From The Dickinson Press
By Jacob Chris
WILLISTON, N.D. — On Tuesday, June 17, Williston State College announced that the men’s hockey team will be temporarily paused for the 2025-26 season. This is mainly due to head coach Jimmy Grosklaus announcing his resignation after two seasons behind the Teton bench back in late May.
“Our goal is to rebuild this program the right way — with intention, strategy, and leadership that reflects the values of Williston State College,” Williston State College president Dr. Bernell Hirning said in a statement on Tuesday. “This pause allows us to step back, evaluate, and make decisions that will benefit our student-athletes and the future of Teton Hockey.”
The Teton went 5-24-1 and finished the 2024-25 season on a 17 game losing streak. The program has completed as a club team in the ACHA (American Collegiate Hockey Association) as an independent since the 2019-20 season. Before making the jump to the ACHA, the program played in the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA), where they had a fair share of successes, of making multiple regional tournament and national tournament appearances.
“Our hockey program deserves to have a good, dedicated coach and the opportunity to rebuild from the last four years. We really want to take the time to do a national search for our next head coach and also give them a year to recruit and build their team,” WSC Marketing and Communications Director Brittny Mayo told The Dickinson Press. “We want somebody who’s going to be here for the long haul and not just until something better comes along. We want someone who’s going to take ownership of the program, be attached to the program and really help build the program.”
Mayo says that it is highly unlikely that the team will resume play in the 2025-26 season even if they find a new coach. They were scheduled to open the campaign on Sept. 19 against the University of Mary. The university hopes that the Teton will return to the ice for the 2026-27 season.
(Originally published at https://www.thedickinsonpress.com/sports/college/williston-state-teton-hockey-announces-pause-for-2025-26)
