ACAC Hall of Fame Team Inductee: Camrose Lutheran College Vikings Men's Hockey
HONOURED TEAM INDUCTEE
The Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) is thrilled to announce the Camrose Lutheran College Vikings Men's Hockey team as a 2024 inductee into the ACAC Hall of Fame in the Team category.
In the 1974-75 season, the Vikings men’s hockey team, comprised of students from an institution with 390 enrolled individuals, clinched the 1975 Alberta Colleges Athletics Conference (ACAC) championship. Subsequently, they secured the first Canadian Colleges Athletic Association (CCAA) hockey championships in Sydney, Nova Scotia, hosted by the College of Cape Breton in 1975.
This national victory served as a catalyst for future success, enabling the team to embark on a season in Europe and lay the foundation for the inaugural 1981 Viking Cup hockey tournament. For 25 years, the small rural community of Camrose, Alberta played host to teams from Canada, the United States, and Europe, culminating in its final medal ceremony in 2006. The prestigious tournament welcomed over 400 players, some of whom went on to hear their names called at the NHL draft, including Dominik Hasek, Joe Pavelski, Paul Stastny, Miikka Kiprusoff, Patrik Elias, Mikko Koivu, Henrik Lundqvist, Henrik Zetterberg, and Tuuka Rask.
The success of hockey in Camrose can be attributed to the trailblazing 1974-75 team, which not only shocked Canadian hockey fans in 1975 but also inspired a community and drew international attention. The championship-winning team's impact reverberated for years, with a 36-year gap before the Vikings secured their second ACAC title in 2011. In 2009, the 1974-75 Vikings were rightfully inducted into the Alberta Hockey Hall of Fame, cementing their everlasting legacy.
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About the ACAC: The ACAC is the governing body for intercollegiate athletics in Alberta. Its mission is to provide competitive collegiate sport experiences, promote academic achievement and be a leader of sport development in Canada.
For more information on the ACAC, please visit our website: www.acac.ab.ca
For additional information, contact:
Mark Kosak, ACAC
Chief Executive Officer
403-875-7329
markk@acac.ab.ca
Kayla Blacquiere, ACAC
Marketing & Communications Coordinator
403-550-4466
kaylab@acac.ab.ca