Wichita Falls Wildcats

Wichita Falls Wildcats
CityWichita Falls, Texas
LeagueNAHL
DivisionSouth
Founded1993 (In the AFHL)
Home arenaKay Yeager Coliseum
ColorsBlack, Red, and White
     
Owner(s)Roy Davoult, Alex Shnayderman
General managerPaul Baxter
Head coachJosh Nelson (interim)
MediaYouTube, FASTHockey
Franchise history
1993–1996Vail Avalanche
1996–2002Butte Irish
2002–2004Wichita Falls Rustlers
2004–2017Wichita 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

Season GP W L OTL PTS GF GA PIM Finish Playoffs Avg Attend
Vail Avalanche (AFHL)
1993–94 Statistics unavailable
1994–95 Statistics unavailable League Champions
1995–96 Statistics unavailable
Butte Irish (AFHL)
1996–97 60 38 17 5 81 264 181 N/A 2nd Lost in finals
1997–98 60 25 33 2 52 229 264 N/A 6th Did not qualify
Butte Irish (AWHL)
1998–99 60 32 23 5 69 224 238 N/A 3rd Lost in semifinals
1999–00 58 23 32 3 49 205 263 1,283 6th Lost in 1st round
2000–01 60 6 51 3 15 166 345 1,969 8th Lost in 1st round
2001–02 56 21 28 7 49 214 240 N/A 8th Lost in 1st round
Wichita Falls Rustlers (AWHL)
2002–03 56 43 11 2 88 215 115 1,255 1st, South Lost in semifinals
Wichita Falls Rustlers (NAHL)
2003–04 56 29 20 7 65 200 172 1,039 3rd, South N/A
Wichita Falls Wildcats (NAHL)
2004–05 56 28 21 7 63 206 218 1,163 4th, South Lost 1st Round, 0–3 vs. Texas Tornado 1,948
2005–06 58 26 28 4 56 171 189 1,045 4th, South Lost 1st Round, 2–3 vs. Texas Tornado 1,987
2006–07 62 22 34 6 50 175 227 1,126 5th, South Did not qualify 1,872
2007–08 58 38 18 2 78 221 181 1,715 3rd, South Lost 1st Round, 1–3 vs. Fairbanks Ice Dogs 1,890
2008–09 58 24 25 9 57 163 203 1,695 3rd, South Lost 1st Round, 2–3 vs. Topeka RoadRunners 1,826
2009–10 58 18 34 6 42 175 251 1,530 5th, South Did not qualify 1,907
2010–11 58 26 27 5 57 189 190 1,527 4th, South Lost Div. Semifinals, 2–3 vs. Topeka RoadRunners 1,894
2011–12 60 20 35 5 45 149 204 1.134 6th, South Did not qualify 2,038
2012–13 60 26 30 4 56 183 200 955 5th, South Did not qualify 1,895
2013–14 60 31 25 4 66 170 157 1,170 4th, South Lost Div. Semifinals, 0–3 vs. Amarillo 1,506
2014–15 60 39 16 5 83 242 182 858 3rd, South Won Play-in series, 2–0 vs. Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees
Lost 1st Round, 1–3 vs. Topeka RoadRunners		 1,593
2015–16 60 44 11 5 93 224 141 1,093 1st, South Won Div. Semifinals, 3–0 vs. Odessa Jackalopes
Won Div. Finals, 3–0 vs. Topeka RoadRunners
Won Robertson Cup Semifinals, 2–0 vs. Bismarck Bobcats
Lost Robertson Cup Championship Game, 0–2 vs. Fairbanks Ice Dogs		 1,659
2016–17 60 29 24 7 65 187 203 1,672 4th, South Lost Div. Semifinals, 0–3 vs. Lone Star Brahmas 1,086

Notable alumni

References

  1. ^ "Wildcats' season ends with 4-3 overtime loss". Times Record News. April 22, 2017.
  2. ^ "NAHL announces divisional alignment, events for 2017-18 season". NAHL. May 26, 2017.
  3. ^ "NAHL Team in Wichita Falls, Texas Approved for the 2020-21 Season". OurSports Central. October 15, 2019.