WESELOWSKI RETURNS FOR SIXTH SEASON

(RAPID CITY, SD) – The Rapid City Rush has re-signed veteran defenseman Riley Weselowski for the 2014-15 CHL season. Weselowski returns to the Black Hills for his sixth season, becoming the longest tenured player in Rush history by virtue of seasons played with the team.

“It’s great to get Riley back after having a great season for us last year,” said Head Coach and GM Joe Ferras. “To be nominated by his peers as a finalist for Most Outstanding Defenseman in the CHL is and honor in itself, and having previously won this award shows his commitment, dedication, and his consistency in play over his pro career. Riles has been outstanding in the community since his arrival to Rapid City. He is a true professional that knows the importance to represent the organization as well as himself, and give back to the game and to a community that has been outstanding to himself, as well as the Rush organization.”

“I am very excited to be back for another season in Rapid City,” said Weselowski on his return. “Having been in the Black Hills for five seasons, I feel a tremendous amount of pride every time I put on the Rush uniform. With that comes a sense of responsibility, to make sure that over the next 9 months we are doing everything we can to put ourselves in a position at the end of the year to be the last team standing.”

Weselowski put together a solid campaign last season, his fifth year with the team, playing in 60 regular season games and all 7 postseason games for the Rush. He scored 4 goals along with 19 assists for 23 points, and added an extra 3 assists in the Rush’s first round series loss against the Mallards. After sitting out with an injury for 6 games in the middle of the year, Weselowski returned and played a very strong second half of the season, becoming a clutch contributor offensively on the blue line.

“Having only 9 teams in the Central Hockey League means that the parity is going to be at, or most likely above, a level we have ever seen,” added Weselowski on the coming season. “All nine teams are going into this season with the same realistic goal in mind: to hoist the Presidents Cup. That is going to make for some very exciting hockey for all the teams, and especially all the fans of the league.”

“When Riles went down with his early season injury, his response upon returning was outstanding,” added Ferras. “He has proven to be a reliable defenseman in all facets of the game. With several new players, as well as new pros on this year’s roster, Riley’s leadership both on and off the ice will be depended on heavily in our quest to bring back the cup to Rapid.”

From Pilot Mound, Manitoba, Weselowski, 29, enters his seventh season of professional hockey. After a brief start with the Idaho Steelheads in the ECHL, Weselowski came to the Rush in the 2009-10 season, helping the team win their first ever Ray Miron President’s Cup Championship. In his tenure with the Rush, he has played 274 games, the second most in franchise history, scoring 22 goals with 102 assists for 124 points. Weselowski holds franchise records for both assists and points among defensemen, and plus/minus (+76), while also holding strong positioning in other franchise statistical categories. In addition to his statistical achievements, he was named the Most Outstanding Defenseman of the Year and the Man of the Year in the 2011-12 season, and also received a nomination for Most Outstanding Defenseman last season. Prior to playing professionally, he played collegiately with Bemidji State University in the NCAA, where he played 124 games over a four year career with his alma mater.

Other Rush News:

The Rush Historical Jersey Auction Series returns, with Bobby Preece’s jersey auction continuing until next Tuesday, August 19th at 1:30 PM. Riley Weselowski’s jersey auction begins today at 4:30 PM, and concludes next Thursday, August 21st at 4:30 PM. To bid, follow the link to the Rush eBay page here: http://www.ebay.com/usr/rapidcityrush?_trksid=p2047675.l2559

Interested in season tickets? Call the Rush office at 716-7825 for details, and stay informed on all Rush happenings this summer through the official Rapid City Rush team website, www.RapidCityRush.com, and the Rapid City Rush mobile app, available on iTunes and Google Play.

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