Norsemen break boundaries with hiring of Chase

Ashley Chase becomes the first full-time female play-by-play broadcaster in junior hockey in the United States.

The St. Cloud Norsemen have named Ashley Chase as Director of Operations, Media Relations & Play-by-Play Broadcaster.

“I am thrilled to join the staff and look forward to establishing the Norsemen hockey brand in the St. Cloud region while pursuing a winning culture on and off the ice,” Chase said.

Chase becomes the first female team play-by-play broadcaster across junior hockey in the United States, including the North American Hockey League (NAHL).

“Women belong in hockey and in the broadcast booth,” said Chase. “I am proud to be joining the likes of the talented and deserving women already established throughout the hockey and broadcast community and am excited to see more women and diverse voices have opportunities in the future.

“I am incredibly grateful to co-owner Chris Canavati for recognizing my qualifications and potential and hiring me for these roles and I am excited to get to work and help this organization compete for the Robertson Cup.”

“We are excited to have Ashley join the Norsemen family in St. Cloud,” said Canavati. “It is a unique opportunity for the Norsemen to be the first junior hockey team in the U.S. to have a female play-by-play broadcaster, but more importantly, we are excited to have a person in this role with the diversity of experience and skills Ashley possesses. She was the best candidate for the job.”

A 12-year media veteran, Chase is originally from Western Pennsylvania and has spent the last six years in Pittsburgh working in various media roles including positions at Robert Morris University and the TribLive High School Sports network following a six-year stretch in local sports television.

Chase served as the university’s social media manager, following three years in athletic communications working with the NCAA Division I men’s hockey team. Chase was a contributor and broadcaster for Pittsburgh’s TribLive HSSN for hockey, football, basketball, baseball and softball, and also filled that role for various local outlets.

Prior to that, Chase worked as a sports anchor and reporter in local television markets for six years in Sioux City, Iowa; Burlington, Vt. and Johnstown/State College, Pa., where she covered all levels of hockey, ranging from the NAHL and USHL to the NCAA and NHL.

On television and as a freelance sports journalist, Chase covered the Pittsburgh Penguins Stanley Cup Playoff appearances from 2012 until 2019, at both WJAC-TV and for the Johnstown Tribune-Democrat.

A 2009 graduate of Morningside University, Chase began her broadcast career in Sioux City, both at the college level and with the local Fox Sports Radio affiliate, interning with and working alongside the voice of the USHL’s Sioux City Musketeers, Curtis Anderson.

Fans can follow her @AshleyChaseTV on Twitter.

“St. Cloud has such a great hockey community that we’re proud to be a part of. My goal is to help the Norsemen engage in new and different ways and expand our partnerships with local businesses and throughout the community,” said Chase.