Wakatipu Wild

Lore & Background

The Wakatipu Wild was founded in 2020 to bring women of all ages and nationalities together to further women's ice hockey in central Otago and nationally. Rebecca Dobson was appointed as the team's first general manager, and former Skycity Stampede player Colin McIntosh became the first head coach. The Wild's first game was played on 16 October 2020 against the Dunedin Thunder at Dunedin Ice Stadium, with forward Tallulah Bryant scoring the team's first goals. The Wild won that game 2–1. In their first season, the Wild finished third in the league and won the bronze medal game on 1 November 2020, defeating the Thunder 4–2 with a hat-trick from captain Kellye Nelson.

The 2021 season was cancelled halfway through due to COVID-19 lockdowns, with the Wild having two wins from three games. In 2022, the league moved to a round-robin format, and the Wild had a breakout season, finishing top of the standings to win their first NZWIHL Premiership. They then defeated the Thunder 7–2 in the semi-finals and beat the Canterbury Inferno 2–0 in the grand final to become NZWIHL champions.

Reader's Guide

The Wakatipu Wild's significance lies in their rapid rise within the NZWIHL, achieving both the premiership and championship titles in only their second full season (2022). The team was established to develop women's ice hockey locally and nationally, and their success helped raise the profile of the sport in New Zealand. The Wild's first season saw them win a bronze medal, and despite the cancellation of the 2021 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, they returned to dominate the 2022 season with a near-undefeated record. The team has had only one captain (Kellye Nelson), one head coach (Colin McIntosh), and one general manager (Rebecca Dobson) in its history, indicating stability in leadership. The NZWIHL broadcasts games live on YouTube, though not all games are covered due to limited resources.

Did You Know?

• The Wakatipu Wild was founded in 2020 and played its first game on 16 October 2020.
• Tallulah Bryant scored the first goals in franchise history in the first period of the team's debut game.
• The Wild won the NZWIHL championship and premiership in 2022, their second full season.
• The team has had only one captain, one head coach, and one general manager in its history.

Founding & Mission

The Wakatipu Wild emerged in 2020 as a new force in New Zealand women's ice hockey, rooted in the alpine town of Queenstown in central Otago. From the outset, the club was built on an inclusive vision: to gather women of every age and nationality under one banner and push the sport forward both locally and across the country. The team calls the Queenstown Ice Arena, nestled within Queenstown Gardens, its home rink. Leadership was quickly assembled, with Rebecca Dobson taking on the role of general manager and Colin McIntosh, a former Skycity Stampede player, stepping in as head coach. Both positions have remained unchanged since the club's inception, giving the Wild a rare stability in a young organization. As a member of the New Zealand Women's Ice Hockey League, the Wild entered competition immediately, bringing Queenstown into the national conversation about women's ice hockey in a region long associated with adventure tourism rather than winter sport.

Debut Season & Bronze Medal

The Wild's inaugural campaign in 2020 was nothing short of a statement. Their first-ever match, played on 16 October 2020 on the road at Dunedin Ice Stadium against Otago rivals the Dunedin Thunder, set the tone. Young forward Tallulah Bryant opened the scoring in the first period, etching her name into franchise history as the author of the club's first goals. Queenstown extended their advantage in the second period, and although the Thunder clawed back a goal in the third, the Wild held on for a 2-1 victory in their very first game. The season carried momentum as the team finished third in the league standings and earned a spot in the bronze-medal game at the NZWIHL Finals. On 1 November 2020, the Wild overcame the Thunder 4-2, coming from behind to seal the win. American import and team captain Kellye Nelson delivered a hat-trick across the second and third periods, propelling Queenstown to their first-ever piece of silverware.

2022 Breakout & Championship

The 2022 season stands as the defining year in Wakatipu Wild history. With the NZWIHL shifting from tournament-style weekends to a full round-robin format, the players embraced the structure and produced a near-undefeated campaign. Queenstown finished atop the league standings, claiming their first-ever NZWIHL Premiership title. The Finals run was equally dominant: the Wild dispatched the Dunedin Thunder 7-2 in the semi-finals, a performance that underscored their depth and confidence. In the grand final, they faced the Canterbury Inferno and delivered a clinical 2-0 shutout to be crowned Champions of New Zealand and win the goal medals. The dual titles of Premiers and Champions in a single season cemented the Wild's status as the league's premier program. What made the achievement remarkable was the speed of it—just two full competitive seasons after the club's founding, Queenstown had already captured the highest honors in New Zealand women's ice hockey.

Pandemic Disruption & Resilience

Between the promise of 2020 and the triumph of 2022, the Wild's second season in 2021 was cut short by forces entirely beyond their control. The New Zealand Government's pandemic lockdowns led to the cancellation of the 2021 NZWIHL season. The team had entered the campaign with encouraging form, collecting two victories from their first three outings. In those three matches, the Wild outscored their opponents 15-8, signaling a squad that was growing in cohesion and competitiveness. The abrupt halt meant no playoffs, no finals, and no chance to build on the bronze-medal finish of their debut year. Yet the disruption also provided time for the players to develop off the ice and for the league to restructure its format. When competition resumed in 2022, the Wild returned with the hunger of a team that had been denied its moment, and they converted that frustration into a championship run that validated the patience the pandemic had forced upon them.