OMAHA, Neb. - (RV) Omaha Hockey rings in the 29th season in program history Friday, Oct. 3 with an exhibition at Baxter Arena against Air Force with the opening faceoff set for 7 p.m. CT as the Mavericks celebrate Military Appreciation Night in partnership with WoodmenLife. Friday's exhibition will stream on NCHC.tv and fans can tune-in to 1290 KOIL or the Varsity Network to listen live with Mike Vaillancourt and Terry Leahy on the call.

Omaha will wear special camouflage uniforms to honors members of the U.S. armed forces as part of Military Appreciation Night presented by WoodmenLife. Fans can bid on the uniforms with the auction open through 11:30 p.m. CT on Friday, Oct. 3. Click here or visit OMavs.com/Auctions to bid now.
 

Game Information

Exhibition
Omaha vs. Air Force
Friday, Oct. 3 at 7 p.m. CT
Kemp Ice at Baxter Arena (Omaha, Neb.)
Watch Live (NCHC.tv) | Listen Live (1290 KOIL) | Tickets | Live Stats

Omaha is one of college men's ice hockey's biggest stories heading into the new season as the Mavericks feature an all-new roster with 15 newcomers, all but one of which arrived in the 402 by way of U Sports or the Canadian Hockey League (CHL). Of Omaha's newcomers, three have their rights held by National Hockey League (NHL) clubs with sophomore forward Brett Hyland (Edmonton, Alberta, Canada) drafted in 2023 by Washington, freshman forward Jérémy Loranger (Trois-Rivières, Quebec, Canada) tabbed by Columbus in 2025 and sophomore forward Sean Tschigerl selected by Anaheim in 2021. Omaha has had at least three NHL draftees on its roster in each of the last 15 seasons, including 2025-26.

11 Mavericks return to the squad this season, led by reigning National Collegiate Hockey Conference Goaltender of the Year senior Simon Latkotczy (Trencin, Slovakia). Latkotczy made 31 starts a season ago, finishing with a 14-16-1 record with one shutout. Latkotczy ranked 10th in Division I last season with 952 saves (.922). His 2.61 career goals against average is the second-best at Omaha since 2002 among goaltenders with at least 50 games played (Ryan Massa - 2011-15). Latkotczy paced the National last season saves per game, averaging 32.33 a night. His .926 conference save percentage was the best in the NCHC.

Omaha received votes in the preseason USCHO and USA Hockey Top 20 polls of the season. The National placed four teams on the preseason USA Hockey poll, the second-most behind the Big Ten and Hockey East which east placed six squads.

Cameron Mitchell is Omaha's top returning points scorer with 20 points in 33 games last season. Mitchell recorded a season-high two assists in two games last season, both in NCHC play (Arizona State and Minnesota Duluth). He finished last season with a plus/minus mark of plus-seven.

Omaha's 2025-26 leadership group features co-captains for the fifth time in program history, the first since 2015-16, when defenseman Brian Cooper and forward Jake Guentzel both donned a "C" on their sweater. Latkotczy and senior defenseman Griffin Ludtke (Elko, Minn.) will serve as the 26th and 27th Menke Family Captains in program history. Mitchell and senior forward Tyler Rollwagen (Bloomington, Minn.) will serve as assistant captains. 

Ludtke enters his senior season with Omaha after playing in all 36 games and recording 13 points (2G-11A) just a season ago. Ludtke buried his second career game-winning goal on March 1, 2025, against then-No. 12 Arizona State.

Rollwagen tallied 15 points (3G-12A) through 36 games in 2024-25 and has skated in 107 games since his freshman season in 2022-23. The Bloomington, Minn., native netted three power play goals last season.

Mitchell enters his senior season with the Mavericks after setting career highs across the board with 33 games played, eight goals, 12 assists and 20 points. The Stony Plain, Alberta, Canada native led Omaha with two shorthanded goals and had a highlight reel game-winner on Jan. 3, 2025, when he scored in overtime against Holy Cross in the inaugural Cactus Cup in Palm Desert, Calif.

Omaha head coach Mike Gabinet enters his ninth season as the bench boss for his alma mater. Under the 2004 UNO graduate's tutelage, Omaha Hockey has finished with at least 17 victories and a .500-or-better winning percentage in five-consecutive seasons, including a pair of NCAA tournament appearances, the most recent coming in 2024.

Air Force returns to Baxter Arena 10 years after the Falcons played in the first-ever regular-season games at Baxter Arena. The Falcons finished last season 16-21-3 overall with an 11-13-2 mark in Atlantic Hockey America. Air Force was the seventh seed in the AHA tournament.

Omaha leads the all-time regular-season series with Air Force, 5-1, with the teams first meeting in 1997-98, Omaha's inaugural season. Omaha has won five-straight regular-season contests against Air Force.

After the exhibition, Omaha opens the regular-season on Friday, Oct. 10 at 7 p.m. CT at Baxter Arena against Minnesota State in the Spirit of the Maverick rivalry series. Tickets are available now at OMavs.com/Tickets or by calling 402-554-MAVS. All Omaha Hockey home games will stream on NCHC.tv and fans can listen live on 1290 KOIL or the Varsity Network.

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