The Oklahoma Warriors are a Tier II junior ice hockey team in the North American Hockey League’s South Division. The Warriors played their first two years in Wichita Falls, Texas, at Kay Yeager Coliseum. The team joined the NAHL in 2020, with the 2020-21 season serving as their first year.
On April 14, 2020, the Warriors announced their inaugural head coach, Garrett Roth. Roth was a former assistant coach with the Bismarck Bobcats and Aberdeen Wings and served as the Warriors’ head coach and general manager.
On October 24, 2019, the NAHL announced that they had approved the membership application submitted by Robbie Hockey LLC, an entity owned and operated by Mary Anne Choi, for a team in Wichita Falls, Texas. On November 26, 2019, the Warriors name was selected out of Warriors, Flames, Reign, and Falcons via a name-the-team contest.
The Warriors played their first game on October 18, 2020, at Kay Yeager Coliseum in front of over 1,000 fans. Kay Yeager Coliseum was formerly the home of the Wichita Falls Rustlers (2002-04) and Wichita Falls Wildcats (2004-17) hockey teams, who both previously played in the NAHL.
Wichita Falls picked up the first win in franchise history on November 7, 2020, with a 6-4 home win over the Shreveport Mudbugs. The Warriors would rally forward to have a dominant first season in Wichita Falls that included an 11-game win streak, an NAHL record for a first-year team.
In 2022, the Warriors relocated from Wichita Falls to Oklahoma City, playing in the Blazers Ice Centre, an arena named after one of Oklahoma City’s previous hockey residents, the OKC Blazers of the CHL.
The 2022-2023 season was historic for the franchise. The team, led by Head Coach Garrett Roth and Assistant Coach Josh Berge, finished with a record of 44-14-2 good enough for 90 pts, the best in the league. However, the accolades didn’t stop with the regular season. The Warriors would go 9-0 in the playoffs, tearing through their opponents en route to win the Robertson cup for the first time in franchise history.
In 2023, Owner Mary Anne Choi tragically passed away during the ongoing season. In her memory, the Warriors new mascot “MAC” was born. You can find him at all Warriors home sporting the number ’23’ in honor of Mary Anne.
On May 13th, 2024 the Oklahoma Warriors announced the team was bought by George Chalos, a native New Yorker who has been involved in youth hockey for more than 20 years. Additionally, Chalos has served as the President of the Long Beach Sharks of the NA3HL since 2017.
After the 2023-24 season, Head Coach Garrett Roth stepped down from his position with the Warriors, heading back to Bismarck to coach the Bobcats once again. On May 15th, 2024, the Warriors announced their 2nd Head Coach in franchise history: Nate Woessner. Woessner had spent the previous season as assistant coach under Roth. Along with a new head coach, they also announced the hiring of Assistant Coach Mick Berge, a native of OKC who played both collegiate hockey at Mankato as well as professionally in the ECHL and CHL.
The 2024-25 Season will be the 5th season in team history and 3rd here in Oklahoma City.
