Rochester Ice Hawks | |
---|---|
City | Rochester, Minnesota |
League | NA3HL |
Division | Central |
Founded | May 1996 |
Home arena | Rochester Rec Center |
Colors | Black, red, and white |
Owner(s) | Michael Fatis |
General manager | Michael Fatis |
Head coach | Eric Hofmann |
Media | The Rochester Post-Bulletin, KTTC, KAAL |
Franchise history | |
1996–2009 | Minnesota Ice Hawks |
2009–present | Rochester Ice Hawks |
The Rochester Ice Hawks are a Tier III Junior A ice hockey team in the North American 3 Hockey League (NA3HL). The team plays their home games at the 2,600-seat Rochester Recreation Center, located in Rochester, Minnesota. The Ice Hawks play a 45+ regular season games, in addition to showcase and post season games.
The Ice Hawks joined the Minnesota Junior Hockey League (MnJHL) in May 1996 as the Minnesota Ice Hawks and played in Le Sueur, Minnesota until 2002. The franchise moved to Rochester, Minnesota in 2002 after the Rochester Mustangs of the United States Hockey League ceased operations. They officially changed their name prior to the 2009–10 season to the Rochester Ice Hawks.
Following the 2014–15 season, most active members of the Minnesota Junior Hockey League except the Ice Hawks moved to the United States Premier Hockey League as part of a new Midwest Division. In May, the Ice Hawks were accepted as an expansion team into the North American 3 Hockey League (NA3HL) for the 2015–16 season.
In November 2016, head coach Nick Fatis, the only head coach in the history of the Ice Hawks franchise, stepped down for personal reasons. He was replaced by assistant Eric Hofmann.
The Ice Hawks have produced a number of alumni playing in higher levels of junior hockey, NCAA Division I, Division III, and ACHA college programs as well as professional hockey.