2022 Inductee
Wally Akervik was born in Duluth, Minn., and was a four-sport athlete at Duluth Central High School, helping his Trojan team reach the Minnesota State High School Hockey Tournament.
2022 Inductee
Ann Ninnemann was born in St. Paul, Minn., and began playing ringette at the age of four. By her own admission, she played ringette through the sixth game and then hesitantly transitioned to ice hockey in the seventh grade.
2022 Inductee
Pat “Duffy” Dyer was born in Virginia, Minn., and played youth hockey in that Iron Range community. After high school, he graduated from UW-Superior with a bachelor’s degree in Medical Technology and would go on to a long career at St. Luke’s Hospital in Duluth.
2022 Inductee
Rebecca Hamilton-Hildebrandt (or “Coach Becky” as she is better known locally) was born and raised in Sauk Prairie and began playing hockey in 1982, the first year that Sauk Prairie had a hockey association.
Paul Coppo was born in Hancock, Mich. And played collegiate hockey at Michigan Tech University, where he won three varsity letters. As a junior, Coppo led the team in scoring and as a senior, he led the team as the captain and in goals and total points. As the only American on the team, Coppo led his team to the NCAA Finals, and was named an All American, and also named to the All NCAA Tournament Team and the All WCHA second team.
Coppo moved to Green Bay in 1960 to play for the Green Bay Bobcats. In his 12-year career as a Bobcat player, he scored 227 goals and 325 assists for 557 total points, setting the record as the team’s all time leading scorer. Following his playing career, Coppo coached the Bobcats for four years and later became an owner of the team.
Coppo was the leading scorer for the U.S. Olympic Team at Innsbruck in 1964, and played on the U.S. National Team in 1962, 1965, 1966 and 1969. He was also the leading scorer for the U.S. National Team in 1962. He was an All Star for the USHSL six times as a player, and twice as a coach.
Coppo coached in the De Pere Youth Hockey Association for eight years and touched the lives of many hockey players during that time. His teams won three WAHA State Tournaments, one at the Bantam level and two at the high school level. Coppo conducted many hockey clinics for coaches and youth players to help hockey in the Green Bay area. As a businessman, Coppo contributed generously in time and sponsorship of fundraising activities to help grow the sport of ice hockey at the youth and collegiate levels. With his family, he continues to be an ambassador for the game today.
Coppo and his late wife Carol have two children, Christine and John, along with grandchildren.
Paul Coppo was born in Hancock, Mich. And played collegiate hockey at Michigan Tech University, where he won three varsity letters. As a junior, Coppo led the team in scoring and as a senior, he led the team as the captain and in goals and total points. As the only American on the team, Coppo led his team to the NCAA Finals, and was named an All American, and also named to the All NCAA Tournament Team and the All WCHA second team.
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