The Omaha Hockey Blue Line Club is Changing: What We Know (and What We Don’t)

By Bridget (Weide) Brooks

For nearly 30 years, the Blue Line Club has been a central part of Omaha Hockey. The BLC started before the first UNO Hockey game was played. It was a fan-driven group, a community that existed not only to provide financial support for the hockey program, but a way for supporters to feel connected to the program beyond game day.

The mission of the club, as outlined in a 2024-25 handout from the Omaha Athletic Department was: “Founded in 1996, the UNO Blue Line Club supports all things Maverick Hockey. It’s ongoing mission is to support UNO hockey through fundraising activities, promote enthusiastic fan support through a variety of membership activities and build a greater interest in the sport of hockey throughout Omaha and the State of Nebraska.”

In the early years of the program, the Blue Line Club hosted pre-season gatherings for fans to get to know players at picnics, grill-outs, and on the River City Star riverboat. 

For several years, there was a “Bowl With the Mavs” event, where fans could bowl with a player and purchase the player’s “shirt off their back” for $25 (featuring the player name and number). We ended up with several of these. 

There were pre-game parties — like one in 2009 at Barley’s Tip Top before the UNO vs. Notre Dame game at the Civic Auditorium. The event details said “The first keg is free and snacks will be provided.” 

There were weekly hockey luncheons featuring Coach Kemp, the visiting team coach, a guest speaker, and a player or two along with highlight videos from the previous series. These luncheons, modeled on the Big Red Breakfasts, drew hundreds of fans to a Friday lunch. Blue Line Club members could purchase a book of tickets and attend the luncheons of their choosing, with no RSVP required.

There was an end-of-season banquet (“The UNO Hockey Awards Banquet”) for fans to celebrate the players and their accomplishments. 

From the March 2003 ceremony:

Here was the program from the 2007 awards ceremony.

The Blue Line Club also coordinated Parent’s Weekend activities, including a brunch for player parents. 

The primary reason the Blue Line Club had more than 1000 members in the early years of the program was the $1 discount on beer and free popcorn and peanuts in the Blue Line Club “room” at the Omaha Civic Auditorium — the large gathering area at the bottom of the ramp on the first floor of the arena. Some fans actually calculated how many games it would take for them to “get back” their $35 membership fee in beer discounts. 

The Blue Line Club also coordinated philanthropic events. A small group of fans put stickers on donated (empty) milk jugs and set them on the seats at the Civic Auditorium to collect donations for charity (and create an intimidating noise when they were shaken). The donations were collected at the end of the season and given to charity. 

The BLC organized “Pack the Q” in 2006 to raise money for the UNO Soccer Corner Kick Club and Liz’s Legacy and set a new attendance record at the Qwest Center.

Jerseys were also raffled by the BLC at home games with proceeds donated to charity. 

The BLC also organized “Caps for Cancer," where new, unworn hats and caps were thrown onto the ice and collected and donated to the University of Nebraska Medical Center’s Eppley Cancer Center. A news release I wrote in 2011 invited fans to throw hats onto the ice at the second intermission of the Saturday, March 12 playoff game. It mentions the collection was sponsored by MavPuck.com, The Red Army, and the UNO Blue Line Club. (It also mentioned it was the sixth year for the event.)

Blue Line Club members organized support for the university’s Women’s Walk. The 2007 Annual Diet Pepsi/UNO Women’s Walk featured a team from the Blue Line Club (“Man in the Crease”), collecting donations for women’s athletics. 

One of the most prolific philanthropic events coordinated by the BLC is the 20+-year partnership with the U.S. Marines Toys for Tots, now the Sheila Leahy Toys for Tots drive (named for the late wife of Omaha Hockey color analyst Terry Leahy).

There were also periodic membership meetings with “Hockey 101” segments. Jon ran several of the membership meetings, focusing on a variety of topics. 

Each season he would set up a meeting with the athletic department compliance officer and we would arrange for them to come and speak to the membership about things they were and were not allowed to do as it related to players, prospects, and recruits. 

The “Hockey 101” segments sometimes featured a member of the coaching staff showing video to demonstrate various hockey concepts. I vividly remember Coach Mike Kemp showcasing the umbrella power play during one of the segments.

The BLC also hosted standalone “Hockey 101” events for fans. I specifically remember a “Hockey 101 for Women” held at the Qwest Center/Centurylink Center where we enjoyed a dinner with the team followed by on-ice activities. 

I was not dressed appropriately for shooting pucks with a stick. (At least, that’s the excuse I’m going to use for my lack of success in getting the puck into the net.)

There was also a “Hockey 101 for Men.”

In later years, there were the Dinner with the Mavs events where fans had the opportunity to sit with a player or two during dinner and learn more about them.

There were fan activities. There were “listening parties” where fans gathered together to socialize while listening to games on the radio. 

The BLC also organized bus trips to away games, including Notre Dame and Western Michigan.

Now, that structure is changing.

Omaha Athletics and the University of Nebraska Foundation have announced that the Blue Line Club will be integrated into the ONE Fund, the department’s annual giving program. Moving forward, it will operate as the Blue Line Club Fund.

And while many familiar elements are expected to remain, the overall model is shifting in some meaningful ways.

At its core, this is a move from a standalone booster club to a centralized fundraising model.

As the announcement explained: “This transition will create a unified and strengthened approach to supporting Maverick Hockey.”

A stronger alignment between Omaha Athletics, the NU Foundation, and what was previously the Blue Line Club is clearly the goal.

But that also means a change in what the Blue Line Club is.

What’s Changing

There are a few concrete changes we can already point to.

1. The Price of Admission

Previously, fans could join the Blue Line Club at the lowest level with a $50 donation. Under the new structure, a $100 minimum annual donation is required for membership

It’s not yet fully clear whether that amount is per person or per household, which is something worth watching as more details are released. (Update: We received confirmation on April 20 that “a membership is a family membership.”)

2. Who Runs It

The Blue Line Club used to be a member-led organization with its own board.

That’s going away. The program will now be run by the University of Nebraska Foundation and Omaha Athletics. There will no longer be a Blue Line Club Board of Directors. 

That’s a significant philosophical shift — from a grassroots-style supporter group to an institutional model. 

The email from Omaha Athletics said, “This decision was made in collaboration with the University of Nebraska Foundation, Omaha Athletics, and Blue Line Club Board.” In talking with several board members, the club was notified that a change was going to be made and BLC would not continue in its present form. 

3. How Giving Is Structured

This may be one of the biggest behind-the-scenes changes. “Per seat contributions” tied to season tickets will now count toward Blue Line Club membership. 

The email emphasized that the new Blue Line Club Fund becomes part of the broader ONE Fund giving structure.

This is interesting, because joining the Blue Line Club over the last few years at least meant writing a check (or signing up online) to donate to the ONE Fund. The NU Foundation already had oversight of the finances of the club, and received donations directly. In fact, that was often a source of friction for new members. It would take time — sometimes several weeks — for the BLC treasurer to receive an updated list of eligible members to generate the membership cards for new members. There was often a significant delay in receiving acknowledgement that the membership “dues” had been received.

As a member, I have to wonder who will be keeping the membership “rolls” going forward. How will access to the Maverick Hospitality room be designated? When we donated to get access to the hospitality room (and parking pass) in 2024-25 and again in 2025-26, I had to make several inquiries to those who run the ONE Fund before the benefits were activated in my ticket account, and it took several weeks both times.

Will there be better integration with the Blue Line Club being folded into the larger athletic fundraising system? It’s too soon to tell.

4. Benefits Are Being Reworked

This is the biggest change for fans, especially former Blue Line Club members.

From what’s been shared so far, donors can expect:

• Early entry into Baxter Arena
• Access to a Maverick Hospitality Room pregame
• Free popcorn and a cash bar
• Opportunity to participate in the pregame tunnel walk
• At least two member appreciation nights
• An exclusive event with coaches and student-athletes

How those benefits are executed is the key. For example, “early entry into Baxter Arena.” For the past two seasons, my niece, Scotland, prompted us to get to the arena around 5:30 p.m. on game days so she could watch the players go through their pre-game “land” warmups and she could get a fist-bump as the players went back to the locker room. Will that continue, or will the “early entry” only give access to the Maverick Hospitality Room (to be located in the lobby next season), and not the arena itself?

“An exclusive event with coaches and student-athletes” doesn’t sound like the “Dinner with the Mavs” event. Instead, it sounds more like the preseason “meet and greet” that the basketball team and coaches did with fans at Aksarben Village last fall. (That event was open to all fans, not just members of the 67th Street Hoops booster club, so the “exclusive” part of it may be the difference.)

We’ve really enjoyed getting to know the players better at the Dinner with the Mavs events. These were opportunities to learn more about them as students and people off the ice. I’ve often said that it’s harder for fans to be critical of the players when they know them as human beings, and the Dinner with the Mavs was one of the best examples of that. 

5. Some Traditions Are on Hold

One notable change: The Blue Line Club Golf Outing is not currently scheduled. Now, it’s possible that the fundraiser (which has generated hundreds of thousands of dollars for the hockey program over the years) is on hold because of the death of one of the co-organizers, Colleen Barstow, a few months ago. It’s an event that requires a tremendous amount of planning and volunteer coordination. 

The messaging leaves the door open for future updates, but for now, it’s another example of change with the transition from the BLC to the ONE Fund.

An article from the 2006 “In the Crease” newsletter reported that the golf outing had raised more than $150,000 to help support the Maverick hockey program over the previous eight years (at the time of publication). The 2006 event sold out and raised more than $30,000, according to event chair Allan Carr (who played for the Mavericks from 1997-2001).

What’s Staying the Same
It’s important to note that not everything is changing.

The emails emphasize that: “Many of the membership features and experiences you value will continue.”

That includes:

• Member appreciation events
• Opportunities to connect with players and coaches
• Game day access benefits

What We Don’t Know Yet

There are still a few open questions that haven’t been fully clarified:

• Is the $100 minimum per person or per household?
• Does early entry apply to the full arena or just the Hospitality Room?
• How will “special experiences” compare to what existed before?
• What (if anything) replaces traditions like the golf outing long term?
• Is the “In the Crease” newsletter going away?

That last one is interesting too. 

The newsletter had evolved from a print publication to a digital one in recent years. Back when it was a print newsletter, Jon volunteered for a stint designing it and we handled the printing and mailing. (John Fey and Jeff Reinhardt also had turns producing the newsletter during those years.) 

It was one of the perks of membership, and served as a historical archive of many of the program’s milestones and fundraising events. (Many of the photos and memories from previous years came from my review of past “In the Crease” newsletters.) There was no mention of the newsletter in the emails, so perhaps it won’t exist anymore.

https://www.mavpuck.com/resources/Documents/BLCMarch2009.pdf

(As an aside: Jon’s productions of “In the Crease” received first-place honors in the print newsletter category in the Omaha Press Club’s annual Excellence in Journalism contest in 2007.)

The Bottom Line
The Blue Line Club isn’t going away, but it is becoming something different.

It’s moving from a fan-centered organization to an institutional one. From board-led to foundation-run. And from a separate booster club to an integrated fundraising arm.

Whether that ultimately feels like an upgrade, a tradeoff, or simply a change will likely depend on how the benefits that are promised to donors are executed.

But one thing is clear: After 30 years, the Blue Line Club that we once knew will no longer exist.

Here's a comparison of the previous Blue Line Club compared to the new Blue Line Club level of the ONE Fund.

View the PDF of the comparison here:

Previous Blue Line Club vs. New Blue Line Club Fund  

Game Preview: Omaha vs. Air Force (Exhibition), Oct. 3, 2025

It’s another season of Maverick Hockey, and there are a lot of unanswered questions to start the campaign. With 15 newcomers on the roster (8 freshmen, 5 sophomores, 1 junior, and 1 senior), there are a lot of unfamiliar faces. 

The Mavericks returned all of their eligible seniors, however, and have named four of them to leadership roles. Senior goaltender Simon Latkoczy and senior defenseman Griffin Ludtke will serve as co-captains, and senior forwards Tyler Rollwagen and Cam Mitchell will be assistant captains for the 2025-26 season. Also returning are senior forward Jacob Slipec and senior defenseman Jacob Guévin. 

Air Force returns to Baxter Arena 10 years after facing the Omaha Mavericks in the first-ever series at the new arena on Oct. 23, 2015. Omaha won the Friday night matchup 4-2, and swept the Falcons on Saturday with a 4-1 victory.

The exhibition marks the return of Air Force coach Frank Serratore to Omaha for the first time since the 2015 series. A colorful figure with strong ties to the Omaha Hockey community, Serratore was coach and general manager of the Omaha Lancers in 1989-1990. In that single season, he took over a last-place team and led them to the USHL regular season and playoff championship. This feat led to Serratore being named the USHL General Manager of the Year and the Omaha Sportscasters Sportsman of the Year awards in 1990. He has been head coach of the Falcons since the 1997-98 season (which was also the Mavericks first-ever season).

Omaha has an all-time home win streak of 6-0 against Air Force, and is 1-1 in road games. The largest margin of victory was an Omaha win, 6-1, on Oct. 26, 1997 in Colorado Springs. The game was held on a Sunday due to the second game in the series being delayed by the Blizzard of 1997. A major snow storm shut down much of the Front Range; blizzard conditions in Colorado Springs lasted from Friday night through late Saturday, with significant snowfall delaying the second game in the series. The Mavericks had dropped the first game in the series 4-2. Omaha’s win was the program’s first Division 1 victory. Former Maverick head coach Mike Kemp described the bonding on that trip as one of the best things that could have happened to the team.

A rule change in 2021 allowed NCAA teams to schedule each other in exhibition contests, with the results not counting towards official season records. Previously, NCAA teams would typically schedule Canadian college teams or teams from the United States National Team Development Program (USNTDP) for exhibition matchups. Omaha is scheduled for another exhibition later in the season on Dec. 30 against the University of Manitoba at Baxter Arena.

Another rule change affecting college hockey this season is new eligibility opportunities for players who previously played in the Canadian Hockey League (CHL). Beginning Aug. 1, 2025, the NCAA rule change allowed more than 1600 CHL players to play NCAA Division 1 men’s hockey without losing their eligibility. Previously, players in the CHL — comprised of the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL), the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), and the Western Hockey League (WHL) — were barred from NCAA play because they were considered “professionals.” Players are now free to play in the CHL before deciding whether to commit to a U.S. college after high school.

The 2025-26 Maverick squad features a number of players with CHL experience. Ludtke said there was a lot of anticipation leading up to this year with the rule changes and the roster additions made during the offseason. 

One of the new Mavericks affected by the change is sophomore forward Brett Hyland. Hyland, 22, played five seasons (2019-2024) for the Brandon Wheat Kings in the WHL before enrolling at the University of Alberta, where he played 21 games in the 2024-25 season, scoring 13 goals and recording 20 assists and a +21 rating. 

“I knew as soon as the rule opened up, I had to make the move. And so the question was, just where do I go?” Hyland said about making the decision to come to Omaha.

He describes his game as bringing “hard work, physicality, and energy every night” — and “hopefully put some pucks in the net at the same time.” 

“The thing I love most about our group, especially with Brett (Hyland) and the newcomers who were coming from (U Sports) is everyone’s hungry here with something to prove,” Ludtke said. 

The Oct. 3 matchup is the annual Military Appreciation Game, sponsored by WoodmenLife. The Mavericks will wear specialty camouflage jerseys purchased by WoodmenLife and auctioned online to benefit the UNO Office of Military and Veteran Services. Previous jersey auctions have raised more than $10,000 annually. The gameworn jersey auction ends at 11:30 p.m. on Friday night. Visit https://omavs.com/Auctions/ to bid. 

WoodmenLife will also hand out 6,000 handheld American flags to fans, and members of the ROTC will display a 30-by-60 foot American flag on the ice during the national anthem.

Fans will also get the chance to experience new concession pricing and combos, featuring lower prices on water, soda, hot dogs, fries, and popcorn. The arena concession stands will also have Baxter Arena 10th anniversary souvenir cups, new kids souvenir cups, new combo deals and expanded grab-and-go options.

The Omaha Bull Market collective is selling Bull Market Bourbon at Baxter Arena this seasion. Bull Market Reserve Victory Bourbon will be available on the suite level, while Bull Market Select Pregame Bourton will be served in the Maverick Room off the lobby, in the Buildertrend Breakaway Lounge, and at concession locations around the main concourse.

Fans will also notice a new centerhung scoreboard, new ribbon boards, and updated video screens in the arena. The display system was designed, manufactured, and installed by Daktronics of Brookings, South Dakota. The centerhung display features one large curved display measuring approximately 16.5 feet high by 85 feet round. It features 3.9-millimeter pixel spacing and a canvas capable of variable content zoning, allowing it to show one large image or multiple “content zones,” including live video, instant replays, up-to-the-minute statistics, and game information, graphics and animations, and sponsorship messages. One of the new video walls is at the main entrance, at the top of the west stairs. The video wall is 6.5 feet high by 12 feet wide. On the north entrance, another video wall is 5.5 feet high by 10 feet wide.

Watch the full preseason press conference here:

For Fans Attending the Game in Person:
The west lot outside Baxter, Lot 25, is open to donors and single-game pass holders only and parking passes are required to park in that lot. The north lot, Lot 27, offers free parking on a first-come, first-served basis, as is Lot 26 (west of the arena, across the creek). Omaha Athletics is also encouraging fans to park in one of the public garages at Aksarben Village.

Fans should arrive early, especially if entering via the west entrance. Have digital tickets ready to scan in the Omaha Mavericks app (or add them from your MyMavs account to your phone’s wallet app). If you have questions, stop by the box office at Baxter Arena before the game or call 402-554-MAVS.

The clear bag policy remains in effect at Baxter Arena, and metal detectors are in place at all entrances. All concession stands are card only (no cash).

Promotions: 

Flag giveaway to the first 6,000 fans.

Series preview articles:
Hurrdat (Jordan McAlpine):
https://hurrdatsports.com/omavs/hockey/key-returners-and-15-newcomers-lead-omaha-hockey-into-2025-26-season/

When:
> Friday, 7:07 p.m. CT at Baxter Arena (Omaha, NE)

Radio:
The game will be broadcast live on 1290 AM and on The Varsity Network app. Pre-game coverage begins 30 minutes prior to face off with the FNBO Pre-Game Show. “Voice of the Mavs” Mike Vaillancourt will have the play-by-play, with color commentary provided by Terry Leahy.

TV:
The game will be streamed on NCHC.tv ($)

Live Stats:
Game stats will be available here. 





It’s another busy start to the MavPuckCast season, as Jon and Jason have already recorded three episodes of season 8! In the newest episode (S8, E3), the duo take a look at the new secondary logo unveiled by the National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) as “The National” gets ready to grow to 10 teams in the 2026-27 season. They talk about news that the NCHC will not air hockey games on the CBS Sports Network this season, and they discuss new Omaha Hockey assistant coach — and recruiting coordinator — Jamie Huffman. They also each pick a pair of Mavericks among the newcomers they are looking forward to watching this season. The episode concludes with their NCHC preseason rankings — an annual tradition on the podcast to start the season!

Next up: Omaha Hockey starts the 2025-26 season at Baxter Arena, facing the Purple Mavericks of Minnesota State University - Mankato on Friday, Oct. 10 and Saturday, Oct. 11 at 7 p.m. Central. 

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Mike Kemp Presented With NCHC’s 2024 Distinguished Service Award

For his work as an administrator at the University of Nebraska Omaha and ambassador of college hockey, the National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) has honored Omaha Executive Associate Athletics Director Mike Kemp with the 2024 NCHC Distinguished Service Award. Kemp is retiring in May after a 48-year career in college athletics as a coach and administrator.

Kemp was bestowed with the NCHC Distinguished Service Award in person on Monday night, April 29, at the NCHC Annual Meeting dinner and reception at the Naples Grande Beach Resort. NCHC staff presented Kemp with the Distinguished Service Award with representatives from the entire membership in attendance.
 
While Kemp made a massive impact during his coaching career, his move to the ‘front office’ as an administrator was just influential. His biggest contribution to the NCHC, along with helping Omaha be a founding member of the Conference, is serving as the director of the NCHC Pod. In addition, Kemp has served on the NCHC’s Athletic Council during the entirety of the Conference (11 years).
 
“We are honored to present Mike with our Distinguished Service Award. He has been an important and influential dignitary in college hockey for many years,” said NCHC Commissioner Heather Weems. “As the first hockey coach at Omaha, he helped put the Mavericks on the map and has only continued to build the program in his administrative role. From serving as Chair of the Ice Hockey Championship Committee to hosting the NCHC Pod, Mike has always had the NCHC’s and college hockey’s best interest at heart. He is more than deserving of this award.”
 
Kemp played a major role in UNO’s Baxter Arena serving as the host venue for the NCHC Pod, which was held in Omaha in December of 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. Kemp oversaw the unprecedented task of playing 38 NCHC games in 21 days with eight teams in one venue – something never done in any college sport – while helping complete it safely and successfully, which it was. From team arrivals, to locker room set-up and rotation, to practice and morning skate schedules, to venue operations and COVID-19 testing, Kemp had a hand in making sure the Pod was run smoothly while providing a secure environment for all.
 
In April 2021, Kemp was awarded the NCHC’s first Commissioner’s Award for his work in hosting and overseeing the NCHC Pod.
 
Kemp also served on the NCAA Ice Hockey Championship Committee for five years from 2017-22, including holding the role of Chair for two years in 2021 and 2022. While Chair, Kemp and his committee had to hand-select the 2021 NCAA Tournament field during the pandemic due to a lack of non-conference games and no Pairwise Ratings. He also had to adjust a regional location on short notice in 2021, while ensuring a safe and successful tournament. During his two years as Chair, Kemp presented the National Championship trophy to UMass (2021) in Pittsburgh and NCHC member Denver (2022) in Boston.
 
Along with coaching Omaha to its first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance in 2006, Kemp also secured Omaha’s first on-campus arena in his position as a UNO administrator. He played a key role in the design and construction of Baxter Arena, which opened in 2015. The Mavericks announced on April 19 that the ice at Baxter Arena would be renamed 'Kemp Ice’ in honor of their first head coach.
 
"This is another honor to highlight the impactful career of Mike Kemp." said Adrian Dowell, Vice Chancellor / Director of Athletics at Omaha. "We are very appreciative to the NCHC for appropriately recognizing Mike's contributions over decades to not only UNO but also the conference and college hockey."
 
Kemp has been a part of the Omaha Mavericks’ family for 27 years, serving in multiple functions. He has been in his current role as Omaha senior associate AD for events and facilities since being promoted in March of 2019. Prior to that, he was an associate athletic director at UNO for 12 years, moving into that role in 2009 after completing a 12-year run as the program’s first head hockey coach. A member of the Omaha Hockey Hall of Fame and Omaha Sports Hall of Fame, Kemp helped start the Omaha hockey program in 1997, joining the staff in 1996. He now oversees UNO’s hockey program and Baxter Arena in his current position.
 
Kemp is the seventh recipient of the NCHC Distinguished Service Award, which is not necessarily bestowed upon someone annually, but is presented to an individual who has served, supported and promoted the goals and ideals of the NCHC and who, through personal effort and dedication, has enhanced the ability of the Conference and/or its member institutions to provide a positive experience for the stu­dent-athletes enrolled at NCHC member institutions.
 
The inaugural NCHC Distinguished Service Award was presented to Mr. Bill Hybl, the Chairman and CEO of El Pomar Foundation, in 2016, while former Denver Director of Athletics Ron Grahame received the honor in 2017. In 2018, Peg Bradley-Doppes, former University of Denver Vice Chancellor for Athletics, and Brian Faison, former University of North Dakota Director of Athletics, were co-honorees, both of whom were heavily involved in the founding of the NCHC, along with 2019 winner Ken Ralph, the former Colorado College Director of Athletics. The most recent recipient is nine-year NCHC Commissioner Josh Fenton, who received it in 2022 following his final season.
 
PREVIOUS NCHC DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD WINNERS
2016 – Bill Hybl, Chairman and CEO of El Pomar Foundation
2017 – Ron Grahame, former Athletics Director at University of Denver
2018 – Peg Bradley-Doppes, former University of Denver Vice Chancellor for Athletics
2018 – Brian Faison, former University of North Dakota Director of Athletics
2019 – Ken Ralph, former Colorado College Director of Athletics
2022 – Josh Fenton, former NCHC Commissioner

Ice Rink at Baxter Arena Named for Program Founder, Mike Kemp

After unanimous approval by the University of Nebraska Board of Regents at an April board meeting, the ice rink at Baxter Arena will be named in honor of Mike Kemp, the Mavericks first head coach in program history. Moving forward, “Kemp Ice” will be displayed alongside Baxter Arena around the center ice circle. Additionally, his signature will join Don Leahy’s on the ice. 

“Congratulations to Mike Kemp on this well-deserved honor. Coach Kemp is an ambassador in the world of hockey,” Chancellor Joanne Li said. “UNO is filled with pride and honor as we recognize his dedication to the Omaha Hockey program and the broader Omaha Athletics community.”

As the inaugural head coach for Omaha Hockey, Kemp arrived at the University of Nebraska Omaha on July 1, 1996.   He was elevated to the position of Associate Athletic Director in May of 2009 after serving as the head hockey coach for 12 years.  Over the years in this role, he had oversight of the hockey program and several athletics capital projects including the design and construction of Baxter Arena.

“After nearly 50 years in the industry, Mike Kemp has been one of the most impactful figures in college hockey and at the University of Nebraska at Omaha,” says Vice Chancellor / Director of Athletics, Adrian Dowell.  "During his tenure as head coach, Mike successfully developed Maverick hockey into a national brand which became a staple in the Omaha sports landscape, as evident by the 131 consecutive sellouts at the Omaha Civic Auditorium. This tradition of competitive and attendance excellence even continues today as Maverick Hockey recently achieved its fifth appearance in the NCAA Tournament while ranking fourth nationally in attendance.”

“It’s incredibly humbling to be recognized in this fashion.  My sincere thanks to everyone who had some part in making this incredible honor a reality,” said Mike Kemp.

“The opportunity to start a Division I Hockey program from scratch is something very few people ever have the privilege of doing.  To think that I would still be here 28 years later, still involved with the day-to-day decisions related to that program, is hard to imagine.  I owe a great debt of gratitude to Don Leahy, Del Weber, and the original hockey committee for having the foresight of what Maverick Hockey has become.”

With his coaching successes, he was named CCHA Coach of the Year in 2005 and was named as a finalist for conference and National Coach of the Year on several occasions. Kemp was also heavily involved in the collegiate hockey landscape; a career that was crowned by his service on the NCAA Division I Men’s Ice Hockey Committee including as Chairman in 2021. He also served as Vice President of the American Hockey Coaches Board of Governors and was inducted into the Omaha Sports and Omaha Hockey Hall of Fames in 2013.

“This is the ultimate honor to highlight an incredible career and we are so grateful to Mike Kemp for his service to our institution and organization,” said Dowell. “We are also appreciative to the supporters who helped make this honor a reality and thank the Board of Regents and the Office of the President for approving this fitting tribute.”

“We would not be the program that we are today without the contributions by all of our coaches, players and staff who believed in what we were trying to do in 1997, and still believe in what we are doing with Maverick Hockey today. And to all those supporters who were there in 1996 when the first season tickets went on sale, and are still buying them today, you have played a huge part in what this program has become,” said Kemp. “This recognition is an extension of the contributions of all of the people who have touched the Maverick Hockey Program from 1996 to today. They have all played a part of this honor.”

Omaha Athletics plans to officially dedicate the naming of ‘Kemp Ice’ at Baxter Arena during the first home series of the 2024-25 hockey season. At which time UNO plans to celebrate Kemp’s 27 years of leadership of the hockey program and dedication to Omaha Athletics.

Mike Kemp Announces Retirement from UNO

Omaha Hockey Hall of Fame coach and long-time administrator has announced his retirement from the department effective May.

Mike Kemp arrived at the University of Nebraska Omaha as its first head hockey coach on July 1, 1996. He was elevated to the position of Associate Athletic Director in May of 2009 after serving as the head hockey coach for 12 years. In March of 2019, he was further elevated to the position of Senior Associate Athletic Director – Events/Facilities. In November 2021, Kemp was named Executive Associate Athletic Director.

In his current role, he has sport oversight of the hockey program as well as all facilities and event management. His facility management responsibilities placed him in a position to oversee the design and construction of several landmark campus athletic facilities such as the Hamilton Academic Excellence Room (2011), the conversion of Caniglia Field into one of the premier soccer facilities in college athletics (2012) and the design and construction of Baxter Arena (2011-15).

Watch Kemp’s press conference here:

Here is the article Kemp referenced in the press conference from the Omaha World-Herald:

Serratore Says “Things Could Work at UNO” 

As the head coach of a start-up program, Kemp built the Mavericks into a model of consistency throughout his tenure as the head coach. After two years of play as an independent, the Mavericks were admitted into the Central Collegiate Hockey Conference (CCHA) in 1999 where they quickly established themselves as a respected program. In ten years of league play under Kemp's guidance, UNO had an average sixth place finish in the 12-team league and earned home playoff games in eight of those ten years. Kemp also placed players on one of the CCHA all-league teams in eight of those ten years. Both of those accomplishments were surpassed only by Michigan.

“This is a bittersweet moment as we lose an incredible leader at UNO and in the industry, yet we are also excited for Coach Kemp as he begins an exciting new chapter with his retirement,” said Adrian Dowell, Vice Chancellor / Director of Athletics. “Although his accolades are numerous, his true legacy is evident by the number of lives he impacted as a coach, administrator, and leader in the college hockey landscape. I am so grateful to Mike for his leadership, friendship, and mentorship. Over the next few months, we will be working diligently to appropriately honor Coach Kemp for his incredible service to our institution, community, and industry.”

From its first year of league play, the Mavericks established themselves as a tough opponent. In that first season, the Mavs defeated 11 of 12 CCHA opponents while ending the season with a runner-up finish at the conference tournament. For his work, Kemp was named a finalist for the CCHA Coach of the Year Award and a finalist for the Spencer Penrose Trophy for the National Coach of the Year. Kemp also was named a finalist for both awards two more times, making him a finalist three times in his 12 years behind the bench at UNO. He was named the CCHA Coach of the Year in 2005 when UNO was the most improved team in college hockey, winning eleven more games than the previous season and finishing fourth in the CCHA, advancing to the CCHA Super Six Championship Tournament.

Many highlights marked the history of Maverick hockey under Kemp's direction. The 2000-01 team posted 24 wins, the most in a single season in UNO hockey history and a record that still stands today. The 17-5-0 home record that the team achieved is also the best home record in program history. The team ended the season ranked 13th in the nation, one spot from a berth in the NCAA Tournament. In 2003, the program closed out its six-year run at the Omaha Civic Auditorium having sold out 131 consecutive games at 8,314 people per game. In 2005-06 - the Mavericks ninth season - the team made its initial appearance in the NCAA Tournament which, at the time, was the fastest a team had qualified for the NCAA Tournament from program inception.

“Congratulations to Coach Kemp on an outstanding career that has left a lasting impact on hockey in Omaha and nationwide,” UNO Chancellor Joanne Li said. “Mike's leadership, dedication, and commitment have not only shaped champions but also positively influenced countless lives both on and off the ice. Here's to a retirement well-deserved and to a legacy that will endure through the years.”

In Kemp’s tenure at the helm of the Maverick hockey program, the Mavericks became a national leader in college hockey attendance, a tradition that continues today. Kemp coached five All-Americans while at Omaha and had a total of twelve all-CCHA players in the 10 years he coached in the league.

Prior to UNO, Kemp spent 20 years as an assistant coach. He came to Omaha from Wisconsin where he served as an assistant coach/recruiting coordinator for 14 seasons (1981-82 and 1983-1996). During his time in Madison, Kemp coached under U.S. college hockey coaching legends Badger Bob Johnson (1981-82) and Jeff Sauer (1983-1996). As the head recruiter, Kemp secured some of the most talented players in Wisconsin hockey history. Twelve went on to play in the Olympics, 16 earned first or second team All-American, and four were named Western Collegiate Hockey Association Players of the Year. In his tenure, the Badgers won one regular season championship, four WCHA playoff titles, appeared in nine NCAA tournaments, finishing runners-up twice, and winning one National Championship in 1990.

Kemp spent one season (1982-83) as the assistant coach/recruiting coordinator at Illinois-Chicago. He began his coaching career in 1976 at his alma mater, Gustavus Adolphus College, where he served as the assistant coach from 1976-1981.

In his coaching career, Kemp was known for having teams that were active in community service. Annually, Kemp encouraged his teams to volunteer, raising money for groups as varied as Estabrook Cancer Center, Wounded Warriors, Make-A-Wish, Special Olympics, the Susan B. Komen Cancer research, the Boy and Girls Club and many other charitable organizations.

“I am so excited to celebrate the great career and retirement of Coach Kemp. He has made such an impact on my life, first recruiting me as an 18-year-old and now as a colleague and friend,” Omaha Hockey head coach Mike Gabinet said. “He had the vision and determination to set the foundation for what this program is today. There would not be Omaha Hockey or Baxter Arena without Mike Kemp. My family and I sincerely wish him the best in retirement with Julie, his daughters and all the grandkids!”

Kemp has modeled community involvement in his own life. During his coaching career, he served on the board of governors of the American Hockey Coaches Association, serving as a second vice-president from 2000-03. He was a member of the board of directors of the Special Olympics of Nebraska from 2002-2014. He was a board member of the Nebraska Sports Council from 2015-2018. Kemp also served as a board member of the Omaha Sports Hall of Fame.

On top of those, Kemp served on the NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey Committee from 2017-22 and was the chair of the six-member committee from 2020-22. He also played a hand in the NCAA Men's and Women's Soccer Rules Committee from 2013-18.

In 2009, in recognition of the contributions Kemp had made to the Omaha hockey community, he was inducted into the Omaha Hockey Hall of Fame. He was also inducted into the Omaha Sports Hall of Fame in 2013. In 2020, in recognition of the management of the NCHC Pod and in steering the NCAA Men's Ice Hockey Committee through its first COVID-19 NCAA championship, Kemp received the NCHC Commissioners award for leadership to hockey. To this day, he is the only such recipient in the history of the conference.

“Forty-eight years in college athletics…..it’s been the trip of a lifetime. To be given the opportunity to start a program from scratch, and then to be able to have been a part of every major decision in that program from its inception until today, is such a rare experience. I have been truly blessed,” Kemp said. ‘Thank you to the University of Nebraska Omaha and the city of Omaha for giving our family so much support for the past 28 years. I am extremely grateful to Don Leahy, Connie Claussen, Del Weber and the original hockey committee for believing in me back in 1996, and giving me the chance to build this hockey program. The experiences I have had and the people I have met throughout my career have truly been a light in my life. From the bottom of my heart, I want to thank my family, my mentors, my assistants, all the hockey players who have been a part of Maverick Hockey, my colleagues, and everyone who has supported me throughout my career. You all hold a special place in my life. I will always be a Maverick!”

Kemp and his wife, Julie have two married daughters, Emily and Sarah, and six grandchildren.

The Origins of UNO Hockey

Photo credit: UNO Libraries' Archives and Special Collections

One of the things that has fascinated me about UNO Hockey over the course of the past 22 years has been the nascent beginnings for the sport at the university in the 1970s. 

Before I go any further, I want to thank the talented team of archivists at the University of Nebraska at Omaha’s Criss Library for directing me to digitized yearbooks and providing rare photographs of UNO’s club hockey team during the 1970s. 

I touched on this topic a bit in a 2015 blog titled “The Arena Origin Story (Part 1).”

In that post, I talked about the Omaha Knights minor league team folding in the early 1970s. Fans of the sport were left to wonder if they’d get to watch high-level hockey in Omaha again. 

UNO Athletics was under the direction of Don Leahy at the time. 

The school had fielded a club team since 1972 (research from the Omaha World-Herald archives also uncovered that Omaha University played club hockey during the 1940s).

According to UNO’s 1975 yearbook, a student named Tim Rock decided to organize a club team in January 1972. 

Photo credit: UNO Libraries' Archives and Special Collections

The UNO Athletic Department took over some of the costs of fielding a team during that era — providing uniforms and ice time at Ak-Sar-Ben. 

The department’s business manager at the time, Russ Baldwin, said college hockey was a “growing sport” and that professional teams were relying “more and more on college students for talent.”

This image of UNO playing Creighton appeared in the school’s 1975 yearbook:

Photo credit: UNO Libraries' Archives and Special Collections

During my research for this article, I began to realize what a terrific opportunity the university had to fill the void left by the departed Knights organization (which played to packed houses at Ak-Sar-Ben Coliseum).

A familiar face to UNO Hockey fans took over the fledgling club operation in the 1975-76 season — Duluth, Minnesota native Mike Kemp (who was only 23 at the time). 

Photo credit: UNO Libraries' Archives and Special Collections

(Kemp’s current title is “Associate Athletic Director — Events & Facilities” at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. Prior to being elevated to an associate athletic director position, he coached the UNO Hockey program from 1996 thru 2009.)

Photo credit: UNO Libraries' Archives and Special Collections

Omaha World-Herald reporter Jerry Fricke addressed the state of hockey in Omaha in a column published on April 21, 1976: 

“Coach Kemp, whose club team finished with an 11-14-2 record, has been recruiting and arranging a schedule with the idea that UNO will go varsity. ‘If we don’t go varsity, I won’t be here,’ Kemp said. ‘Most of the games I’ve arranged are with varsity teams, and they won’t play us unless we have a varsity team.’”

Photo credit: UNO Libraries' Archives and Special Collections

Further research in the Omaha World-Herald shows that a non-profit group had been set up to help raise money for scholarships for the club players. 

A recent profile of Mike Kemp — written by Ryan Jaeckel for The Gateway on Oct. 30, 2018 — unearths a few more details about Kemp’s season with UNO’s club program in 1975-76. 

According to the article, Kemp had earned a degree in public relations from Gustavus Adolphus College in 1975. He was working in the family business in Duluth when he received a call from his old hockey coach informing him that UNO was “looking for a club hockey coach.”

Kemp told The Gateway that his experience coaching UNO's club team was “interesting.”

Photo credit: UNO Libraries' Archives and Special Collections

There were players from a variety of backgrounds, Jaeckel wrote. "A 38-year-old from North Dakota working at Kellogg’s. Another, from Michigan State, was in their mid-30s and worked as a salesman for a major corporation. There were Creighton Prep seniors. Even Kemp’s closest friend, who had just returned from Vietnam, joined in the fun.” 

According to Jaeckel's article, the "friend who had just returned from the Vietnam War" would eventually be involved in starting UNO's Division 1 program in 1996.

Photo credit: UNO Libraries' Archives and Special Collections

Kemp referred to that club team, "lovingly," as “the largest collection of human debris ever assembled.”

As I alluded to earlier, there was talk that UNO would move up to the varsity level for hockey in the 1976-77 season. “Kemp began recruiting immediately,” writes Jaeckel, “going as far north as Canada.” 

Photo credit: UNO Libraries' Archives and Special Collections

UNO ended its efforts early, citing financial constraints at the time. Kemp left the university shortly thereafter, and the school’s hockey prospects remained largely dormant for another two decades. 

There were other iterations of UNO’s club team between the 1970s era club teams and the NCAA Division I program started in 1996. 

For example, the 1981 flavor of club hockey at UNO was led by a player/coach named Tak Soto — who played on the Japanese Olympic hockey team (according to the March 4, 1981, issue of The Gateway):

Photo credit: UNO Libraries' Archives and Special Collections

When UNO Hockey finally took hold as a varsity sport in May 1996, Bridget and I (both newly-minted graduates of the university) put down our deposit on a pair of seats. I sent her over to Sapp Fieldhouse to wait in line the morning tickets first went on sale. 

The reason I did is because I liked the idea that UNO was doing something interesting as it regarded athletics, and because I thought it would help UNO build its own identity in the lexicon of local sports. 

But I’ve always wondered “what if?”

Had UNO started varsity-level hockey in the 1970s, would it have survived? Would it be a program with dozens of banners and hardware from decades of NCAA tournament appearances and championships? 

We’ll never know, but it is fun to think about. 

Like this blog post? Check out more photos from the UNO Libraries' Archives and Special Collections here.