MOORHEAD, Minn. (Valley News Live) – Several Division I players, all from the Fargo-Moorhead area, are driving others to success in a ‘Local Legends’ girls hockey camp.

The drive for success starts early, and practicing for the next level begins at all ages.

More than 90 youth girls hockey players attended the Local Legends camp at The Cullen Hockey Center in Moorhead. The camp was led by six, local, Divsion I Women’s Hockey athletes: Olivia Dronen, Bria Holm, Ella Holm, Kate Kosobud, Taylor Brueske and Rylee Bartz.

They offered both on and off the ice training, as well as nutrition and sports psychology workshops.

After the camp, Moorhead 8U Girls Hockey player, Nora Deitz, said, “I had so much fun! I just keep working hard and keep practicing.”

Some traveled far and wide to attend the camp, like high school players, Ella Ketring and Madi Lisell of Roseau, Minnesota.

“It was really nice to hear from the college players that it’s all going to be okay, this is all just fun. Playing college hockey sounds really stressful, but we do this to have fun, so it was nice to hear it’s not going to be that stressful,” said Ketring.

Growing up in the FM community, Rylee Bartz of St. Thomas Women’s Hockey, said as girls hockey continues to evolve, so do the opportunities.

“There wasn’t much for girls hockey, I actually grew up playing boys hockey. Now, I look and there’s a ton of teams and a ton of opportunities for these younger girls,” she explained. “Getting to coach these girls and seeing them grow with a smile on their faces, it’s just so much fun.”

Moorhead native, Kate Kosobud, is set to transfer to The University of Minnesota-Duluth and emphasized players’ actions outside of the sport.

She said, “Not just as players on the ice, but the person and attitude you have off the ice is just as important. I told the girls giving back to your community… and having good relationships with your teachers, friends, and family can set you up for the next level.”

A next-level learning experience for those preparing for the future.

Some said they’re seeing their dreams now more than ever with the recent formation of the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL).

“When we were younger, I remember watching the NHL and saying, that’s not fair… but now there’s the PWHL, so there’s really something to look forward to,” the Roseau High School girls said.

The camp finished with an awards ceremony and autograph signing from the local legends.

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Dawnita “Nita” Teague was named head coach of the NIU gymnastics team Tuesday after serving as interim head coach through the 2025 season. 

After 5-13, 2-4 MAC records in the first year in the era of Teague, NIU began the search for a gymnastics coach with Teague coming out on top. 

“As we went through the search process, Nita’s extensive experience in college gymnastics, her ability to connect with and develop student-athletes, as well as her familiarity with NIU quickly established her as the best choice to lead the program going forward,” said NIU Vice President and Director of Athletics Sean T. Frazier in the NIU press release. “We’re very excited to remove the interim label and look forward to continuing the legacy of success both in the gym and in the classroom, that have been hallmarks of Huskie gymnastics.”

With a gymnastics career at NIU that landed Teague in the Huskie Hall of Fame, she’s been a long-standing part of the team’s evolution. She’s worked with the NIU gymnastics coaching staff since 2007, and worked her way up to associate head coach in 2019. In her time with the coaching staff, she’s helped send 37 gymnasts to NCAA regionals. 

“I’m super happy to be leading these ladies officially as the head coach at NIU,” Teague said in NIU’s press release. “It’s a great honor and I want to thank Sean (Frazier) and Courtney (Vinson, Executive Associate Athletic Director) for entrusting me with the future of the program. I’m excited for the opportunity to continue to build on the great reputation of NIU gymnastics, to raise the expectations in the gym and to take the program to the next level.”

Teague brings winning experience to the position, as she played a vital role in the Huskies winning the 2019 MAC Championship. As a former beam coach, her background helped NIU clinch the title in the balance beam event. She also led four Huskie gymnasts to a MAC Championship win on balance beam, including Holly Reichard and Jennifer Naughton in 2009, Mia Lord in 2019 and Alyssa Al-Ashari in 2024.

Teague assumed the interim head coach job in September 2024, following the retirement of head coach Sam Morreale after 13 years leading the program. With the removal of the interim marker, Teague continues her work as the fourth head coach in NIU gymnastics history.

Gavin McKenna sent a shockwave through the hockey world Tuesday when he committed to Penn State live during “SportsCenter” on ESPN. And Thursday afternoon, some key Nittany Lions stakeholders gave their first public reactions to the decision.

“Gavin is a special player and a terrific young man. Our staff could not have been more impressed with how he presented himself on his visit,” Penn State coach Guy Gadowsky said in a news release. “His arrival to Hockey Valley is extremely significant not only to our hockey program, but to Penn State athletics and to college hockey as a whole.

“We are absolutely thrilled and excited to witness his contributions on the ice, to our locker room, and to the Penn State community. This is a great day to be a Nittany Lion!”

McKenna has been called a “generational” prospect by hockey observers, and the 17-year-old from Whitehorse, Yukon, is projected to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft.

In 2024-25, McKenna became the third-youngest player ever — behind only NHL superstar Sidney Crosby and six-time All-Star John Tavares — to be named the Canadian Hockey League David Branch Player of the Year while playing for the Medicine Hat Tigers in the Western Hockey League.

McKenna ranked second in the WHL in points (129), fifth in goals (41) and first in assists (88) in 56 games. He also ranked fifth in power play assists (28), tied for third in shorthanded goals (4) and insurance goals (8) and first in plus/minus (plus-60). He had a 54-game point streak that began in the regular season and lasted through the playoffs.

Read more: Gavin McKenna picks Penn State hockey: Nittany Lions earn commitment from generational prospect

McKenna’s addition makes Penn State, which advanced to its first Frozen Four in program history earlier this year, a frontrunner to win the national championship in 2025-26. And McKenna’s commitment is significant enough that even Penn State athletic director Pat Kraft chimed in on the move.

“We are so thrilled to have Gavin join our Hockey Valley family and become part of a special group of young men who represent everything great about Penn State,” Kraft said in the news release. “This team is built on character, work ethic and pride in wearing the Blue & White, and Gavin is a perfect fit. He’s one of the most exciting young talents in the game and reflects the level of student-athletes we’re bringing to Penn State across all sports.

“His commitment is a testament to the national reputation Guy Gadowsky and his staff have built, and we know he’ll thrive in the culture of excellence that surrounds our program. We can’t wait to see him compete alongside this incredible group and help push our program to even greater heights.”

Penn State is also bringing in some other top talent, including 2025 NHL first-round pick Jackson Smith, this offseason while retaining key contributors, such as Aiden Fink and Charlie Cerrato, from last year’s team. McKenna figures to elevate the ceiling of the program even more.

McKenna played his first full season in the WHL in 2023-24, and he earned Rookie of the Year for both the WHL and CHL. He had 97 points (34 goals, 63 assists) in 61 games for Medicine Hat.

McKenna also has national team experience representing Canada. During the 2024 U18 World Championships, McKenna set a Canadian U18 record with 20 points (10 goals, 10 assists) in seven games. He also had a hat trick against the United States in the gold medal game.

Now, McKenna will turn his sights toward college hockey where he’l have the chance to lift a Penn State program that has been building towards a championship since it became a varsity sport in 2011.

“[Going the NCAA route] will make the jump [to the NHL] easier,” McKenna said during his appearance on ESPN. “Going against older, heavier, stronger guys, it really prepares you and even in the locker room being around more mature guys I think that will benefit me a lot…I think going to college and being in such a great conference will really challenge me and prepare me [for the next step].”

Penn State opens the season with a two-game series at Arizona State at Mullett Arena in Tempe, Ariz., on Oct. 3-4.

Daniel Gallen covers Penn State for Lions247 and 247Sports. He can be reached at daniel.gallen@cbsinteractive.com. Follow Daniel on X at @danieljtgallen, Instagram at @bydanieljtgallen and Bluesky at @danieljtgallen.bsky.social.

By Joshua Boyd / USPHL.com

Ray Sylvester knows that his new coaching position in the NHL will be a Wild ride, and he can’t wait to get started.

Sylvester, a former Charlotte Rush video coach, was recently hired by the Minnesota Wild as a video coach. Players in the USPHL receive top-notch coaching, as shown by Sylvester’s career path.  

This is the pinnacle of a video coach career path that started in the NCAA, moved into the USPHL Premier and Elite, then on to the United States Hockey League and American Hockey League, and now sees Sylvester as a member of an NHL hockey operations staff.

“I had a couple interviews with [Wild head coach] John Hynes, who already knew about me as I was with their farm team, the Iowa Wild,” said Sylvester. 

“From talking to different people, two of the biggest changes will be working with a video coach who has already spent 15+ years in the NHL to learn from, and the challenge system,” Sylvester added.  

Sylvester, who worked as video coach for the Rush between 2020 and 2022, also talked about other details about his new position, including some of the similarities with what he did with the Iowa Wild from 2023 to 2025. 

“I would watch prescout games and create prescout packages. You break the game down into categories – time on ice, scoring chances, special teams. You also have other jobs like building practice plans, making sure Excel sheets are in line, creating a power point for the coaches,” he added. “During intermissions, you’d present to the coaches what happened the prior period, using hot buttons to mark certain events that they want to focus on before the next period.” 

Building A Career

After playing high school hockey with Canon-MacMillan High School in Canonsburg, Pa., he moved on to study at Robert Morris University in nearby Pittsburgh. There, he met current Rush co-owner Ryan Cruthers, who was an assistant coach for the NCAA Division I Colonials team. Cruthers, a former Colonials captain, became close friends with Sylvester at RMU when Sylvester was the RMU video coach as a college junior. 

That same season, 2019-20, was cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic, and the uncertainty on whether or not there would be collegiate hockey left Sylvester wondering where he could next take his career. 

“Not knowing what was going on, Ryan reached out to me and told me the USPHL was definitely going to play, so he brought me on board as their video coach for the next two seasons. This included 2020-21, when the Rush won both the USPHL Premier and USPHL Elite National Championships. 

“I keep those championship rings in a safe space,” he said. “They’re pretty big, so I don’t wear them around.” 

“Working for the Rush was well-needed. I was allowed to make mistakes, and I learned how a business and a hockey team is run. Similar to my time in the AHL, I was wearing 8-10 hats, whether it was making a practice plan, selling merchandise, making sure there was food on the bus, etc.,” said Sylvester. “You could not fit in a single article how much I learned from the Rush and Ryan Cruthers. For my two years there, we treated it like it was the NHL. Certainly, not many USPHL teams had a video coach position. 

“Ryan and Julie Cruthers really are No. 1 in terms of how they treat their players, their staff, and their billet families. They and [co-owner] Jocelyn Langlois really have it down to a science there in Charlotte. I lived two years with the Cruthers family in their home. Their children became like brothers to me, as well. I’m very close with that family, and I also keep in touch with Trevor Jewell, and Troy Schwab, who was a coach there at the time.”

When Cruthers was hired by the Sioux Falls Stampede as an assistant coach in 2022-23, he was able to help Sylvester get a job as the Stampede’s video coach that year. 

“After that season, I reached out to Keith Paulsen, who was Iowa’s former video coach. He was someone I made a connection with, seeking advice while I was still at RMU. I messaged him after I saw he was moving on from Iowa to Minnesota State-Mankato as an assistant coach, and he put my resume for Iowa at the top of the list, for which I am very grateful. I had two interviews with Brett McLean [Iowa’s former Head Coach, recently hired as an Assistant Coach with the Vancouver Canucks], and I was hired by Iowa.” 

Preparing For The NHL Life

He goes back to praising the Charlotte Rush culture when talking about when the news was posted by the Wild that he had been hired as their new video coach. 

“I got a ton of different texts of congratulations from Rush players, and this includes alumni who were on the team even before I got there,” said Sylvester. “That just shows you how much of a family it is. The amount of players who reached out and said ‘congrats’ was pretty cool.” 

With his time in Iowa, he got to know most of the Minnesota Wild coaching staff and hockey operations personnel. The Iowa staff would help with prospects and training camps, so Sylvester was alongside many of those he’ll be working with more regularly now in St. Paul. 

“We’ve known each other, including Patrick Dwyer, an assistant coach in Iowa who was promoted during the 2023-24 season to the Minnesota Wild,” said Sylvester. 

Expecting the almost 24-7 grind of the NHL season, Sylvester said that the organization has given him a chance to spend family and vacation time. 

“There are some different things with video from last year, and some power point materials to prepare for when we meet for the first time as a full staff,” said Sylvester. “During the off-season, many coaches spend time with their families.”

What is ahead is a great new opportunity for a young coach to put his positive stamp on an NHL franchise for the first time. 

The USPHL congratulates Ray Sylvester for his new position with the Minnesota Wild. 

LSU wide receiver Barion Brown is entering his final season of eligibility in 2025. The former top-100 recruit is looking to have a big season playing with star quarterback Garrett Nussmeier in Death Valley. However, the former Kentucky wide receiver still remains one of the best special teams players in college football.

The Nashville (Tenn.) Pearl-Cohn product is once again receiving some preseason recognition as a return specialist. Brown was named a first-team All-SEC member in Phil Steele’s College Football Preview.

Barion Brown started his career at Kentucky and spent three seasons playing for head coach Mark Stoops. During his time in the Bluegrass, Brown recorded 122 receptions for 1,528 yards and 11 touchdowns to go along with 195 rushing yards and two more touchdowns. There were inconsistencies during each of his three seasons but this has always been a player with explosive play potential. Brown’s most consistent act has always been as a kick returner with five career return touchdowns and a return average of 29.3 yards. The SEC transfer should make a big impact immediately for LSU’s special teams.

The former Kentucky wideout is expected to have a big role for a true College Football Playoff contender in Baton Rouge.

This is where every outgoing Kentucky player landed this offseason.

• DL Keeshawn Silver (Committed to USC on Dec. 19)
• DB Avery Stuart (Committed to Ball State on Jan. 5)
• LB Jayvant Brown (Committed to Temple on Jan. 9)
• TE Tanner Lemaster (Committed to Eastern Michigan on Dec. 22)
• TE Khamari Anderson (Committed to Arizona State on Dec. 22)
• TE Jordan Dingle (Committed to South Carolina on Dec. 18)
• OL Courtland Ford (Committed to UCLA on Dec. 17)
• OL Ben Christman (Committed to UNLV on Dec. 27)
• OL Dylan Ray (Committed to Minnesota on Dec. 21)
• OL Koby Keenum (Committed to Mississippi State on Dec. 22)
• DL Tommy Ziesmer (Committed to EKU on Dec. 15)
• WR Dane Key (Committed to Nebraska on Dec. 24)
• WR Barion Brown (Committed to LSU on Dec. 14)
• WR Anthony Brown-Stephens (Committed to Tulane on Jan. 7)
• WR Brandon White (Committed to Hawaii on Dec. 28)
• EDGE Tyreese Fearbry (Committed to Wisconsin on Dec. 22)
• EDGE Noah Matthews (Committed to Delaware on Jan. 7)
• EDGE Caleb Redd (Committed to Kansas on Dec. 20)
• RB Chip Trayanum (Committed to Toledo on Dec. 24)
• QB Gavin Wimsatt (Committed to Jacksonville State on Jan. 5)
• DL Kendrick Gilbert (Committed to Louisville on April 29)
• OL Daniel Mincey (Committed to UAB on May 16)
• OL Anfernee Crease (Committed to Texas State on April 29)
• CB Jiquavious “Quavo” Marshall (Committed to Liberty on April 27)
• OL Marc Nave Jr. (Committed to Purdue on April 22)
• OL Wallace Unamba (Committed to Virginia on April 20)
• DL Dennious Jackson (Committed to Colorado State on May 8)
• DL Darrion Henry-Young (Committed to Coastal Carolina on May 2)

To keep up with the latest players on the move, check out On3’s Transfer Portal wire. Keep closer tabs on the Cats with at KSBoard. Not a KSR+ member? Try it out today.