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Knoxville Ice Bears to be recognized as the 2009 Professional Team of the Year by the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame

For immediate release. For more information please contact Kim Bittinger at (865) 525-7825 / (865) 389-3150 or at kbittinger@knoxvilleicebears.com

December 11, 2009 - The Knoxville Ice Bears have been chosen by the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame as the 2009 Professional Team of the Year for the team’s outstanding accomplishments. The Ice Bears will be recognized at the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame Awards Banquet on Friday, February 19, 2010 at the Renaissance Hotel in Nashville. The Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame will also enshrine the Class of 2010 at that time, which includes eleven inductees.

“This year’s banquet will feature an outstanding class of athletes,” said Wayne McCreight, president of the statewide organization. “We’ll have a former NFL great, a NBA standout, a member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and the first African-American professional golfer. I guarantee everyone who loves sports an exciting evening…an evening you’ll never forget,” McCreight concluded.

The 2009-’10 season represents the Knoxville Ice Bears’ sixth season in the Southern Professional Hockey League, and eighth season in Knoxville.

Hockey in Knoxville has been a staple for citizens of the area since 1961. From 1961 – 1968 the Knoxville Knights were first professional hockey team to play at the Knoxville Civic Coliseum. Following a 20 year hiatus, the Knoxville Cherokees rolled into town for nine successful seasons stemming from 1988 – 1997. The Cherokees were one of the original franchises of the Premiere AA hockey league, ECHL. In 1999, a United Hockey League (UHL) franchise was relocated from Madison, WI to Knoxville with the emergence of the Knoxville Speed. After a geographical realignment of the UHL and bringing back those teams to its core area of the northern mid-west, Knoxville decided to join a more local and travel friendly league. With the move to the new league, the Knoxville Ice Bears were born. Since 2002, the Knoxville Ice Bears have been highly successful on and off of the ice showing a strong attendance record as well as securing a playoff spot each season. The Ice Bears have won the regular season title three times and in the 2006-’07 season, the Knoxville Ice Bears captured the first ever professional sports championship for the city of Knoxville and last season captured our second championship in three years.

“This is an exceptional award for the Knoxville Ice Bears organization, for the ownership group, coaches, players and front office staff. To be recognized for the team’s accomplishments within the State is a great honor,” commented Mike Murray, Ice Bears’ president and general manager.

“The journey of winning three championships out of the last four years and going back-to-back last season has been a tremendous treat for our city, our fans and our team. We are proud to share those memories with the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame,” Murray added.

For more information visit www.knoxvilleicebears.com or www.tshf.net.

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