Photo by Josiah Phifer
Written By: Ryan Baker, Journalist
The 2026 season kicked off in all the right ways for the Minnesota Wind Chill. First and foremost, a 10-point win (22-12) over the Chicago Union gave fans at Sea Foam Stadium a great night, but arguably, the fans are the reason for the biggest headline. With over 2,000 fans in attendance, the Wind Chill smashed their home field attendance record.
Building on the electric opening, the stadium atmosphere was unmatched, as fans packed the stands for the first Central Division matchup of the year. The excitement continued as dominating performances from new additions Noah Coolman and Lukas Ambrose set the tone for the season. Meanwhile, Cameron Lacy, Justin Burnett, Max Hanscom, and Dylan DeClerck lit up the stat sheet.
Minnesota faced a depleted Chicago Union roster, but early turnovers by Klane and Lacy gave the Union the momentum, taking a quick 3-0 lead within the first four minutes.
Photo by Dart Weaver
As fans held their breath, the Wind Chill had seen home games unravel like this before. On the sideline, Head Coach Ben Feldman and his team remained calm, knowing they just needed to land their first punch. When asked if he and his team were worried after those first three points, Feldman answered: “No.”
“We just needed to get our first one,” Feldman stated. “There wasn't any nervousness, more just frustration. We have a ton of athletes and speed on the field, so it was only a matter of time before we got ours. I was happy it didn't go more than three. If we can clean that up, we're going to be a problem, and we're already a problem.”
Klane connected with Sovell-Fernandez for Minnesota's first goal, instantly shifting momentum. Ambrose’s first block sparked Minnesota's first break, and from there, Minnesota took control for the rest of the game.
On the talent of the new acquisitions, Feldman had this to say, “It's just scratching the surface. For Ambrose to get that going, when I briefly checked the stats in the third quarter, there are all of these people that got two or three blocks.”
The first quarter ended 9-3, as Minnesota continued to take advantage of Chicago's lack of chemistry. Coolman capped the quarter by shutting down an end-of-the-quarter huck before it could get five yards downfield, discouraging the Union from trying similar plays in the remaining quarters.
As if that wasn’t enough, the clock still had one second left, giving Lacy an opportunity to throw a cross-field prayer where three Wind Chill players were striking towards, ending with a Max Hanscom layout goal.
A 15-5 halftime score completed a 15-2 run, filled with highlight after highlight. Coolman stood out in his Sea Foam debut, giving the massive crowd a show.
Photo by Josiah Phifer
“It's so sick,” Coolman said. “The moment that first goal got scored, everything shifted. All of the fans, the whole stadium, all the players, are getting this major boost of energy. That's a big reason why we were able to rattle off nine in a row. Once you get that spark, it's really hard to stop the fire.”
Both teams battled nearly 20 mph winds to open the second half, causing Minnesota to lose some momentum as Chicago outscored them by two in the third quarter. However, the early lead remained insurmountable, keeping Minnesota in control.
The fourth quarter was more Minnesota as they poured on more scores to finish out the game. The Player of the Game was awarded to Coolman for his four assists, two blocks, and 354 total yards, and for showing he is comfortable in every facet of the game with his new team.
“Shout out to all the people who helped me through the years,” said Coolman. “It felt phenomenal. Coming out and getting punched a little bit to start the game was like, ‘Holy cow,’ but then getting that first hold and watching how strong this D-line is reframed my orientation. I felt really comfortable throwing, but I feel pretty proud of myself. My throws feel a lot crisper than they have before.”
Other 2026 campaigns that started out on fire were Hanscom posting four goals, Lacy logging three assists, two goals, and two blocks, and Burnett finishing with two goals and four blocks.
Photo by Josiah Phifer
“It feels good,” Hanscom exclaimed. “All around, it feels good to fight for some time and fight for some touches, but it was the defense today. There were plenty of goals to go around. Shout out to the new guys. Shout out to the old guys. Everybody did great.”
Minnesota's dominant defense and the Union’s constant turnovers, with 26 total, shaped the game.
Looking ahead, the biggest touchpoint for Feldman going into the next game will be offensive decision-making. A big theme for the Wind Chill this offseason was being more accountable for the shots they were taking, and it should be the key focus after their first game.
“Our failures are things that make us better,” said Feldman. “We saw the explosiveness, the playmaking. We saw it across the board, which is exciting. We just got to work on stuff on both sides, some decision-making and execution stuff.”
Despite the wind getting brutal in the second half and nearing 20 mph with swirly conditions, Minnesota still had 17 turnovers and held the ball for only 50 percent of the time, with an O-line conversion rate of 37 percent. It’s only the first game, so you are not going to be perfect by any means, but it’s definitely a clear improvement point.
“We have a lot more to go, so we're focused,” Hanscom stated. “There is a lot of work to do. Back to practice on Tuesday. We've got a long way to go. A lot of things to look at and work on, so focus is forward.”
Minnesota gets a week off before a tough doubleheader: the Indianapolis AlleyCats, then the Union. The AlleyCats will be a tough test, and the Union will look different in two weeks, but the Wind Chill will be ready.
“Good first win. The double header is going to be a challenge of its own to play,” Feldman said.
Watch the game highlights here!
