The State of Hockey Welcomes Another Class of 2014 [AUDIO]

We still have another week or so until late-year college graduations, but last night in Downtown Minneapolis was a special time for four new members of the USA Hockey Hall of Fame!

Karyn Bye Dietz

A native of River Falls, Wisconsin, Karyn's a true pioneer in women's hockey in the United States and currently is a youth hockey coach today. Bye Dietz played college hockey at the University of New Hampshire from 1989-93, averaging almost two points per game during her university days which led her to become a member of the UNH Hall of Fame in 1998. She was one of the world's best forwards during her time on the U.S. Women’s National Team for a decade starting in 1992. She was an alternate captain in 1998, the same year Team USA won the first gold medal ever awarded in women’s ice hockey at an Olympic Winter Games.

Brian Rafalski
Former University of Wisconsin blue-liner Brian Rafalski is one of the most decorated defensemen in USA Hockey history, playing 4 seasons of professional hockey overseas before an 11 year career in the National Hockey League. What an NHL rookie season for the once undersized kid from Dearborn, Michigan as he helped the New Jersey Devils win the Stanley Cup in 2000 and received NHL All-Rookie Team honors. He won the Cup with the Devils just three years later, garnered 2004 and 2007 NHL All-Star Games nods and finished his pro days back at home with Detroit. As a member of Team USA for the 2002, 2006 and 2010 Olympic Winter Games, Rafalski was named to the media all-star team at Vancouver 2010 and was honored as the tournament's best defenseman.
 

Jeff Sauer
Jeff Sauer, who proudly grew up in St. Paul, Minn., has spent more than four decades years coaching this beautiful game. His 31-year college coaching career, at Colorado College and the University of Wisconsin, featured 655 wins and two national titles, both of which came as the head Badger in 1983 and 1990. Currently Jeff is in his fourth campaign as head coach of the U.S. National Sled Hockey Team. and is president of the American Hearing Impaired Hockey Association.
 

Lou Vairo
Lou Vairo has been instrumental in the development of USA Hockey for the past six decades. As a 1960's grassroots hockey coach from Brooklyn, he transitioned from the East Coast to the Upper Midwest to lead the Austin (Minn.) Mavericks of the United States Hockey League to the 1976 Nation Championship. Vairo joined USA Hockey in 1979, serving as head coach of the U.S. National Junior Team until 1982 and again in 2003. Lou contributed as a scout to the gold medal-winning 1980 U.S. Olympic Men’s Ice Hockey Team, as well as being the influential spokesman in the forming of the Diversity Task Force that began in 1992 to help introduce hockey to city and minority kids.
The Marriott City Center ballroom was filled with memories and laughs from last night's ceremony. Check out the audio highlights below: