I have many fond memories of attending their games back at Kansas Coliseum when I was in high school. the winning name, "WuShock. "The City of Wichita showed up last year and provided a great atmosphere for these teams. Wichita Thunder Hit the ice with the Wichita Thunder, a minor-league ECHL team that has been playing in Wichita since 1992 and at INTRUST Bank Arena since it opened in 2010. The season was quickly turned around by Shedden, and it finished its first season with a 25322 record. after a number of supporters suggested the mascot needed a more intimidating look. Don Jackson was hired as the new head coach on July 21, 1995. He came up with Wheatshockers. endearing himself to his legions of fans. The team has been affiliated with the National Hockey Leagues San Jose Sharks and the American Hockey League's San Jose Barracuda since 2022. to submit names for the school's new mascot. Tradition has it that in1904, Hopefully, so will you. The Birth of WuShock. Although the Wheatshockers name was never officially adopted by the university, it COVID-19 Advisory: Coldwell Banker Plaza Real Estate is ready to assist you with your real estate needs. Wichita East. I love sports and have so much respect for those types of fans. With the redesign, a new costume was introduced In the following two seasons, the Thunder was the regular season champion (Adams Cup) and playoff champion (William Levins Memorial Cup). There was no theme for the contest, and the only direction was to design a mascot that would symbolizes the schools spirit. I have to make sure to set expectations, though, that we arent sitting in the glass suite for every game. Throughout history, Wu has gone through many documented awkward phases to reach today's iteration. been a Marine during World War II, decided that "the school needed a mascot who gave Close. Through it all, the people of Wichita have embraced WuShock as an endearing symbol of Wichita State University, and the city itself. Weingartner compiled a record of 16292 during his tenure. Close search. Thanks to the success of the Wichita State University mens basketball team over the last few years, WuShock has gained national attention. And yes, we devoured some popcorn, fries, and chicken tenders throughout the game. On August 3, 2005, Laxdal announced his resignation to become the head coach of the ECHL's Idaho Steelheads. Accept all cookie used by us or third party partners for better performance, analytics, advertising. about the time it receivedits first football coach. football manager and student R.J. Kirk needed a name for the team in order to advertise With this in mind, its no surprise that there have been more opportunities for mascot Threshy to get out and about in the greater Wichita community. 2023 Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. Leave any tips or thoughts about my video in the comments. The Thunder's regular season runs October to April, see upcoming games. Save your favorite properies and contact agents to schedule a showing. Labeled as the most exciting play in hockey, each team will have 3 opportunities at a shootout attempt until a team is deemed the winner. He was fired mid-season in December 2007 with a 413 record. 1948, a friend to every Shocker fan and the No. The Arizona Coyotes and St. Louis Blues will face off at INTRUST Bank Arena for the second year in a row. So, heres a brief WuShock history lesson for you. "We want to continue to make this an exciting event for the people in attendance and one they look can look forward to each year.". Wu got one more facelift in 2006, owing mostly to the unwieldy costume's top-heavy From 1992 until December 2009, the Thunder played in the Britt Brown Arena located in the northern Wichita suburb of Park City. The pop-up event is put on by Love of Character and will only take place in the month of February. Junior Wilbur Elsea, a former Marine who served in WWII, created a mascot that he felt was tough, no-nonsense, and serious. The school never officially adopted the name, but the term Wheatshockers was commonly used for years, until it was eventually shortened to Shockers, which is what Wichita State is known by today. The following lists the league awards which have been won by the Thunder team and its players. Five days after his dismissal, the Thunder announced that Derek Laxdal would become the team's new head coach. 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The name was derived from the schools initials (W.U.) During his tenure, he compiled a record of 705916. INTRUST Bank Arena opened its doors in January of 2010 and is the home of the Wichita Thunder of the ECHL. View recent news, updates, buy tickets and more! The official website of the Wichita Thunder hockey team. Wichita Thunder Mascot GoPro Footage - YouTube 0:00 / 35:53 Wichita Thunder Mascot GoPro Footage 21,298 views Apr 11, 2016 32 Dislike Share Save CoreyBAT 968 subscribers The first video clip. Storm - tiger mascot for Trine University Thunder, first introduced in 2010. If youve never been to a game, the Wichita Thunder is a minor league hockey team who plays their games at the downtown arena. Cookie disclaimer. the costume.) The Wichita Thunder are a member of the ECHL and are the premier source of affordable, family. The Cyclones continue what has become a plethora of impressive stats. Ron Handy was the Playoff Most Valuable Player for both seasons and was the only player in Central Hockey League history to win the award on multiple occasions. Wells went on to coach the Thunder for five seasons, making the playoffs in four out of the five seasons he coached. He had been with the Thunder since 2010 and guided the team for six seasons becoming the longest tenured coach in Thunder history, leading the team for 408 games. The Wichita Jr. Thunder hockey team won its second straight league title on Monday. Skip to content. As for Threshy itself, new promotional merchandise featuring the Thresher has been seen on newly branded shirts, as well as a large photo being featured at the entrance to Goering Hall. The Wichita Thunder are a minor league hockey team based in Wichita, Kansas. During his time in Wichita, McClelland compiled a record of 19416648, earning a playoff spot in his first season and taking the team to the playoff finals in the following two seasons while still in the CHL. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. WuShock is often listed among the nation's strangest college mascots. The 1998 version was intended to make Wu, as he is affectionately known, look more buff and intimidating. In the end, the Wichita Thunder held on for a 5-2 victory, which was a fantastic way to end our night. Earlier, the school had asked for input about potential mascot names, and the ones that they voted on were kind of the top ones that were recommended.. Homepage. WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) - Should it stay or should it go? won "Best Kansas Documentary Short" at the 2020 Tallgrass Film Festival. tendency to exhaust and endanger its human component. In Latos' first season coaching, the team went 24346 and was out of the playoffs. To learn more about the Wichita Thunder or get your tickets to any future game, you can visit their website. Laxdal went on to coach the Thunder for two seasons to an 87588 record while securing two separate playoff places. the Municipal University of Wichita, all that was needed was a name. View schedule, promotions, buy tickets, see roster. Wichita played its first home game at Britt Brown Arena on November 4, 1992, in front of a crowd of 5,486. Your contribution is appreciated. Mascot: Count : Mascot: Count : Mascot: Count : . [6] After one season, the Thunder changed affiliations to the Edmonton Oilers (NHL) and Bakersfield Condors (AHL). The NHL Preseason Game on September 24, 2022 marked the first-ever NHL game played at INTRUST Bank Arena, as well as in the city of Wichita.if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'oursportscentral_com-box-4','ezslot_9',168,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-oursportscentral_com-box-4-0'); "We're committed to attracting world-class entertainment to Wichita and are thrilled to be hosting our second NHL Preseason Game at INTRUST Bank Arena," commented A.J. Lane Helmer Mascot Performer from the Wichita area. The Oscars will air on ABC and can be streamed on ABC.com and the ABC app as well as Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, AT&T TV or FuboTV. For nearly 50 years, Wichita State University didnt have a mascot its symbol was just a shock of wheat. The school never officially adopted the name, but the term Wheatshockers was commonly used for years, until it was eventually shortened to "Shockers", which is what Wichita State is known by today. Everyone was able to see all the action up close. Jackson was replaced by Bryan Wells to become the Thunder's fourth head coach in franchise history. - The Worcester Railers Hockey Club (@RailersHC), proud ECHL (@ECHL) affiliate of the New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) and Worcester Red Sox, team up on Sat., March 4th for the . WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) - The Wichita Wind Surge unveiled their brand new mascot "Windy" at Franklin Elementary School in Wichita on Thursday afternoon, in front of a crowd of excited. Celebration Night Featuring Christian Okoye, Stay up-to-date on all Thunder news and deals, Learn about our flexible options for ticket packages, Learn about planning a group outing to a game, Learn about corporate partnership opportunities. Let me tell you, there are some diehard passionate Thunder fans in town, which was really cool to see. After the Thunder fired Bilodeau nine games into the 200910 season, Jason Duda was given the job on an interim basis while on injured reserve. Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. Maybe it's because we know that there's another pro sports team just two hours north the Central Hockey League's. He led the Thunder to a 22393 record and missed the playoffs for the second time in franchise history. On July 19, 1996, Jackson resigned to become head coach of the Kansas City Blades of the International Hockey League (IHL). The students voted on them today and then theyre going to find ways that they can get alumni input also students who are in North Highs feeder pattern to provide input, Arensman told the Wichita Eagle. Early There were several others, including Wichita State Universitys WuShock. The team played in the Central Hockey League from 1992 until 2014, and then in the ECHL since the 201415 season. ", In 1998, WuShock, also referred to as "Wu," marked his 50th birthday by undergoing Subscribe to Eddytorial: The Wichita By E.B. Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. Hit the ice with the Wichita Thunder, a minor-league ECHL team that has been playing in Wichita since 1992 and at INTRUST Bank Arena since it opened in 2010. Wichita Thunder hockey front office staff directory. The new Wu looks strikingly like the image on the logo, and is gradually Limited sizes available! 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Wichita State University, formerly Fairmount College, received its first mascot name In fact, a lot of people dont even know what he is. [7], On May 15, 2019, the Thunder announced that the former Tulsa Oilers' head coach Bruce Ramsay would be Cameron's replacement.[8]. This website uses cookies. It was also their hiding spot when the mascot, Thunderdog, came out because these two are deathly afraid of mascots. The below table shows the number of times each mascot has been used at a High School in Kansas. Hoping to go pro and make a career out of what I love. After the Washington NFL team announced Monday it will be retiring its team name and mascot, many Wichitans took to social media asking. "Our community showed up in full force to support this game in 2022 and that is the reason it is returning.". Once Elsea's mascot was adopted by the university, which by that time was known as the Municipal University of Wichita, all that was needed was a name. He was fired early in his second season and became the assistant coach of the Western Hockey League's Tri-City Americans for two seasons. At the event, Threshy joined several local area mascots, including many from KCAC schools, such as the Friends University Falcon, the Kansas Wesleyan Coyote, the McPherson College Bulldog, and the Newman University Jets. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Rare VTG 90s Wichita Thunder Defunct Minor League Hockey Promo Sweat Shirt XL at the best online prices at eBay! We could also scan a QR code to have food delivered. The four potential names the students voted on. The Coyotes are owned by Chairman and Governor Alex Meruelo, and are led by General Manager Bill Armstrong, Head Coach Andr Tourigny, and 24-year-old forward Clayton Keller, who represented the Coyotes at the 2023 NHL All-Star Game. All Rights Reserved. [5] The affiliation with the Senators and their American Hockey League affiliate, the Binghamton Senators, was finally confirmed on July 14. Things started to pick up in the third period as the Thunder scored two goals late in the period to pull away. I asked the kids what they thought after the game, and they all had a great time. The Thunder are currently the ECHL affiliate of the San Jose Sharks.[1]. and Wichita State. Then, of course, later in the game, the two youngest in our group had to lounge on the couch in luxury. Mascot GAME DAY & MISC. Thunderdog has been pumping up Thunder fans for more than 20 years.