(Albuquerque, New Mexico) Thursday, May 16, 2019 – The New Mexico Ice Wolves™ today announced Kyle Follmer was named Assistant Coach starting with the 2019-2020 season. Follmer joins previously announced NM Ice Wolves Head Coach and GM Phil Fox and Assistant General Manager and Associate Head Coach Keenan Kelly as the team continues its preparations for its inaugural season in the NAHL’s Southern Division playing out of Outpost Ice Arenas in Albuquerque, NM.
“Kyle brings years of playing experience at every level and he knows what it takes to be successful in the NAHL,” said Phil Fox, NM Ice Wolves Head Coach. “We look forward to Kyle’s contributions to our recruiting and to developing our players into a formidable defensive core out on the ice.”
“I’m thrilled and honored to join the NM Ice Wolves in their inaugural season and I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to give back to the game of hockey,” said Kyle Follmer. “I look forward to teaching our players to be the best they can be as they pursue their dreams on the path to college hockey. I’m very excited to work with Coach Fox and Coach Kelly who are two great hockey minds and even better people who I had the pleasure of getting to know while playing at the University of Northern Michigan.”
Follmer is a native of St. Paul, Minnesota and brings the NM Ice Wolves five seasons of professional player experience in the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL). He began his professional playing career in 2013 with the Bakersfield Condors followed by stints with the Quad City Mallards, the Fort Wayne Komets and the Allen Americans where he was a part of the Kelly Cup winning team in 2015. Prior to playing in the ECHL Follmer played three seasons of junior hockey for the Sioux City Musketeers in Iowa from 2005-2006 followed by two seasons for the Lincoln Stars in the United States Hockey League (USHL) from 20006-2008. Follmer played four seasons of collegiate hockey at the University of Northern Michigan where he played with NM Ice Wolves Head Coach Phil Fox for two years. Most recently Follmer began his coaching career in New Mexico as the peewee travel head coach and assistant director of hockey at the Outpost Ice Arenas.
The Follmer addition also comes on the heels of the team unveiling its new logo which is designed to reflect the team’s home in the Land of Enchantment. The logo incorporates several New Mexico elements including the official state colors which are the red and yellow of Old Spain as well as the icy turquoise eyes that share the color with the state stone. The Zia symbol is quietly reflected in the eyes and highlighted along the snout. The iconic Sandia Mountains are given a nod in the transition from red to yellow across the Ice Wolf’s face as well as on the lower jaw where glistening stars and the moon show off New Mexico’s big, endless and almost always clear skies. Finally, the nose itself pays homage to the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta which in modern New Mexico has become our state’s calling card to much of the world. The logo can be downloaded here.
This past February the New Mexico Ice Wolves were granted an expansion franchise in the North American Hockey League (NAHL) as a new team competing in the league’s South Division beginning in the 2019-2020 season and will play out of Outpost Ice Arenas in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
The Outpost Ice Arenas is currently undergoing major renovations prior to the start of the season including bleachers that will be upgraded to provide premium VIP stadium seating, new NHL style plexiglass for seamless viewing, an updated restaurant and snack bar menu, party rooms that will be upgraded for fans and sponsors and a very unique set of connecting ice tunnels that allow fans to watch from the ice while also skating in the auxiliary rink. The Outpost will reopen on Sunday, May 19, 2019 with a public skating session from 4-8pm and all renovations are slated for completion before the NAHL season debuts in October. People interested in season ticket information as soon as it is ready can sign up online at www.NMIceWolves.com to get updates on tickets and other special events.
The New Mexico Ice Wolves NAHL team will announce additional staff and tryout dates in the upcoming weeks, as well as season ticket and sponsorship information. You can learn more about the New Mexico Ice Wolves on their NAHL Team Page or on social media on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.
For team media inquiries, please contact Aaron Martinez at 505-212-8762 or amartinez@reelz.com