Mason City, IA – Mason City Toros Defenseman and Captain Carter Bollinger has committed to play NCAA DIII Hockey at the University of Wisconsin-Stout, in Menomonie, Wisconsin. Carter will join the Stout Blue Devils for the second semester of the current season.
Carter made his Toros debut in the 2022-23 season and played 10 games for the team with one assist. He split that season and the next between the Toros and playing high school hockey in his native Sartell, Minnesota, for the Sartell-St. Stephen Sabers. In two high school seasons, he laced up for 53 games and scored 8 goals and 22 assists for 30 points.
After completing his last season of high school hockey, Bollinger joined the Toros for the last stretch of the 2023-24 season and helped the team secure a spot in the 2024 Fraser Cup Playoffs. He played 13 games that season and scored the first goal of his junior hockey career against the Minnesota Loons. He added three assists for four points.
Bollinger laced up for 42 games in the 2024-25 season and recorded the best scoring season of his career with 1 goal and 16 assists for 17 points.
This season, he wore the Captain’s C and suited up for 30 games and notched 2 goals and 9 assists for 11 points. Including regular season and postseason games, Bollinger laced up for 101 games across four seasons in a Mason City Toros uniform.
His personal highlight game came against Willmar this season in which he scored twice, including the overtime winning goal.
“I couldn’t be more proud of Carter,” said Mason City Toros Head Coach Alex North. “He’s a leader on and off the ice and represents everything it means to be a Mason City Toro. I know I speak for everyone here when I say we wish him nothing but the best and can’t wait to see what he does as a Blue Devil.”
The University of Wisconsin-Stout is the polytechnic school of the University of Wisconsin system and competes in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC). The Blue Devils reached the NCAA DIII Frozen Four for the first time in program history in 2009.
Bollinger is the first Toro to announce a collegiate commitment this season and joins a proud tradition of Mason City NA3HL players earning opportunities to advance into the collegiate ranks.
The Toros congratulate Carter on his commitment and wish him the best of luck as he embarks on his collegiate hockey career at UW Stout.