The Madison Mallards 2003 schedule has been finalized. The Mallards Season will open up on Tuesday the 3rd of June in Waterloo, IA which will be the first game of an eight game road trip that will see the Mallards visit Rochester, MN; Duluth, MN; & Thunder Bay, ON. The Mallards home opener will be Wednesday June 11th at 7:05 vs. the St. Cloud River Bats.
The landscape of the Northwoods League has dramatically changed for the 2003 season. The league has added franchises in Lacrosse, WI Loggers; Duluth, MN Huskies; & Thunder Bay, ON. The Mighty Gulls of Brainerd, MN have ceased operations for the 2003 season which gives the league an even ten teams. The league will be composed of two five team divisions. The South will include Madison, Lacrosse, Wisconsin (Wausau), Rochester, & Waterloo & the North will include Alexandria, Duluth, Thunder Bay, St. Cloud, & Mankato.
The Mallards first road game, in Waterloo, IA, will be an interesting match-up between new Mallards Manager Darrell Handelsman & the Bucks, who he managed for four seasons, culminating in a 2002 Northwoods League Championship. Handelsman & his 2002 Bucks will be honored with Championship rings in a pre-game ceremony. The Mallards will also play the first Northwoods League game in Canada as they take on the new Thunder Bay Franchise on the 7th of June.
?I?m excited to see the view from the opposite side of the field in Waterloo, hopefully we can achieve some of the same goals in Madison that we did in there.? Said Handelsman.
The Mallards will host the Northwoods League All-Star Game for the second straight summer on Wednesday, July 16th at 7:35. ?The league was happy with the show we put on last year at the All-Star Game, and with this year being the Tenth Anniversery of the League they really wanted to highlight what has a become a great success story here in Madison.? Said Mallards General Manager Vern Stenman.
The Mallards will also be home for the Rhythm & Booms weekend with home games on Friday the 27th & Saturday the 28th of June.
Season tickets are currently available at the Mallards office at Warner Park for only $150 per seat. Single game tickets will go on sale in early May.