PRINCETON, N.J. -- The Cincinnati Cyclones will begin play as a member of the East Coast Hockey League during the 2001-02 season.
Cincinnati will play at the 12,056-seat Firstar Center, and will be a member of the Northwest Division of the Northern Conference, joining Dayton, Ohio; Johnstown, Pa.; Peoria, Ill.; Toledo, Ohio; and Wheeling, W.Va.
''The ECHL is excited to welcome Cincinnati back into the League,'' said Richard Adams, president of the ECHL. ''The combination of strong geographic rivalries, a state of the art facility in Firstar Center and an experienced, proven ownership group makes the Cyclones a tremendous addition.''
The Cyclones are owned by David LeFevre and Phil Esposito. LeFevre, a sports industry veteran, is the president of Beacon Sports Capital Partners, while Esposito is a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame and a two-time Stanley Cup winner with the Boston Bruins.
The Cyclones head coach will be Ray Edwards, who most recently coached the Huntington Blizzard in the ECHL during the 1999-2000 season.
In addition to Cincinnati, the ECHL welcomes new teams in Atlantic City, N.J.; Columbia, S.C.; Columbus, Ga.; Macon, Ga.; and Reading, Pa.
