2026 ACAC Women's Hockey Coach of the Year
Edmonton, AB (March 13, 2026) –
WOMEN'S HOCKEY COACH OF THE YEAR, JAMES KING:
The Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) is proud to announce James King of the Medicine Hat College Rattlers has been named the 2025-26 ACAC Women’s Hockey Coach of the Year.
King, a Medicine Hat College alumnus and longtime advocate for female athletic development, arrived at MHC with the mission to revitalize the Women’s Hockey program. An experienced coach who has had success previously with multiple sports and in coaching championship teams, he accepted the challenge to lead a young program in Medicine Hat.
In his very first season with the Medicine Hat College Rattlers, James King led the team to their first playoff appearance in program history. The Rattlers finished their regular season with a 10-15 record, earning several impressive results against the top-tier teams in the league.
Terry Ballard, Medicine Hat College Sport and Wellness Manager, said, "Medicine Hat College Rattlers Athletics is very proud of James in being named the ACAC Coach of the Year. It is very deserving recognition for James, who has come in and in his first season has revitalized the Rattlers Women’s Hockey program and led them to their first ever ACAC playoff action. The team played very well this year and excited its many fans throughout the season. James created a true team and had them ready to play every game. James is a great communicator, a strong hockey developer, and motivated the team to work hard and improve as the year progressed.”
This prestigious award will be recognized at the 2025-2026 ACAC Female Women’s Hockey Championship hosted by Lakeland College in Lloydminster, Alberta.
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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, Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference
Chief Executive Officer
403-875-7329
markk@acac.ab.ca
Emily Peterson, Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference
Marketing & Communications Coordinator
emilyp@acac.ab.ca