North Dakota
Boltz plays key role for Team North Dakota 16U
IRVINE, Calif. — Collin Boltz had an elevated role on the Dickinson Mavericks during the 2025-26 season. He was playing more minutes and set career highs across the board with 11 points (five goals, six assists) in 22 games.
But he was only scratching the surface once his season ended in mid-February. Boltz was getting ready to compete at the 2026 Chipotle-USA Hockey Youth Tier II 16U National Tournament for Team North Dakota.
It was a week-long tournament in Irvine, Calif., and he helped the program win its third Tier II 16U 1A title after cruising past Team Wyoming 9-0 in the championship game back on Sunday, March 29.
It was the third time in the state’s history that it took home a national championship trophy.
“At the beginning, we were kind of nervous. The semi-final game was [we won] 4-2 and the team that we played in the championship beat them by three,” Boltz said. “So we were thinking that they were going to be a little better. But once we got that first goal, we just hammered them.”
Courtesy / Collin Boltz
USA Nationals is one of the biggest youth hockey tournaments in the country, ranging from players ages 14 and under, all the way to the prep level for both boys and girls. All national teams hold tryouts in May and the final roster is made up of some of the best players in the state in both the east and west regions.
“That was a team that I’ve wanted to try out for a long time, and my parents finally let me try out,” Boltz said. “I wanted to see competition from other places and maybe get some exposure, and just play more hockey.”
Boltz tried out for the Tier I team, but didn’t make the final roster. However, he earned a spot on the Tier II squad and played a critical bottom-six role. One of the first things he noticed was how the pace of play was much slower than high school.
Courtesy / Collin Boltz
In five games, he tallied two points (one goal, one assist) and played heavy minutes as a third-line winger. His goal came against the Portland Jr. Winterhawks on March 27 in a dominant 8-0 victory. North Dakota was a very deep team with lots of scoring depth, and that was one of the biggest keys to winning the championship.
“It was great. We played well the whole time. We won every game. It was kind of nice because there was only one game a day, so you had the rest of the time to play on the beach or something,” Boltz said. “Just getting to travel around to new places, playing [against] different kids and playing with different kids too.”
The best aspect of Boltz’s game has always been his hard and heavy shot. That’s what caught the eyes of the coaching staff and why he was selected as one of 20 members to make the team. But he’s not afraid to go in the corners and play the body to get the puck.
“When he hits the net, there’s a good chance it goes in, and then he plays a pretty heavy game too down in the corners and when he’s attacking the puck,” Team North Dakota head coach Jared Cowden said. “His play style definitely caught the eyes of a few people who were on the evaluating staff.”
Dickinson has had a few players compete at nationals. Former Dickinson High defenseman Kaeden Krieg played for Team North Dakota Tier I 16U back in 2023. It meant a lot to Boltz to be the lone representative of his team and school.
“It’s pretty cool. But I think I have a feeling that some of our players, if they tried out, they could probably be on the team too,” Boltz said.
Now heading into his junior season, Boltz is hoping to use this experience to take another step in his development.
“I think it just helps you realize my competition and what I need to do to be better than the other kids that I play,” Boltz said. “It just tells me how much more I need to train during the summer.”
Jacob Cheris covers a variety of high school and college sports. A graduate of Penn State University’s class of 2023, with a degree in broadcast journalism, he covered Penn State Men’s Hockey for three years. Jacob also covers Big Ten Hockey for College Hockey News.
North Dakota
Armstrong applauds federal funding for upgrading coal infrastructure, including Antelope Valley Station
BISMARCK, N.D. – Gov. Kelly Armstrong today applauded President Donald Trump’s announcement of his plan to address the nation’s energy emergency with funding under the Defense Production Act, including up to $425 million for the U.S. Department of Energy for 12 projects selected to expand and reinvigorate America’s coal fleet and up to $75 million for a coal export facility.
The funding includes over $27.4 million to help pay for a $70 million proposed project to modernize two coal-fired units at North Dakota’s Antelope Valley Station, operated by Basin Electric Power Cooperative near Beulah in Mercer County. According to the DOE, the upgrades will mitigate unplanned outages, improve efficiency and increase generation capacity. The project is designed to ensure continued affordable and reliable electricity while also supporting local employment at Antelope Valley Station and Freedom Mine, the DOE said.
“North Dakota enjoys the lowest electricity rates in the nation, and investments like this will ensure our fleet of coal plants can produce clean, reliable and affordable power for decades to come,” Armstrong said. “We appreciate the continued support by President Trump and his administration for policies that support U.S. energy dominance and a more stable electric grid to serve our citizens, grow our economy and strengthen our national security. Coal country, and our entire state, will emerge even stronger from this action today.”
Prison Life in North Dakota
Every time we cross the Expressway overpass in Bismarck, you get a quick glimpse into prison life in North Dakota. Occasionally, you will see inmates in the yard doing various forms of outdoor recreation. The barbed wire that surrounds the North Dakota State Penitentiary is a sobering reminder that this is not where any sane person would ever want to spend any part of their life.
I met one of our listeners recently who works at the State Pen in Bismarck, and I got a chance to ask her some questions I’ve always wondered, mostly what life is like behind bars. “Is it like prison life in the movies?” She didn’t have a bright picture to paint, and that’s probably the way it should be, to help steer individuals away from a life of crime.
Oskari-Kauko Värä
I was surprised to find out that at least some of the inmates have tablets and are allowed to go online; their online experience is very controlled. I was also told prisoners are allowed to listen to the radio, something I already knew, as I have received calls from convicts making requests before. You kind of feel the pressure behind those requests, “play it or else”. Ha!
I plan to request a tour in the future using my media credentials and give you more insight into what it’s like behind bars at the North Dakota State Penitentiary.
Marina Nezhinkay
The 20 Worst Prisions in America
Did the North Dakota State Pen make the list? Nope. According to MoneyInc, these are the worst prisons that even the most hardened criminal would want to avoid.
20. Ely State Prison – Ely, Nevada
19. Folson State Prison – Folson, California
18. Penitentiary of New Mexico – Santa Fe, New Mexico
17. William C. Holman Correctional Facility – Atmore, Alabama
16. Sing Sing Correctional Facility – Ossining, New York
15. San Quentin State Prison – San Rafael, California
14. Louisiana State Pen – Angola, Louisiana
13. Rikers Island – New York, New York
12. Reeves County Detention Complex – Pecos, Texas
11. Julia Tutwiler Prison – Wetumpka, Alabama
10. Pelican Bay State Prison – Crescent City, California
9. United States Pen Marrion – Marion, Illinois
8. Idaho Correctional Center – Kuna, Idaho
7. United States Penitentiary Tucson – Tucson, Arizona
6. Leavenworth Federal Penitentiary – Leavenworth, Kansas
5. Orleans Parish Prison – New Orleans, Louisiana
4. Men’s Central Jail & Twin Towers Correctional Facility – Los Angeles, California
3. Tent City Jail – Phoenix, Arizona
2. Allan B. Polungky Unit – Livingtonston, Texas
1. US Penitentiary Administrative Maximum – Florence, Colorado
States with the most born-and-bred residents
Gallery Credit: Stacker
The 15 BEST Small-Town Cafes In North Dakota
North Dakota
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