Amarillo, Tx- The Amarillo Wranglers are pleased to announce goaltender Max Gutjahr has committed to the University of Wisconsin Eau Claire.
Gutjahr, a native of Appleton, WI, spent three seasons in Amarillo and was a anchor between the pipes for the first year of Amarillo Wranglers.
” The past three or so seasons in Amarillo were everything I could have asked for and more; I fell in love with not only the city but also the state as a whole,” Gutjahr said.
Max burst onto the Amarillo hockey scene during his rookie season in 2019-20 with the Amarillo Bulls, where he posted a 20-4-1 record and a .916 goals against average. After a short stint with the Bulls the following season, Gutjahr rediscovered his love for the game in Mason City, IA.
When Head Coach Harry Mahood and Assistant Coach Cody Gylling were tasked with creating a roster, Gutjahr was a solid veteran presence the first-year Wranglers were looking for.
“Coach Mahood and coach Gylling helped me a ton this year with the recruiting process as I was gearing up for college,” Gutjahr said.
Max helped get the Wranglers off to a first-place start during their inaugural season and was named the NAHL’s Goalie of the Month in November.
Wisconsin Eau Claire plays in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and comes off an 18-11-1 record last season.
“They’ve had unbelievable success in previous seasons; they always have a great group of guys and an unbelievable coaching staff,” Gutjahr said.
Gutjahr is the latest group of seniors from the inaugural roster to make a college commitment. Amarillo has had 14 players from last year’s roster announce their college commitment.
“It shows that hoody and Cody made us better players and matured us enough to continue in college… I know that not only myself but also my fellow 21-year-olds will be ready for this exciting challenge,” Gutjahr explained.
Max reflects on his time in Amarillo and says it might be a spot for him in the future.
“I was blessed with great billets with the Petrey’s and the Mayes’s. The fans are so supportive and always appreciate the hard work that the players put in. It could potentially be a place where I plant my stakes after my college journey wraps up,” Gutjahr said.