RIVER DRAGONS NAME FRANCHISE LEGEND AUSTIN DAAE ASSISTANT COACH

COLUMBUS, Ga. — October 9, 2025 — The Columbus River Dragons are proud to announce today that Austin Daae has been named the club's assistant coach.

Daae, 32, takes over as assistant coach for Columbus following an outstanding playing career, including a significant stint with the franchise. In 233 games in a River Dragons sweater, Daae established himself as the franchise’s all-time leader in goals (97), assists (158), and total points (255).

"Austin has a tremendous hockey mind, and this move is a natural progression in his career," River Dragons COO Jeff Croop said. "He's earned the respect of everyone in our locker room, and I'm confident his insight and leadership will make us a better team."

In 2021, Daae won the Ignite Cup with the River Dragons, posting 81 points (38 goals, 43 assists) in the regular season. The following year, Daae was named a Second-Team FPHL All-Star as a member of the River Dragons.

"I'm excited to still be part of this organization, coaching alongside Boomer (Jerome Bechard) and being around so many guys I’ve played with and against over the years," Austin Daae said. "I always felt the small details and hockey IQ were the strongest parts of my game, and I’m looking forward to passing that knowledge on to the guys on the ice."

The Estevan, Saskatchewan native has appeared in 341 regular-season games over nine seasons in the FPHL, accumulating 406 total points (157 goals, 249 assists). He has additionally appeared in 183 SPHL games as well, posting 93 points (41 goals, 52 assists).

"Dozer (Austin Daae) has been with us since the beginning, and I knew him even before that," Head Coach Jerome Bechard said. "He’s from Estevan, Saskatchewan, so he comes from a good pedigree! He knows our systems and understands how we need to play, making him a great fit. I’m looking forward to working together to get us over the hump and win a championship."

The River Dragons open the 2025-26 campaign TOMORROW night at the Florence Center in Florence, South Carolina, taking on the Pee Dee IceCats. Live coverage begins at 6:45 PM on YouTube, Facebook, and Sporfie, which are all free for fans to watch!

The wait is almost over! Don’t miss a moment of the action this year by securing your season tickets today. For details or to reserve your seats, call our ticketing department at 706-507-4625 or fill out the form HERE!