Press Release

Working with the University of Alaska Fairbanks, Alaska Girls’ and Women’s Hockey Inc., and the American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA), the University of Alaska Women’s Ice Hockey Club has succeeded in bringing collegiate women’s hockey to Alaska!

A brief summary of girls’ and women’s hockey in Alaska:

  • Girls’ and Women’s hockey has been a part of the Alaskan landscape for nearly 20 years.
  • High school hockey for the female athlete began in Alaska during the 2002 - 2003 winter sport season. There are currently six girl’s high school teams in the state.
  • Some of Alaska’s best female hockey players have found themselves playing for collegiate hockey teams in nearly every location where women’s college hockey is played.

UAF’s role in the women’s hockey team:

  • Forrest Karr and his staff in Athletics and Campus Recreation support the effort to have a women’s hockey team at UAF.
  • Developing a Nanooks Women’s Hockey team at UAF is an effort to provide talented female hockey players the opportunity to play collegiate hockey in Alaska.
  • UAF’s support for this team will come primarily from administrative support provided by the UAF Leadership Program and Department of Athletics and Campus Recreation.

Club and team details:

  • During the season the team will practice three times a week.
  • The Alaska Nanooks Women’s Hockey will be the first women’s collegiate team in the state to compete in the ACHA.
  • For its inaugural season the team will compete at the Division 2 level as an independent. Some of the teams in the ACHA’s D2 division include the following universities: University of Minnesota-Duluth, Iowa State University, University of Maryland,University of Nebraska, North Dakota State University, University of Southern California and the University of Virginia.
  • ACHA guidelines require all Division 2 student-athletes to be enrolled in six credit hours.
  • The team will travel out of Alaska twice during the 2009 - 2010 season. The schedule calls for the team to play ACHA Division 1 and 2 teams. In January the team is

scheduled to play RobertMorrisUniversity and LindinwoodUniversity. These two teams have met in the ACHA’s Division 1 championship game the past four years.

  • The team’s expenses are borne primarily by players and community.
  • For this season the season will begin in early September and will end in mid-January. The following seasons will run from September to March.
  • Most of the players will have played at the high school level or for competitive (travel) teams like the Icebreakers or TeamAlaska. Others will have played for prep schools out of state or some collegiate hockey.
  • For the past four years Alaska Girls’ and Women’s Hockey Inc. has managed, and provided funding for, the Arctic Bears girls high school team.
  • The teams’ name will be: “Alaska Nanooks Women’s Hockey”
  • The team’s jersey design and colors will be the same as the Nanooks men’s team.
  • Head coach for the 2009 – 2010 season is Scott Vockeroth. Coach Vockeroth is a former player for the Alaska Nanooks men’s team and brings extensive coaching experience to the team; having coached numerous Alaska Icebreakers teams and the Arctic Bears high school team.
  • Amy Tallerico will be the team’s associate head coachand will serve as the ACHA’s team contact.Coach Tallericois a former goalie for the University of Maine and Boston College Women’s Ice Hockey teams. She was an assistant coach for the 2002-2003Woburn Girl’s High School Hockey Team that captured the 2003 Massachusetts State Title,and has instructed at various camps and training facilities.

The role of Alaska Girls’ and Women’s Hockey Inc.:

  • Amy Tallerico has accepted the position of director of women’s collegiate hockey for the Alaska Girls’ and Women’s Hockey Inc.
  • AGWH, Inc. will bring all of its hockey resources to assist in the effort to develop a quality women’s hockey program at UAF.
  • The University of Alaska Women’s Ice Hockey Club has entered into an agreement with Alaska Girls’ and Women’s Hockey Inc. to provide financial support and fundraising resources. This arrangement will allow the team to be fully funded by player club dues, Alaska Girls’ and Women’s Hockey, Inc, and the community.
  • The team’s first tryout session is scheduled for Tuesday September 8th at 9:15pm at UAF’s Patty Ice Arena. Cost $50. Players will need to show proof of USA Hockey registration for the 2009-2010 season.
  • Additional teamtryout and registration information is available on the Nanooks women’s ice hockey website: (

For more information contact:

Scott Vockeroth: 388-6015
Amy Tallerico: 388-2695

8/5/2009