Wichita Falls Wildcats

Wichita Falls Wildcats
City	Wichita Falls, Texas
League	NAHL
Division	South
Founded	1993 (In the AFHL)
Home arena	Kay Yeager Coliseum
Colors	Black, Red, and White
Owner(s)	Roy Davoult, Alex Shnayderman
General manager	Paul Baxter
Head coach	Josh Nelson (interim)
Media	YouTube, FASTHockey
Franchise history
1993–1996	Vail Avalanche
1996–2002	Butte Irish
2002–2004	Wichita Falls Rustlers
2004–2017	Wichita Falls Wildcats

The Wichita Falls Wildcats were a Tier II junior ice hockey team in the North American Hockey League's South Division. The Wildcats played out of the 7,380-seat Kay Yeager Coliseum in Wichita Falls, Texas. After failing to find a buyer, the Wildcats ceased operations for the 2017–18 season.

History

Previously known as the Wichita Falls Rustlers (and before this, the Butte Irish of Butte, Montana and the Vail Avalanche of Vail, Colorado), the franchise was a part of the American Frontier/America West Hockey League prior to 2003, and became an NAHL team after the two leagues merged for the 2003–04 season. The Irish, Rustlers, and Wildcats are technically three separate franchises, but with a major overlap of players and coaches between the organizations, they are often listed together as one.^{[citation needed]}

After 13 seasons as the Wildcats, ownership had been trying to sell the franchise to keep it in Wichita Falls during the 2016–17 season. After failing to find a buyer, they announced they would not be operating the team in the 2017–18 season.^[1][2]

In 2018, there was an attempt to bring junior hockey back to Wichita Falls with the Wichita Falls Force, a team in the USA Central Hockey League, but the entire league folded after only six weeks of operation. The NAHL later announced a Wichita Falls expansion team for the 2020–21 season.^[3]

Season-by-season records

Notable alumni

• Andrew Conboy – drafted by the Montreal Canadiens (NHL) in 2007
• Chad Costello – ECHL Most Valuable Player in 2011–12, 2015–16, and 2016–17.
• Evan Cowley – drafted by Florida Panthers (NHL) in 2013
• Cal Heeter – played one game with the Philadelphia Flyers (NHL)
• Tucker Poolman – drafted by the Winnipeg Jets (NHL) in 2013
• Dan Sexton – played for the Anaheim Ducks (NHL) and several teams in the Kontinental Hockey League
• Zach Trotman – drafted by the Boston Bruins (NHL) in 2010; has played for the Bruins and Pittsburgh Penguins

References

External links

• Official site
• NAHL website

This page was last edited on 11 April 2024, at 18:42