The Eden Prairie High School boys and girls hockey teams will host their third annual joint golf tournament fundraiser on Monday, Aug. 11, at Bent Creek Golf Club, 14490 Valley View Road.
The four-person scramble begins with 10 a.m. registration and access to the driving range, followed by an 11:30 a.m. shotgun start. Proceeds from the event will support both programs heading into the 2025-26 season.
The tournament includes on-course skills contests, sponsorship opportunities, and a chance for the local hockey community to reconnect during the off-season. To register, volunteer or learn more, visit the official tournament page or contact tournament chair Ken Wilmer at eagles@epboyshockey.com or 612-963-7070.
The fundraiser comes as both programs enter seasons of transition.
On the boys’ side, the program begins the upcoming season with a new coaching staff. Lincoln Nguyen, who brings experience from NCAA Division I and III programs as well as junior leagues, was named head varsity coach earlier this year. Nguyen previously led the program at Marian University, served as an assistant at the University of Alaska-Fairbanks, and was most recently on staff with Minnetonka’s varsity team.
He is joined by assistant coaches Brandon Ferns, Dan Molenaar, Luc Gerdes, Adam Carlson and Bill Sawyer. Former NHL forward Jason Blake will serve as a consultant. Full staff bios are posted here.
Dan Bailey returns to lead the junior varsity team alongside assistant coach and video analyst Jordan Roller. JV bios are available here.
While the boys’ program enters the season with new leadership and a full roster, Eden Prairie’s girls team continues to navigate broader statewide participation trends.
Eden Prairie High School will field a standalone girls team in 2025-26, even as the Eden Prairie Hockey Association co-ops with another association at the U12 and U15 levels due to declining participation numbers.
Girls head coach Steve Persian said the athletic department and girls high school program presented player number data at a May meeting “for EP and the greater state of MN.” He said the intent was “to share information only, rather than make any sort of solid decision on how to move forward.”
A follow-up survey of high school and youth families showed support for keeping the high school program viable, though “a clear path forward didn’t stand forward,” Persian said. Options discussed included maintaining the current structure, moving more Eden Prairie girls youth players up early, or forming a high school co-op.
“After more discussion and thought, I recommended to (athletic department leadership) that we do not co-op at the HS level this coming year, but continue to have discussions with other HS programs about the possibility in the near future,” he said. “So, that’s the plan. It’s probably too early to ID potential co-op partners, but when we looked at it our focus was mostly geographical.”
Persian noted that the Eden Prairie youth girls teams are now co-ops at both the U15 and U12 levels, and the association is considering a full co-op at all ages.
“The reality is player numbers in girls hockey throughout MN are currently very low at all competitive levels, with very few exceptions,” he said. “Programs are constantly looking to a co-op option in order to provide kids the opportunity to continue to play competitive and fun hockey.”
To grow interest among younger players, the Eden Prairie Hockey Association is hosting “Try Hockey for Free” sessions at the Eden Prairie Community Center on Thursday, Aug. 14, at 7:15 p.m. (Rink 2), and Saturday, Sept. 13, at 9:30 a.m. (Rink 1). The events are open to players ages 4-12 with no experience required.
EPHA is also offering two free “Try Skating – Girls Summer Series” events for girls ages 5-10, focused on basic skating and hockey skills in a fun, low-pressure environment. Those sessions are scheduled for Sunday, July 20, from 5 to 6 p.m., and Saturday, Aug. 24, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., also at the community center.
Registration and details for both events are available on the association’s website.
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