General | 5/29/2025 12:23:47 PM
The Fargo Force have won 177 regular-season games since the start of the 2020-21 season and made the playoffs all five years, reaching the Clark Cup Final three times.
Fargo set a USHL single-season record during the 2023-24 season with 50 wins and clinched its second consecutive Anderson Cup en route to its second Clark Cup. The Force was named the USHL's Organization of the Year for their off-ice efforts as well, an honor nobody in Fargo takes lightly.
There's a laundry list of individual awards and accolades that accompany that success, too: Player of the Year, Forward of the Year, Defenseman of the Year, Goalie of the Year, Coach of the Year, GM of the Year – the list goes on.
While another season is complete, a member of the Force picked up yet another honor – Katie Merrick.
Merrick, who just finished her fourth season as Fargo's VP of Business Operations and fifth year with the Force overall, was honored with the 10 Under 10 Award at her alma mater, Minnesota State University Moorhead.
However, Merrick's impact goes far beyond the MSUM honor. She's ascended her way up the Force hierarchy and continued to make a difference behind the scenes.
“It’s pretty surreal to see myself listed with some of those other people at MSUM and it’s a huge honor personally, but at the end of the day, it’s really an honor for the Force organization,” said Merrick, who first joined the Force as a social media intern during the 2020-21 season. “We’ve done so well the last couple seasons that I can be recognized but so many people have played a part in the success we’ve had so it’s an honor for my staff, our ownership and just everyone here.”
It’s been quite the run in Fargo, and it goes well beyond the wins and losses.
The Force raised $226,111.11 for charity during games last season – $111,950.91 of which came during their Hometown Heroes Game – and have raised over $415,000 in the past three seasons alone, giving back to Sanford Children’s Hospital, North Dakota Autism Center and Honor Flight of ND/MN, among others.
They’ve had plenty of success in the stands too, setting attendance records in back-to-back seasons.
Fargo had the highest average attendance (4,273) in franchise history this past season and saw 123,906 fans enter Scheels Arena, which included a franchise-record 10 sellouts. Merrick and her staff have made it a point to create a fun, family-friendly environment, and they’ve executed several successful theme nights and promotions.
“We’ve been blessed to have Katie within our organization and she’s added a lot to the Fargo Force in her time with us,” said Cary Eades, Fargo’s GM and President of Hockey Operations. “It’s hard to put into words the value she brings to our organization.
“You go back to Dean Blais being hired as the first coach and the original owner Ace Brandt – there was a vision for a junior hockey team to have success in Fargo and have successful people on the staff. There was always a foundation here but it’s really come together these last few years, and it’s fun to see the success we’ve had. But a lot of the credit goes to our front office too and the sales staff and marketing team, and she’s a big part of that. It takes commitment from everyone in our Force family and they give us the resources to be successful on the hockey side.”
Much of Fargo’s success boils down to that 10-letter word: Commitment.
“I think a big part of what’s made this job so fun and these last few years so special is how everyone has worked together,” Merrick said. “Obviously we’ve been fortunate to have players like Hampton (Slukynsky), Mac (Swanson) and Cole (Knuble) on the ice, and Cary (Eades), Brett (Skinner) and Nick (Oliver) doing what they’ve done developing our players. Then at the top our ownership is putting in the time and resources, and they’re committed to make us the most successful team we can be.
“You look at our sales staff and they’ve worked so hard to set attendance records and make these promotion nights work, and it all goes together. And then obviously our fans and the people in the Fargo community have played a big role too. Everyone here is so passionate and wants to support our team and I just feel like everyone has been firing on all cylinders at the same time.”
Sure, winning helps, and the Force has put a quality product on the ice. All USHL teams know success requires a combination of factors – entertainment, good facilities, dedicated fans and community support, all boxes Fargo can check.
There’s always been interest in the Fargo market, but there’s no denying it’s only increased in recent years.
“Katie and her staff have done a tremendous job brainstorming ideas for our theme nights and getting fans into the building, and also getting our players involved in the community too,” Eades said. “Reading at schools, going to hospitals, visiting people and just all the different programs we have with our players. I know every USHL team has that, but I think that’s an area where we’ve really excelled here in Fargo and we’ve been able to really connect with our community.”
“Katie’s such a tireless worker and she’s a leader, and she’s someone that’s infectious to be around,” added Force President Jon Kram. “She comes to the rink every day with a ton of energy and ideas, and her staff is fully invested in everything we do. They’ve done such a great job getting everyone involved here and she leads the way with a lot of our charity events and community engagement. She’s someone we’re all extremely proud of.”
For Merrick personally, she never would’ve imagined being where she’s currently at. She grew up in small-town Minnesota with zero ties to hockey and she never played the sport. However, she was an athlete and sports fan, and ultimately found her calling.
Merrick took multiple sports communication classes at MSUM and immediately fell in love with the career path, later interning for the Force and Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks – a local independent baseball team. She quickly impressed the Force staff too, as Merrick was hired as marketing manager the following season and quickly promoted to VP.
While she quips her title probably sounds pretentious and no two days look the same, she continues to excel and she’s played a key role in Fargo’s success.
“It’s such a special place to work and there’s so many good people here, and I’m happy to help wherever I can,” Merrick said. “When you look at the success we’ve had and all the (awards) we’ve earned as an organization, it’s pretty cool, and you see everyone’s work is paying off. It’s hard to not feel really good about what you’re doing when you can see where the time and the money we’re raising is going and the impact it’s having on people, and I know we’re all super proud of that.”
About the USHL
The United States Hockey League and its 16 member clubs are committed to being the world's leading 16–20-year-old junior hockey league. During the 2024-25 season, USHL alumni held over 50% of NCAA Division I roster spots, and over 25% of NHL players had USHL experience. With 10 first-round selections and 49 total picks in the 2024 NHL Draft, the USHL has developed the most draft choices of any junior hockey league since 2012.
Elevated through the recently announced Declaration of Excellence with the NHL and USA Hockey, the league's player-first approach, including a 2:1 practice-to-game ratio and a schedule with 92% of games played on weekends, provides its players with the optimal environment for athletic and personal growth, creating pathways for the next generation of stars like Kyle Connor (Youngstown Phantoms), Macklin Celebrini (Chicago Steel), Matthew Knies (Tri-City Storm), Adam Fantilli (Chicago Steel) and Jeremy Swayman (Sioux Falls Stampede). More.