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. The head coach of the team for the 2015–16 season was John LaFontaine, his second season with the team.
==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.
==Uncertain Future==
A report on thejuniorhockeynews.com website indicated that the team's future is in doubt as the team's lease is up at the end of the 2016-17 season and the rink ownership is looking for a new owner for the team.  The team has reportedly been losing large amounts of money under the present circumstances.  The team has had attendance issues (reportedly just over 1,000 average for 2016-17, coming of a championship round appearance in 2015-16) during their stay in the city and new ownership under those circumstances are unlikely. Rumored location possibilities include Anchorage, Alaska (though only mentioned as Alaska in the report; and the Alaska Aces of the ECHL recently folded) and the northeastern United States (which the NAHL has been trying to strengthen it's footprint in the area).  The team owner requested a leave of absence for the 2017-18 season due to ownership and rink issues.  Apparently, the team folded shortly after requesting the leave of absence
==Season-by-season records==
Season 	GP 	W 	L 	OL 	SL 	PTS 	GF 	GA 	PIM 	Finish 	Playoffs 	Avg Attend 	
Vail Avalanche (AFHL) 	Vail Avalanche (AFHL) 	Vail Avalanche (AFHL) 	Vail Avalanche (AFHL) 	Vail Avalanche (AFHL) 	Vail Avalanche (AFHL) 	Vail Avalanche (AFHL) 	Vail Avalanche (AFHL) 	Vail Avalanche (AFHL) 	Vail Avalanche (AFHL) 	Vail Avalanche (AFHL) 	Vail Avalanche (AFHL) 	Vail Avalanche (AFHL) 	
1993–94 	Statistics unavailable 	Statistics unavailable 	Statistics unavailable 	Statistics unavailable 	Statistics unavailable 	Statistics unavailable 	Statistics unavailable 	Statistics unavailable 	Statistics unavailable 	Statistics unavailable 	Statistics unavailable 	Statistics unavailable 	
1994–95 	Statistics unavailable 	Statistics unavailable 	Statistics unavailable 	Statistics unavailable 	Statistics unavailable 	Statistics unavailable 	Statistics unavailable 	Statistics unavailable 	Statistics unavailable 	Statistics unavailable 	League Champions 	League Champions 	
1995–96 	Statistics unavailable 	Statistics unavailable 	Statistics unavailable 	Statistics unavailable 	Statistics unavailable 	Statistics unavailable 	Statistics unavailable 	Statistics unavailable 	Statistics unavailable 	Statistics unavailable 	Statistics unavailable 	Statistics unavailable 	
Butte Irish (AFHL) 	Butte Irish (AFHL) 	Butte Irish (AFHL) 	Butte Irish (AFHL) 	Butte Irish (AFHL) 	Butte Irish (AFHL) 	Butte Irish (AFHL) 	Butte Irish (AFHL) 	Butte Irish (AFHL) 	Butte Irish (AFHL) 	Butte Irish (AFHL) 	Butte Irish (AFHL) 	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) 	Butte Irish (AWHL) 	Butte Irish (AWHL) 	Butte Irish (AWHL) 	Butte Irish (AWHL) 	Butte Irish (AWHL) 	Butte Irish (AWHL) 	Butte Irish (AWHL) 	Butte Irish (AWHL) 	Butte Irish (AWHL) 	Butte Irish (AWHL) 	Butte Irish (AWHL) 	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 	1283 	6th 	Lost in 1st Round 	 	
2000–01 	60 	6 	51 	3 	- 	15 	166 	345 	1969 	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)	Wichita Falls Rustlers (AWHL)	Wichita Falls Rustlers (AWHL)	Wichita Falls Rustlers (AWHL)	Wichita Falls Rustlers (AWHL)	Wichita Falls Rustlers (AWHL)	Wichita Falls Rustlers (AWHL)	Wichita Falls Rustlers (AWHL)	Wichita Falls Rustlers (AWHL)	Wichita Falls Rustlers (AWHL)	Wichita Falls Rustlers (AWHL)	Wichita Falls Rustlers (AWHL) 	Wichita Falls Rustlers (AWHL)	
2002–03 	56 	43 	11 	2 	- 	88 	215 	115 	1255 	1st, South 	Lost in Semifinals 	 	
Wichita Falls Rustlers (NAHL)	Wichita Falls Rustlers (NAHL)	Wichita Falls Rustlers (NAHL)	Wichita Falls Rustlers (NAHL)	Wichita Falls Rustlers (NAHL)	Wichita Falls Rustlers (NAHL)	Wichita Falls Rustlers (NAHL)	Wichita Falls Rustlers (NAHL)	Wichita Falls Rustlers (NAHL)	Wichita Falls Rustlers (NAHL)	Wichita Falls Rustlers (NAHL)	Wichita Falls Rustlers (NAHL) 	Wichita Falls Rustlers (NAHL)	
2003–04 	56 	29 	20 	7 	- 	65 	200 	172 	1039 	3rd, South 	N/A 	 	
Wichita Falls Wildcats (NAHL)	Wichita Falls Wildcats (NAHL)	Wichita Falls Wildcats (NAHL)	Wichita Falls Wildcats (NAHL)	Wichita Falls Wildcats (NAHL)	Wichita Falls Wildcats (NAHL)	Wichita Falls Wildcats (NAHL)	Wichita Falls Wildcats (NAHL)	Wichita Falls Wildcats (NAHL)	Wichita Falls Wildcats (NAHL)	Wichita Falls Wildcats (NAHL)	Wichita Falls Wildcats (NAHL) 	Wichita Falls Wildcats (NAHL)	
2004–05 	56 	28 	21 	7 	- 	63 	206 	218 	1163 	4th, South 	Lost 1st Round, 0-3 vs. Texas Tornado 	1,948 	
2005–06 	58 	26 	28 	4 	- 	56 	171 	189 	1045 	4th, South 	Lost 1st Round, 2-3 vs. Texas Tornado 	1,987 	
2006–07 	62 	22 	34 	6 	- 	50 	175 	227 	1126 	5th, South 	Did not qualify 	1,872 	
2007–08 	58 	38 	18 	2 	- 	78 	221 	181 	1715 	3rd, South 	Lost 1st Round, 1-3 vs. Fairbanks Ice Dogs 	1,890 	
2008–09 	58 	24 	25 	9 	- 	57 	163 	203 	1695 	3rd, South 	Lost 1st Round, 2-3 vs. Topeka RoadRunners 	1,826 	
2009–10 	58 	18 	34 	6 	- 	42 	175 	251 	1530 	5th, South 	Did not qualify 	1,907 	
2010–11 	58 	26 	27 	5 	- 	57 	189 	190 	1527 	4th, South 	Lost Div. Semifinals, 2-3 vs. Topeka RoadRunners 	1,894 	
2011–12 	60 	20 	35 	5 	- 	45 	149 	204 	1134 	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 	1170 	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 BeesLost 1st Round, 1-3 vs. Topeka RoadRunners 	1,593 	
2015–16 	60 	44 	11 	5 	- 	93 	224 	141 	1093 	1st, South 	Won Div. Semifinals, 3-0 vs. Odessa JackalopesWon Div. Finals, 3-0 vs. Topeka RoadRunnersWon Robertson Cup Semifinals, 2-0 vs. Bismarck BobcatsLost Robertson Cup Championship Game, 0–2 vs. Fairbanks Ice Dogs	1,659 	
2016–17 	60 	29 	24 	6 	2 	65 	187 	203 	1672 	4th, South 	Lost Div. Semifinals, 1-3 vs. Lone Star Brahmas 	- 	
==Notable alumni==
* Zach Trotman (Boston Bruins NHL)
* Evan Cowley (Florida Panthers NHL)
* Dan Sexton (HC Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk KHL)
* Dakota Klecha (Orlik Opole, Poland)
* Luke Salazar (Manchester Storm, EIHL)
* Cal Heeter (Hamburg Freezers, DEL)
* Jack Wolgemuth (Melbourne Mustangs, AIHL)
* Chad Costello (Allen Americans ECHL)
* Andrew Conboy (Elmira Jackals ECHL)
* Kyle Kraemer (Ontario Reign, ECHL)
* Daniel Gentzler (Elmira Jackals, ECHL)
* Anthony Iaquinto (Toledo Walleye, ECHL)
* J.J. Waldrop (Bakersfield Condors, ECHL)
* Brett Hartung (Orlando Solar Bears, ECHL)
* Kyle De Laurell (Bakersfield Condors, ECHL)
* Shea Walters (South Carolina Stingrays, ECHL)
* Chris Nutini (Utah Grizzlies, ECHL)
* Zack Josepher (Huntsville Havoc, SPHL)
* Steven Hoshaw (Fayetteville FireAntz, SPHL)
* Chris Rial (Columbus Cottonmouths, SPHL)
* Nick Klaren (Mississippi Surge, SPHL)
* Wade Bennett (Denver)
* Sean Duddy (Ohio State)
* Jeff McNeil (Ohio State)
* Adam Cardwell (Alaska)
* Michael Hill (Alaska)
* Ricky Doriott (Michigan Tech)
* Kyle McMahon (Michigan State)
* Aaron Quick (Air Force)
* Nick Shkreli (Lake Superior State)
* Zach Ledford (Bentley)
* Brandon Stroud (Sacred Heart)
* Brian Sheehan (Sacred Heart)
* Brent Sarcone (Rochester Institute of Technology)
* Dan Dileo (Cornell University)
* Chris Ochoa (University of Connecticut)
* Kyle Gallegos (Tufts University)
* Mike Henderson (Army)
* P.J. Musico (Penn State)
==References==
==External links==
*Official site
*NAHL website
Category:North American Hockey League team
Category:American ice hockey teams
Category:Disestablished in 2017