Imagine a hockey league with a golden puck that is worth two goals and one where goals don’t count if you don’t celebrate properly. You’re traveling through another dimension, on a hockey highway designed by creative minds. A journey into a wondrous league whose boundaries are that of imagination. Prepare yourself, you are entering the 94 League.
When the Covid-19 pandemic shut down a AAA program, by the name of Helen’s of Troy, started by Nate Pachl, it reinvented itself a few years later as the 94 League. A cross-the-border spring league along Interstate 94 that combines Minnesota and Wisconsin high school girls into a league that is both competitive and a lot of fun. It is exactly the type of “leaning into Minnesota” that more Wisconsin programs need to do.
"I had a lot of fun playing in this league and it was a great learning experience,” said St. Croix Valley Fusion senior Morgan Kivel. “I enjoyed being able to play with players from all over Wisconsin and Minnesota and being able to make new friends and connections with those players. It definitely helped me get better as a hockey player and let me play the sport I love."
Pachl, who grew up in South St. Paul and now lives in Hudson, is the architect of the 94 League. Pachl has been a coach in the Hudson youth hockey ranks. He has two daughters, Lily, who moved across the border to play at South St. Paul, where she tallied 195 points in five seasons, and was nominated for Ms. Hockey as a senior and Lucy, will be a freshman at Hudson high school in August. Lily will play Division One hockey for the Big Red of Cornell in Ithaca, New York this fall.
“This league was born from the gaps we saw and the strengths of this area,” said Pachl. “We are just trying to take meaningful steps in the right direction and maybe this isn’t the solution, but it’s just unique and different and serves the kids.”
The ’94 League has a simple mission.
The league is comprised of players from about twenty different teams from Wisconsin and Minnesota. Wisconsin participants include CFM, ECA, Western Wisconsin, St. Croix Valley, Hudson and the Capitals. According to Pachl the league is about sixty percent Wisconsin players.
“The league, which currently has four teams, does not hold practices and only plays games over the six weeks each spring. All games are two twenty-five-minute, run-time halves and are played at the Hudson Sports and Civic Center. Following a ten-game schedule, two games a week, there is a four-team playoff to a league champion. The element of fun is a priority as the league incorporates several rule twists.
According to Pachl, the money puck, “Has changed the course of a handful of games.”
This isn’t a high-priced AAA experience with lots of travel and expenses, but a friendly league that is highly competitive and puts a premium on just having fun. The emphasis on fun is on full display with Euro-style themed team jerseys that will make you smile. Team Aqua is a tribute to the Northwoods of both states and includes a silhouette of trees and Lumberjack flannel on the shoulders. A tribute to the Minnesota Vikings and Frost inspired Team Purple. The jersey features the words to “I wanna drive the Zamboni” by the Gear Daddies written in Old Norse. The front has a silhouette of the guy beating the drums for the Vikings “Skol” chant, who happens to be one of Pachl’s good friends. Team Black draws their inspiration from the First Avenue Music venue in downtown Minneapolis and is emblazoned with stars. Last but least, Team Gold is a nod to Minnesota Wild reverse retro colors and Green Bay Packers. The jerseys look like they are made of Swiss cheese. The jersey designs are Pachl’s with help from Black Biscuit apparel based in Southern California.
The league coaches come from area teams and from the two-time D-III defending champion River Falls Falcons. Among the coaches involved is Western Wisconsin head coach Chris Lepper, who guides Team Aqua along with his assistant coach Tim Duggan. “Chris has been around the block and is fantastic,” said Pachl.
The league provided a unique opportunity for players to really enjoy a stress-free competitive hockey environment and have lots of fun playing,” offered Lepper who has coached in both Minnesota and Wisconsin. “As a coach in the league, most of our discussions with the players were about what the next goal celebration would look like or how their day at school was. I think the league was a great experience for everyone involved.”
Western Wisconsin Stars Sierra Andert enjoys the crossover competition. “I had a lot of fun playing in the 94 League,” said the senior goaltender. “I was able to play with and against girls from not only my regular season team, but from previous teams I've played on. I also enjoyed playing against my high school coaches, it definitely pushed me to compete even harder.”
Team Black’s coaching staff is headed by Paige Stewart of the Black Cats organization and Minnesota High Performance coach Sara Moy. Mountain View/Irondale varsity head coach Sami Miller and Hudson U-14 coach Maddie Nolan head up the Gold team’s staff. Both are UW-River Falls graduates.
UW-River Falls alumni Alex Hantge, a 2024 AHCA Second Team All-American, and Allisen Carothers patrol the bench for Team Purple. Both were captains for the Falcons, with Hantge a member of the 2024 National Champions and Carothers a two-time champion in 2024 and 2025.
According to Pachl the competitive fire comes through as the coaching staffs look to lead their teams to a ’94 League Championship. “It is fun when coaches show up really wanting to beat each other, but it is in the friendly, competitive way.” When the coaches bring that energy and passion to the rink, “It is contagious with the players,” noted Pachl. “It creates a great environment for all.”
Pachl is the unofficial team manager of all the teams. “We have so many kids that are passionate and we have a lot of great coaches and people in Wisconsin hockey that are interested in improving the game,” Pachl said. “I couldn’t be more thankful for this group and all of their support.”
The league features a one-hour college recruiting informational presentation with former Wisconsin Badger Carla Pantimone and her team at Women’s College Hockey Recruiting and multiple sessions with Becky Beaulieu, a mental edge and culture coach. (https://www.championshipculturecoach.com/about)
The 2025 Spring Season saw Team Aqua earn the league title with a 9-3 record. Team Gold finished second at 8-4, with Purple (5-7) and Black (2-10) finishing third and fourth respectively. Makenna Miller (Woodbury) Team Purple led the league in scoring with 13 points (12G-1A) followed by a three-way tie for second place with 12 points, Lauryn Murray (Eagan) – Purple, Kynlee Hintzman (Madison Capitals) – Aqua and Lily Pachl – Aqua. St. Croix Valley netminder Katelyn Gustafson (Aqua) was the top goalie with a 1.38 GAA and .938 save percentage.
Fusion senior Jane Volgren echoed the leagues mission statement, “The 94 League is a competitive league with great hockey players, a twist of fun, a lot of laughter, new friends and goal celly's! Athletes are encouraged to push the boundaries of their skills and grow as a player. A bonus is having awesome coaches to rally around and have fun with."
When it comes to making the game of hockey fun, we all talk a good game about how important it is. Our actions and the choices we make, in the best interest of our kids, don’t always match the talk. Often those decisions lead our kids down the road to burn out. The 94 League keeps players on the ice, competing, but makes sure it is a stress-free environment that looks for ways to make the game fun again. That type of pure fun will always be the reason why kids start playing and keep playing, and also the reason, when that fun disappears, that they walk away. We need more 94 Leagues that keep the love for the game burning inside and fewer high ticket AAA programs that burn up money and burn out athletes.
South St. Paul sophomore Liz Bremer couldn’t have said it any better, "The 94 League was the perfect balance of competition and fun, every game challenged me to grow, but I never lost the joy that made me fall in love with hockey in the first place.” The ’94 League helps keep players on that highway that loves the game and ultimately leads them to a lifetime of enjoying the game.
You can check out the 94 League at: https://www.94league.com/
Photo Credits: Bill Eckloff and Olivia Bonk.