Mason City, IA- The North Iowa Bulls are proud to announce the Captain and Assistant Captains for the 2023-24 Season!
Blake Ulve has been named the Captain of the Bulls for their third season in the North American Hockey League (NAHL). Landon MacDonald, Nolan Grier, and Joe Sweeney have been named as Assistant Captains for the season.
Blake Ulve hails from nearby Albert Lea, Minnesota, and is in his second season with the Bulls. He recorded 21 points in 43 games last season and played 10 games in the 2021-22 season for former Mason City Toros Head Coach and current Bulls Head Coach Nick Brunteau. “We envision Blake in a big role this season, and are thrilled to announce him as team Captain,” said Coach Brunteau, who enters his first season as the Bulls’ bench boss. “Blake has experience playing for us in the NA3HL and it should help our players transition to a new staff. We expect him to be a role model for both our NA and NA3 Players.”
Landon MacDonald is in his third NAHL season and second in Mason City. He split the 2021-22 season with the Wichita Falls Warriors and Jamestown Rebels. He played 35 games in the 2022-23 season for the Bulls. The Brighton, Michigan, native is committed to play NCAA DI Hockey at Northern Michigan University. Coach Brunteau observes that “Landon will be a big part of our success this year, we expect him to lead by example and vocally on and off the ice. He is a player that has been in multiple leagues and understands what it takes to get to the next level.”
Nolan Grier enters his first season in Northern Iowa. He played 44 games for the Waywayseecappo Wolverines of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League (MJHL) last season and scored 21 goals, second most on the Wolverines. The Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, native played 22 games for the Willmar WarHawks of the NA3HL in the 2021-22 season and recorded 15 goals and 14 assists for 29 points. He has also suited up for the Jamestown Rebels and Oklahoma Warriors of the NAHL. According to Coach Brunteau “For a first year player Nolan represents all the qualities we look for in a leader. He plays a tough brand of hockey and always puts his teammates first. We are thrilled to see what he can accomplish this season.”
Joe Sweeney is in his third season on the Bulls’ blue line. The San Jose, CA native has suited up for 64 games in Mason City between the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons. Last season, he recorded 2 goals and 8 assists for 10 points. “Joe has worked his way into our top 4 by exhibiting hard work and persistence,” said Coach Brunteau. “We expect his game to only rise while leading our back end. He will provide our younger defensemen with a mature presence to lean on.”
The Bulls make their season debut at the NAHL Showcase on Wednesday, September 13th against the Fairbanks Ice Dogs in Blaine, Minnesota. All Bulls games are broadcast on NAHL TV and via audio on the North Iowa Bulls’ Mixlr page.