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About Dubuque
"Masterpiece on the Mississippi"
"Masterpiece on the Mississippi"
| Dubuque, Iowa’s seventh largest city, located along the banks of the Mississippi River at the junction of Iowa, Wisconsin and Illinois, is a thriving city that boasts small-town warmth and friendliness, great education and little crime.In recent years the city has enjoyed a real renaissance and gained national attention and recognition. Forbes Magazine recently ranked Dubuque as one of the “Best Small Places for Business and Careers”. Inc. Magazine recently selected Dubuque as one of its “Best Cities and Boom Towns,” the only Iowa city listed in the overall Top 25 in the United States. The United States Conference of Mayors selected Dubuque as the “Most Livable” Small City for 2008.
Dubuque is viewed as one of the best places in the country to live for all ages due to its job growth, rich history, magnificent historical architecture, diverse arts and cultural amenities and abundant natural beauty, including majestic limestone bluffs along the Mississippi riverfront. |
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| Dubuque's Hockey History and Tradition | ||||
| Dubuque has a long history of hockey participation and support. The Fighting Saints are returning to the USHL after a nine-year absence. Dubuque spent 20 seasons in the USHL until the team was moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma, following the 2000–01 season (the same year the USHL became USA Hockey’s only Tier 1 league). In the 1980s and 1990s, the Fighting Saints were one of the most well-known and successful teams in the USHL. Led by Head Coach / General Manager Jack Barzee from 1980–1985, the Fighting Saints compiled a 156-80-4 record, two national championships, three playoff titles and two regular season crowns. Barzee’s 1983 national championship team featured Gary Suter who went on to a 17-year NHL career, which included two appearances on the Olympic team and a Stanley Cup championship. The Fighting Saints returned to glory in the early 1990s and won their third National title in franchise history in 1993, behind current University of North Dakota Associate Head Coach Cary Eades. In addition to Gary Suter, the Saints produced future NHL players Peter and Chris Ferraro, Landon Wilson, Mark Mowers and Andy Wozniewski. Troy Ward, who coached two seasons in Dubuque, later worked as an assistant in the NHL. | ||||
| Following the Fighting Saints departure, the Dubuque Thunderbirds came to town and continued Dubuque’s winning tradition competing at the USA Hockey Tier III level – spending five seasons in the Minnesota Junior League and then moving to the Central States Hockey League. The Thunderbirds were successful both on and off the ice. During the last decade, the Thunderbirds won three straight Hurster Cup playoff titles and led the CSHL in attendance, averaging approximately 1,000 fans more per game than the second highest team in the Central States Hockey League.
Moving forward, local Iowan investors Mark Falb and Dr. David Field, M.D., previous owner of the Thunderbirds, have partnered with Philip Falcone, Mark Falcone, Brad Kwong and the Boston Bruins General Manager Peter Chiarelli to form Northern Lights Hockey, LLC, the group that will own the new Fighting Saints. In addition to Chiarelli’s ties to the Boston Bruins, Philip Falcone is a part owner of the NHL’s Minnesota Wild. Philip Falcone, Brad Kwong and Peter Chiarelli all played hockey together at Harvard University, and Mark Falcone played at the University of Denver. Collectively the group provides an extensive background in hockey and business, and is committed to building a first-class organization on and off the ice. | ||||
| Education | ||||
| The Greater Dubuque area’s educational system is a tremendous asset. Known for its superior literacy rates and high graduation performance, Iowa consistently ranks in the top-five states in the nation on standardized achievement tests such as ACT, SAT and ITBS. Test scores for elementary and high school students in Dubuque consistently rank above both national and state averages. The Dubuque community takes great pride in the quality of its educational system, and it is a top priority for Dubuque citizens and leaders. Dubuque's public school system was ranked #7 out of 2,200 school districts nationwide. Dubuque features two public high schools Stephen Hempstead and Dubuque Senior. Both are comprehensive four-year public high schools serving Dubuque, Iowa. Dubuque also boasts one four-year private high school, Wahlert Catholic. Wahlert is accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools, the Iowa Department of Education and the Archdiocese of Dubuque.
For players interested in post high school education, there are 18,000 college students in the region. The area boasts three private colleges/universities, University of Dubuque, Loras College and Clarke University; a community college, Northeast Iowa Community College; and several technical schools. Each institution offers a wide variety of curriculum, and have night classes available. Also, the University of Wisconsin-Platteville is located approximately 20 miles from Dubuque and offers another option for players who are interested in continuing their education beyond high school during their time playing for the Fighting Saints. | ||||
| The Home of the Fighting Saints | ||||
| Not only is Dubuque a city with rich hockey tradition – it’s a great place to live, work or visit. Click the links below to learn more. Dubuque and the Surrounding Community: City of Dubuque Dubuque Convention and Visitors Bureau Dubuque Chamber of Commerce | ||||
| News | ||||
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Dubuque Telegraph Herald KWWL-TV KCRG-TV KGAN-TV | ||||
| Hotels and Lodging | ||||
| Holiday Inn Dubuque/Galena | ||||
| Transportation | ||||
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Dubuque Regional Airport Eastern Iowa Airport - Cedar Rapids Quad Cities International Airport - Moline, IL | ||||