JAMESTOWN, N.D. – The University of Jamestown ACHA Division 1 men's hockey team begins the 2026-27 campaign on Thursday as they take on University of Mary at Schwan Cadillac Rink at Starion Sports Complex in Mandan, N.D. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m.
The 2026-27 season will be the 11th for the Jimmies as an ACHA Division 1 program, and ninth under head coach
Dean Stork. Jamestown qualified for the ACHA National Tournament for the eighth time in program history in 2025-26, extending their streak of consecutive national appearances. UJ was ineligible for the tournament as a first-year program in 2016-17, and the tournament was not held in 2020.
The Team
The Jimmies return just four of their top ten scorers from 2025-26, but the four—forwards
Carter Johnson,
Ray Warrack,
Marcus Fritel, and
James Hooton—posted at least five goals each. Johnson recorded 10 goals and 11 assists and Warrack finished with six goals and 14 assists.
Other returning forwards include
Darius Makse (6 G, 4 A),
Kaelan Shelton (4 G, 6 A),
Jacob Thomas (4 G, 5 A),
Tanner McCracken (2 G, 2 A),
Cai Robinson (2 G),
Tyler Lindal (1 G, 3 A), and
Brennan Watterson.
Brooks Roaldson (17 G, 16 A in 28 games),
Leonardo Kahlhammer (16 G, 22 A in 25 games), and
Eli Cardosi (11 G, 16 A in 27 games) move from the Jimmies' D2 squad in 2025-26 to the D1 team in 2026-27.
Bryton Morrow,
Rylan Gage,
Easton Langemo,
TJ Gibson,
Carter Graves,
Cameron Oien, and
Ty Kirk, all first-year players, round out the forward group.
On the blue line,
Wyatt Johnson,
Malachi Franklin, and
Griffin Bourassa all return for their fourth season. Johnson had three goals and seven assists in 2025-26, with Franklin adding a goal and five assists and Bourassa two goals and nine assists. They will be joined by
Kaleb Percival (1 G, 2 A in 18 games),
Stefan Bodtker (1 A in 10 games) and first-year defensemen
Jace Grabinsky and
Brett Magarrell.
Returning for his fifth season between the pipes is
Brandon Weare. Weare had a .923 save percentage to go along with a 2.21 goals-against average in 2025-26. He had a record of 21-11 in 32 starts while recording five shutouts. Fourth-year
Jack Coleman, second-year
Tyson Endall, and first-year
Kaden Rhyder will also compete for playing time this season.
The Staff
Dean Stork is behind the bench as the head coach for his ninth season in his second stint with the Jimmies. He originally came to UJ in August of 2015 as the first head coach of the program. During the 2015-16 academic year, he recruited student-athletes to be part of the first ACHA Division 1 team that played its first season in 2016-17.
Before coming to UJ, Stork coached in the ECHL for nine years, the last five seasons as head coach in Greenville, S.C. As a head coach he led the Warriors to four consecutive Kelly Cup playoff appearances, including a division title in 2010-11 and the conference finals in 2013-14. He posted a winning season in each of his five years as head coach, compiling a record of 201-131-28 and advancing six players to the NHL and 42 to the American Hockey League.
Stork earned his Bachelor of Science in Sports Management and was an NCAA Division 1 hockey player at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, where he was named to the Hockey East Honor Roll Team. The Penticton, British Columbia native played junior hockey for the Penticton Panthers and the Bellingham Ice Hawks before attending college. After his collegiate career, he signed a three-year contract with the Washington Capitals and played 476 professional games over eight seasons in the ECHL and AHL.
Stork began his full-time coaching career as an assistant with the ECHL's Cincinnati Cyclones in 2006. During his four years as an assistant, the Cyclones won two ECHL Kelly Cup championships.
Graduate assistant
Nathan Lime will assist Stork for the second consecutive season.
The Schedule
The Jimmies will open their season on Thursday, October 1 with a 7:00 p.m. road game against the University of Mary. The team quickly returns to Jamestown for the home opener on Saturday, October 3, hosting University of Mary at 7:00 PM.
The October schedule includes a pair of road games against Waldorf in Albert Lea, Minnesota, on October 9 and 10. The team will also play a home-and-away series against Minot State University, visiting Minot on October 14 before returning home to host them on October 16. The month concludes with trips to Ames, Iowa, to play Iowa State on October 23 and 24, followed by a home-and-away exhibition series against NCAA Division III Concordia College, visiting Moorhead, Minnesota, on October 29 and hosting them on October 30.
In November, the Jimmies will host Midland for a weekend series on November 6 and 7. The following week, they travel to face the University of Mary on November 13, before hosting them the very next day on November 14. The team will also participate in the Chicago Showcase on November 20-22.
December's slate features a road trip to Niagara Falls, N.Y., to play Niagara University on December 4 and 5. The final game of the 2026 calendar year will be a home matchup against Minot State University on December 11.
The 2027 portion of the schedule begins out west, with the Jimmies traveling to Las Vegas, Nev., to face UNLV on January 8 and 9. The team returns home to host Iowa State on January 15 and 16, and University of Mary on January 22. They will then travel for an away game against University of Mary on January 23 before heading to Fremont, Neb., to play Midland on January 29 and 30.
February includes the final home games of the regular season against Waldorf on February 5 and 6, followed by the regular-season finales at Minot State on February 12 and 13.
Postseason play begins with the MCH Conference Tournament in Fremont, Neb., on Friday, February 19, 2027. The season culminates with the ACHA National Tournament in St. Louis, Mo., starting on Thursday, March 11.
For results, press releases, and all other season updates, be sure to visit jimmiepride.com to stay up to date on everything related to Jamestown men's hockey.
