Springfield Express

Springfield Express
Springfield Express
City	Springfield, Missouri
League	WSHL
Division	Midwest
Founded	2005
Home arena	Mediacom Ice Park
Colors	Red, white and blue;
Website	SpringfieldExpress.com
Franchise history
2005–2008	Cajun Catahoulas
2008–2009	Texas Renegades
2009–2014	New Mexico Renegades
2014–2018	Springfield Express

Last updated March 14, 2019

The Springfield Express was an AAU-sanctioned junior ice hockey team based in Springfield, Missouri and plays home games at the Mediacom Ice Park. The team is a member of the Western States Hockey League (WSHL).^[1]

The Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) is an amateur sports organization based in the United States. A multi-sport organization, the AAU is dedicated exclusively to the promotion and development of amateur sports and physical fitness programs. It has more than 700,000 members nationwide, including more than 100,000 volunteers.

Ice hockey is a contact team sport played on ice, usually in a rink, in which two teams of skaters use their sticks to shoot a vulcanized rubber puck into their opponent's net to score points. The sport is known to be fast-paced and physical, with teams usually consisting of six players each: one goaltender, and five players who skate up and down the ice trying to take the puck and score a goal against the opposing team.

Springfield is the third-largest city in the state of Missouri and the county seat of Greene County. As of the 2010 census, its population was 159,498. As of 2017, the Census Bureau estimated its population at 167,376. It is the principal city of the Springfield metropolitan area, which has a population of 462,369 and includes the counties of Christian, Dallas, Greene, Polk, Webster.

History

The franchise was founded in 2005 as the Cajun Catahoulas, based in Carencro, Louisiana. It moved after the 2008–09 season to North Richland Hills, Texas and was renamed the Texas Renegades. After the 2008–09 season in North Richland Hills, the team was moved to Blades Multiplex Arena in Rio Rancho, New Mexico and became the New Mexico Renegades. In 2011, the Renegades were purchased by Revolution Sports Management, Inc.

The Cajun Catahoulas were a Junior A Tier III ice hockey team, based in Carencro, Louisiana, which is located just outside Lafayette. Initially announced in May 2005 as a Junior B team, the Catahoulas were promoted to Junior A Tier III in August 2007. The team competed in the Midwest division of the Western States Hockey League (WSHL) beginning in 2005–06 season. The Catahoula name was chosen as the Catahoula Leopard Dog is the state dog of Louisiana. For the 2008–09 season the Cajun Catahoulas moved their team and operations to North Richland Hills, Texas to become the Texas Renegades.

Carencro is a small city in Lafayette Parish, Louisiana, United States. It is a suburb of the nearby city of Lafayette. The population was 7,526 at the 2010 census, up from 6,120 in 2000. Its name is derived from the Cajun French word for buzzard: the spot where the community was settled was one where large flocks of buzzards roosted in the bald cypress trees. The name means "carrion crow."

North Richland Hills is a city inside Tarrant County, Texas, United States, and a mid-to-high end suburb of Fort Worth. The population was 63,343 at the 2010 census, making it the third largest city in Tarrant County. In 2006, North Richland Hills was selected as one of the "Top 100 Best Places to live in America" according to Money magazine and in 2016, the Dallas Morning News ranked North Richland Hills #9 on its list of best Dallas-Fort Worth neighborhoods. Major streets and highways include FM 1938, Mid Cities Boulevard, Bedford-Euless Road, Interstate Highway 820, North Tarrant Parkway, FM 3029 and TX SH 26. It is home to the Birdville Independent School District and the northern portion is served by Keller ISD.

Following the 2013–14 season, the team announced a move to Springfield, Missouri and the Mediacom Ice Park and a name change to the Springfield Express. The team becomes the first junior hockey franchise in Springfield since the Springfield Spirit of the NAHL relocated to Alaska in 2005.^[2]

The Johnstown Tomahawks are a Tier II junior ice hockey team in the North American Hockey League's East Division. The team plays its home games at the 1st Summit Bank Arena at Cambria County War Memorial in Johnstown, Pennsylvania.

On April 29, 2016, after a successful 2015–16 season, it was announced that Revolution Sports Management had finalized the sale of the Express to 417 Sports Management. The new ownership group, based in Springfield, is owned by Dr. Brenton and Andrea Coger, formerly a billet family and team physician.^[3] Co-owner Andrea Coger was later accused stalking, sexually harassing, threatening a former player with whom she had apparently had a relationship while he was one of her legal-age billet players during the 2016–17 season.^[4]

During the 2017–18 season, the team went through an ownership transition with four investors to keep the team operating. After the season, the owners announced they could not negotiate lower fees for an arena lease and would suspend operations for the 2018–19 season.

Season-by-season records

Season	GP	W	L	OTL	SOL	Pts	GF	GA	PIM	Regular Season	Playoffs
2014–15	46	25	19	1	1	52	187	182	933	3rd of 6, Midwest 15th of 28, WSHL^[5]	Won Div. Quarterfinals, 2–0 vs. Tulsa Jr. Oilers Lost Div. Semifinals, 1–2 vs. Oklahoma City Blazers
2015–16	52	27	17	8	—	62	237	208	805	2nd of 6, Midwest 12th of 29, WSHL	Div. Quarterfinals bye Won Div. Semifinals, 2–0 vs. Wichita Jr. Thunder Lost Div. Finals, 1–2 vs. Oklahoma City Blazers
2016–17	52	36	15	1	—	73	263	178	867	4th of 6, Midwest 9th of 27, WSHL	Won Div. Quarterfinals, 2–0 vs. Tulsa Jr. Oilers Lost Div. Semifinals, 1–2 vs. El Paso Rhinos
2017–18	51	29	16	6	—	64	334	194	1003	3rd of 5, Midwest 14th of 23, WSHL	Lost Div. Semifinals, 1–2 vs. Oklahoma City Jr. Blazers

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References

↑ "Springfield Express Junior A hockey team moving to Mediacom Ice Park". Ozarks Sports Zone. April 23, 2014. Retrieved May 31, 2014.
↑ Maranto, Brent (April 23, 2014). "New Mexico Renegades move to Springfield, Missouri". Junior Hockey News. Retrieved May 31, 2014.
↑ "Springfield Express Hockey - WSHL". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 2016-05-23.
↑ "Former Springfield Express owner accused of sexual harassment, banned from Olympic sports". Springfield News-Leader . March 12, 2019.
↑ "2014-15 WSHL Standings". Elite Prospects. Retrieved April 2, 2015.

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[1] "Springfield Express Junior A hockey team moving to Mediacom Ice Park". Ozarks Sports Zone. April 23, 2014. Retrieved May 31, 2014.

[NMtoMO-2] Maranto, Brent (April 23, 2014). "New Mexico Renegades move to Springfield, Missouri". Junior Hockey News. Retrieved May 31, 2014.

[3] "Springfield Express Hockey - WSHL". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 2016-05-23.

[4] "Former Springfield Express owner accused of sexual harassment, banned from Olympic sports". Springfield News-Leader . March 12, 2019.

[5] "2014-15 WSHL Standings". Elite Prospects. Retrieved April 2, 2015.