While action on the ice at the Maysa Arena might still be a few months away, the three-time ACHA National Champion Minot State Beavers men’s hockey team continues to prepare for the 2025-26 season.

One of the first steps in making a run at national title No. 4 is building a stellar leadership group, and fifth-year Minot State head coach Wyatt Waselenchuk is pleased to announce the addition of Colby Joseph as an assistant captain to the team’s leadership core.

Joseph, a junior forward from Elkhorn, Manitoba who played two seasons with the Minot Minotauros prior to spending the last two winters skating for Minot State, joins returning team captain Jay Buchholz and returning assistant captains Logan Rands and Christian Kadolph as the Beavers’ team captains for the 2025-26 season.

“Colby really took a big step forward this season for us both on and off the ice,” Waselenchuk said. “His skill-set is fantastic, as we saw on the ice, but more importantly, he is a tremendous young man. He loves this city and chose to stay after spending two years here playing juniors, and is a fan favorite. He is great in the community and is a model student. Colby is a great ambassador for our program.

“I am really excited for him to help lead this team to new heights, and I know he will complement Jay, Bubba (Kadolph), and Logan in terms of our leadership group. He’s got a great amount of respect from his teammates, and I know the guys are excited for him.”

Joseph, who was second on the team in scoring last season, has 42 career goals with 23 assists in 76 games as a Beaver on the ice, and in the classroom has been named to the Minot State President’s List or Vice President of Academic Affairs Honor Roll all four semesters of his collegiate career.

“I am super excited that Colby is joining our leadership group!” teammate and captain Jay Buchholz said. “His past experience with wearing a letter and with the respect he has from everyone in the locker room – he is going to help us a ton both on and off the ice.”

A Marketing major entering his third season with the Beavers and fifth winter in Minot, Joseph said: “it’s an honor to be named a captain on a team like this where every single guy on the team could wear a letter. My last couple of years I have looked up to the captains in a big way and I’m hoping to be able to do that for other guys, while pushing myself to be the best leader I can be both on and off the ice.

“I am excited to help this team reach the ultimate goal of winning another National Championship!”