Sports

Hockey teams tee up record support

Rick Olson

August 12, 2025

Signs for the Eden Prairie High School boys and girls hockey teams on the putting green at Bent Creek Golf Club during Monday’s joint golf tournament fundraiser, as girls head coach Steve Persian practices putting in the background. — Signs for the Eden Prairie High School boys and girls hockey teams on the putting green at Bent Creek Golf Club during Monday’s joint golf fundraiser, as girls head coach Steve Persian practices putting in the background. Photo by Rick Olson

The Eden Prairie High School boys and girls hockey teams drew a record turnout for their third annual joint golf tournament fundraiser Monday at Bent Creek Golf Club, 14490 Valley View Road.

Eden Prairie High School boys hockey head coach Lincoln Nguyen, left, and girls head coach Steve Persian before the tournament’s shotgun start. — Eden Prairie High School boys head coach Lincoln Nguyen, left, and girls head coach Steve Persian before the tournament’s shotgun start. Photo by Rick Olson

A total of 103 golfers – the largest in the event’s three-year history – took part in the four-person scramble, which featured 26 foursomes.

Proceeds support both programs as they prepare for the 2025-26 season. Funds raised help cover costs for jerseys, hockey equipment, team travel and dinners, off-ice (dryland) and on-ice (power skating) training, and locker room supplies. The high school pays for ice time.

The tournament also featured on-course skills contests, sponsorship opportunities, and a chance for the Eden Prairie hockey community to reconnect during the off-season.

Eden Prairie High School boys and girls hockey captains in attendance, all seniors, from left, alternate captain Cole Pitzl, alternate captain Nash Saterdalen, Genevieve Streed, Kate Petrie, captain Bennett Wilmer and captain Cameron Rice. Girls captain Sara David, also a senior, was unable to attend. — Eden Prairie High School hockey captains in attendance, all seniors, from left, boys alternate captains Cole Pitzl and Nash Saterdalen, girls captains Genevieve Streed and Kate Petrie, and boys captains Bennett Wilmer and Cameron Rice. Girls captain Sara David, also a senior, was unable to attend. Photo by Rick Olson

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Golfer Jeff Hall chips onto the green on the 14th hole at Bent Creek Golf Club during scramble play.

Eden Prairie High School girls head varsity hockey coach Steve Persian hits a fairway wood.

Eden Prairie High School boys head varsity hockey coach Lincoln Nguyen hits an iron from the tee on a par-3 hole.

From left, Kristy Cadil, Brandi Hall, Valerie Glazier and Kathryn Gausman wore matching plaid outfits for the scramble-format tournament.

Former Eden Prairie High School boys hockey player Kyle Rau, class of 2011, watches his shot during the tournament. Rau played on the school’s state championship teams in 2009 and 2011 and later in the NHL for the Florida Panthers and Minnesota Wild.

New Eden Prairie High School boys hockey coaching staff, from left, Evan Wenkus, director of hockey operations; Jordan Roller, assistant junior varsity coach and video analytics; Lincoln Nguyen, head varsity coach; and Jason Blake, consultant to the program. Photo by Rick Olson

Eden Prairie High School boys hockey alternate captain Cole Pitzl hits a long drive for a golfer who purchased a “buy a drive” opportunity on the sixth tee to support the team fundraiser.

Eden Prairie High School girls hockey players, from left, juniors Claire Solie and Jordan Elvecrog, offered golfers a “buy a drive” opportunity on the 15th tee to support the team fundraiser.

Eden Prairie High School boys hockey players on the sixth tee offered golfers the chance to “buy a drive” to support the team, allowing a player to take the tee shot during scramble play.

Eden Prairie High School junior Claire Solie tees off on the 15th hole during the team’s “buy a drive” fundraiser.

Golfer Brady Hendrickson points toward the cup as his putt rolls on the 14th hole at Bent Creek Golf Club during scramble play.

Joe Krmpotich hits an approach shot with an iron. A 1998 Eden Prairie High School graduate, Krmpotich played hockey for the school and later coached the boys junior varsity team for many years, as well as serving as an assistant varsity coach.

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