The Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) announced today the additions of Madison Branse and Kalvin Field to the league office staff for the 2026-27 season. Branse will serve as the Communications & Digital Content Intern, and Field will serve as the Operations Intern for both the WCHA and the Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA).

Branse joins the league from the University of Wisconsin, where she is a student-athlete on the Open-Weight Women’s Rowing team. During her time on the Open-Weight Women’s Rowing team, Branse has assisted with creating content for the team’s social media accounts. In addition, Branse helps conduct research for the Fight For Life Project, a sit-down documentary with former hockey players who have overcome adversity. A California native, Branse is pursuing her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Journalism with a minor in Sports Communications. 

"We are thrilled to have Madison join the WCHA staff this season", said Director of Strategic Communications & Brand Advancement Mykenzie Hunt. "Madison’s background as a student-athlete combined with her experience in creating social media content and contributing to meaningful storytelling projects will make her a valuable addition to our team. Madison brings creativity and a strong understanding of the student-athlete experience to this role, and we are excited to see the impact she will make." 

In her role with the WCHA, Branse will assist with the league's overall communications efforts, the management of all its social media platforms, and aid in content creation for the upcoming season. 

Field previously spent the last three seasons as an Operations Assistant for the Men’s Hockey Team at Minnesota State. In this role, he assisted in film breakdown, data entry, and gameday and day-to-day operations. Field also spent a summer with the Mankato Moondogs and Habaneros of the Northwoods League as an Operations & Hospitality Intern. During this time, he assisted in gameday suite operations, inventory, and facility maintenance.

Field is a 2026 graduate of Minnesota State with a bachelor's degree in Sport Management and a minor in Financial Planning. He is currently set to graduate with his Master’s in Sport Management in the Spring of 2027. 

"We are excited to welcome Kalvin to the WCHA team," said Assistant Commissioner of Operations Byron Synstegaard. "Kalvin is familiar with our member institutions and comes highly recommended. He possesses the skill set that we are looking for; he is eager to support our league initiatives, and we are confident that he will make a great addition to our staff." 

Field will assist with meeting management, fiscal and logistical operations, championship and special event support, and general administration for the league.   

For more information on the Western Collegiate Hockey Association, follow the league online at WCHA.com and follow @WCHA_WHockey on X, Instagram, and Facebook.