Thunder Inks Rookies Albrecht, Berardinelli

WICHITA, Kan. (July 15) - The Wichita Thunder, ECHL affiliate of the NHL's Edmonton Oilers, AHL's Bakersfield Condors and powered by Toyota, announced today the signing of rookie forwards Austin Albrecht and Alex Berardinelli for the 2020-21 season.

"Both players come highly regarded from people I'm connected with in the NCAA College Hockey circles," stated Head Coach Bruce Ramsay. "They both had solid junior careers and we hope that can translate to the pro game. I'm excited to see what they can do as they begin their careers."

Albrecht, 24, turns pro after spending two years at the NCAA level. He started at UMass-Amherst before transferring to American International College. A native of Flemington, New Jersey, the 6-foot, 194-pound forward recorded 15 points (5g, 10a) in 33 games and helped the Yellow Jackets to a AHA regular season title. In 2017-18, he appeared in 28 contests and tallied six goals and five assists before leaving the Minutemen.

Prior to his college career, he played two years in the North American Hockey League for the Wichita Falls Wildcats and then moved over to the United States Hockey League with the Sioux Falls Stampede and Muskegon Lumberjacks. His best season came in 2015-16 when he racked up 60 points (26, 34a) in 58 games. He was named to the NAHL All-South Division Team and NAHL Robertson Cup All-Tournament Team. Overall, he finished his junior career with 128 points (45g, 83a) in 167 games.

Berardinelli, 25, comes to Wichita after closing out a four-year career at Colorado College. A native of Greensburg, Pennsylvania, the 5-foot-10, 163-pound forward served as the team's captain during his senior season. He finished with 49 points (20g, 29a) in 121 games for the Tigers.

Before heading to Colorado College, Berardinelli played two seasons in the NAHL with the Michigan Warriors and the Lone Star Brahmas. In 2015-16, he netted 55 points (33g, 22a) in 59 games for the Brahmas, earning him to the All-NAHL Team and All-South Division Team honors.

Click here to watch some of their college highlights.

Season tickets for the 2020-21 season are on sale now. Get your seats for just $34 per month. All it takes is a $1 deposit per seat to reserve yours today. To learn more, click here or contact a Thunder representative at the office today!

Follow along with us on our social media platforms on Facebook (@wichitathunder1), Twitter (@wichita_thunder), Snapchat (wichthunder), Instagram (Wichita_Thunder) and LinkedIn.

-Thunder-