Mississippi SurgeThe Mississippi Surge were a professional hockey team in the Southern Professional Hockey League that began play in the 2009–10 season and folded on May 2, 2014. Playing for five seasons, the Surge was based in Biloxi and home games were played at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum, also known as "The Power Plant". HistoryThe Mississippi Surge began play 2009 following the suspension of operations of the Mississippi Sea Wolves of the ECHL.
Augusta RiverHawksThe Augusta RiverHawks were a professional minor leagueice hockey team based in Augusta, Georgia. They played in the Southern Professional Hockey League (SPHL) from 2010 to 2013. They played their home games at the James Brown Arena. HistoryThe Augusta RiverHawks were established as a new franchise in the Southern Professional Hockey League in 2010 by Bob and Diane Kerzner, who had formerly owned a different franchise, the Pee Dee/Twin City Cyclones.
Mississippi RiverKingsThe Mississippi RiverKings were a professional minor leagueice hockey team. The RiverKings were a member of the Southern Professional Hockey League from 2011 to 2018 after playing their first nineteen seasons (1992–2011) in the Central Hockey League. On July 2, 2007, after 15 seasons as the Memphis RiverKings, the team's name was changed to Mississippi RiverKings.
Minor leagueProfessional sports league below major league level Minor leagues are professional sports leagues which are not regarded as the premier leagues in those sports. Minor league teams tend to play in smaller, less elaborate venues, often competing in smaller cities/markets. This term is used in North America with regard to several organizations competing in various sports.Louisiana IceGators (SPHL)The Louisiana IceGators were a professional ice hockey team in the Southern Professional Hockey League that began play in the 2009–10 season. Like the original IceGators, which played from 1995 until folding in 2005, they were based in Lafayette, Louisiana. The IceGators were brought back by local businessman Danny Smith. In August 2010, Smith sold the team to two local businessmen, E.C. "Chuck" Anselmo, Jr. and E.C. "Chuck" Anselmo, III.
Evansville ThunderboltsThe Evansville Thunderbolts are a minor league ice hockey team in the SPHL. The team plays at the Ford Center in Evansville, Indiana. The team replaced the Evansville IceMen of the ECHL. HistoryDuring the 2015–16 season, the City of Evansville and the owner of the ECHL's Evansville IceMen, Ron Geary, were unable to agree to a new lease for the IceMen to continue to operate out of the Ford Center.
Professional ice hockeyProfessional ice hockey (hockey) is the competition of ice hockey in which participants are paid to play. Professional competition began in North America in the United States—in Pennsylvania and Michigan—and in Canada around 1900. Professional ice hockey expanded across Canada and the United States and eventually to many other countries.2025–26 SPHL seasonThe 2025–26 SPHL season is the 22nd season of the SPHL. The regular season began on October 17, 2025.
Southeastern United StatesThe Southeastern United States, also known as the American Southeast or simply the Southeast, is a geographical region of the United States located in the eastern portion of the Southern United States and the southern portion of the Eastern United States. The region includes a core of states that reaches north to Maryland and West Virginia, bordering the Ohio River and Mason–Dixon line, and stretches west to Arkansas and Louisiana.
Midwestern United StatesCensus region of the United StatesRegion in the United StatesThe Midwestern United States (also referred to as the Midwest, the Heartland, the American Midwest, Middle America, or the Middle West) is one of the four census regions defined by the United States Census Bureau. It occupies the northern central part of the United States. It was officially named the North Central Region by the U.S. Census Bureau until 1984.
Knoxville Ice BearsThe Knoxville Ice Bears are a professional ice hockey team. The team competes in the SPHL. They play their home games at the Knoxville Civic Coliseum in Knoxville, Tennessee. In 2006, the Ice Bears defeated the Florida Seals to take their first President's Cup. The Ice Bears won back to back President's Cup Championships in the 2007–08 and 2008–09 seasons.
Huntersville, North CarolinaHuntersville is a suburban town in northern Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, United States. As of the 2020 census, its population was 61,376, making Huntersville the 15th-most populous municipality in North Carolina. It is located in the Charlotte metropolitan area and is 14 mi (23 km) north of Charlotte. History and etymologyOriginally named "Craighead", the town was renamed to honor Robert Boston Hunter, a local cotton farmer and land owner.*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.