Hockey | 10/6/2026 3:44:00 PM

Crookston, Minn. - The Golden Eagles are back for the start of the 2026-27 season. The last time we saw the Golden Eagles was back in February in Hammond, Indiana at the Central Regional Tournament. The Golden Eagles were 23-6-0 last season, finishing second in the WCCHA KRACH rankings, first in the WCCHA Northwest Division, and third in the WCCHA Tournament. The Golden Eagles also boasted four of the top five scorers in the WCCHA. Anthony Foster (Sr., F, Warroad, Minn.) led the team and the WCCHA with 57 points, he scored 24 goals, both of which were career highs. Mason Romfo (Jr., F, Langdon, N.D.) and Braden Van de Kraats (Jr., Medicine Hat, Alberta) are the other two top five WCCHA point scorers returning for the 2026-27 season.

Additionally, the Golden Eagles have officially added eight players to the program this offseason. Six forwards and two defensemen will join the lineup when the Golden Eagles return to action on October 9th for their first game of the season, as they host Lake Region State College. 

The forwards that will be dawning the Maroon and Gold in just a few short weeks are: Alex Aarsvold (Fr., F, Mayville, N.D.) played his high school hockey at May-Port CG, where he played in 62 games, scoring 17 goals and 25 assists for 42 points. His best season was the 2025-26 season, where he played in 22 games and scored 11 goals and 13 assists for 24 points. Carson Beaudin (Jr., F, Northwood, N.D.) played his first two collegiate seasons at Lake Region State College. Beaudin played in 61 games for the Royals, totaling 12 goals and 10 assists for 22 points. Braydon Caron (Fr., F, Mayville, N.D.) also played his high school hockey at May-Port CG. Caron played 65 games, scoring 29 goals and 46 assists for 75 points. His best career season was his 2025-26 season where he played in 22 games, scoring 10 goals, a career high 24 assists and a career high 34 points. 

Brandon Colborn (Fr., F, Crookston, Minn.) is another Crookston native joining the Golden Eagles who played his high school hockey at Crookston High School. He last played in 2024-25 where he played 26 games and scored six goals and 13 assists for 19 points. He totaled 77 games, scored 13 goals and had 18 assists for 31 points. Anthony Launderville (Fr., F, Duluth, Minn.) played his last three seasons in the NA3HL for four different teams: the Minnesota Loons, the Minnesota Wilderness, the Sheridan Hawks and the Butte Irish. He played in 88 games, scoring 10 goals and eight assists for 18 points. Launderville also had one goal in three playoff games. Walker McGillis (Fr., F, Mayville, N.D.) played his 2025-26 season for the Willmar WarHawks of the NA3HL. McGillis played in 40 games, notching three goals and three assists for six points. He played his high school hockey for Mayville/Portland, playing in 95 games, recording 70 goals and 33 assists for 103 points.

The defensemen added are: Teagan Lubinski (Fr., D, Crookston, Minn.) is another Crookston native playing for the Golden Eagles. Lubinski is a multi-sport athlete, having played both hockey and football. He played wide receiver at The College of St. Scholastica in 2025. He played hockey for the Badlands Sabres of the NA3HL during the 2025-26 season, playing in 14 games and scoring one goal. His last full season was in 2024-25 when he played for Crookston High School. Lubinski played in 27 games, scoring six goals and 13 assists for 19 points. The final newest Golden Eagle is Landon Siemens (Fr., D, Bottineau, N.D.) who played his last four seasons at Bottineau/Rugby High. In those four seasons, he played in 92 games, scoring nine goals and 33 assists for 42 points.

In net, the Golden Eagles return the same tandem that guided the Golden Eagles to a 23-6-0 record, 13-1-0 on home ice. Those netminders are Adam Goody (Sr., G, Airdrie, Alberta) who held an 11-3-0 record in 2025-26 with a .909 save percentage, and a 2.57 goals against average and Tyler Swanson (Jr., G, Moorhead, Minn.) with an 11-2-0 record, a .924 save percentage, and a 2.23 goals against average. The Golden Eagles will look to ride this duo to their first ACHA Nationals appearance.

The Golden Eagles make their season debut this Friday, October 9th at 7 p.m. when they host Lake Region State College. Game two of the season opening series will be Saturday, October 10th at 1 p.m.