NAHL announces the passing of Mary Anne Choi
It is with great sadness and regret that the North American Hockey League (NAHL) announces the passing of Oklahoma Warriors Owner and Governor Mary Anne Choi, who passed away unexpectedly on Sunday, November 19th in Oklahoma City.
“This is very tragic and very sad news for the Oklahoma Warriors and the NAHL family. We are shocked and saddened by Mary Anne’s passing. She lived everyday with passion and purpose which is exactly how she approached her hockey team. Giving back to the players and community was her number one goal. What she accomplished on and off the ice in a short period of time was nothing short of amazing,” said NAHL Commissioner and President Mark Frankenfeld. “The North American Hockey League extends our deepest sympathy to her husband Michael, her daughter Chelsea, and her son Eric. Mary Anne will be dearly missed by her family, friends and the entire hockey community."
On October 15, 2019, the NAHL announced Choi as the owner of the then Wichita Falls Warriors. She created the team with a goal in mind - to do things the right way and be the best team in the league. In April of 2022, the team moved to Oklahoma City and became the Oklahoma Warriors.
That dream came true last season when the Warriors were not only the NAHL’s top team during the regular season, but also captured their first ever Robertson Cup National Championship on May 23, 2023. The Warriors became the first team since the 2003-04 season to go undefeated in the Robertson Cup Playoffs and were also named the NAHL’s Organization of the Year for the 2022-23 season.
In a feature article that USA Hockey Magazine did with Choi in August, she summed up her thoughts of being an owner by stating the following: “I was just a hockey mom,” Choi laughed. “I had no experience in anything like this. But the more they questioned it, the more driven I was to prove I could do it.”
The family kindly requests that all donations in Mary Anne’s honor be sent to Dallas Animal Services.
Mary Anne Choi feature story in USA Hockey Magazine
Mary Anne Choi on the Short Shifts Podcast
