2000.

"Coaching the U.S. men's national team is something that I consider an honor and a privilege," Vairo said. "I cherish being able to work with such an esteemed staff and a talented group of players."

Vairo, who coached the national junior team from 1978-83, guided H.C. Milano Saima to the 1991 Italian League championship before spending three seasons as coach of H.C. Fassa in Italy and one as coach of the Dutch national team.

USA Hockey also announced Jay Feaster of the Tampa Bay Lightning and Larry Pleau of the St. Louis Blues will serve as co-general managers.

Feaster, who joined the Lightning in 1998, spent more than three seasons as an assistant before becoming the fourth general manager in franchise history in February 2002.

"I am extremely honored that USA Hockey has invited me to be a part of this process and the men's national team," Feaster said. "The opportunity to work with some of the best U.S.-born players on an international level is very exciting and, I believe, reflective of the hard work that all of us continue to do here in Tampa."

Pleau, the Blues' senior vice president and general manager for six seasons, also held executive positions with the New York Rangers and Hartford Whalers after winning the Stanley Cup as a player in 1971 with Montreal.

He served as associate general manager of the 2002 U.S. Olympic team and was a member of the 1968 U.S. Olympic team in Grenoble, France.