Northwoods League Announces Promotion, Community Program, Outstanding Theme Night and Most Valuable Team Member

Published on October 17, 2025 under Northwoods League (Northwoods) News Release

Rochester, Minn. - The Northwoods League has announced that Dylan Hocking of the Minot Hot Tots and Honeybees has been named the 2025 Northwoods League Baseball and Softball Most Valuable Team Member. In another vote by team officials, the Fond du Lac Dock Spiders were awarded the Promotion of the Year in baseball for their Caleb Durbin nights, the Green Bay Rockers were awarded the Community Program of the Year for their Educators Appreciation Night, and the Minot Hot Tots won Outstanding Theme Night for their Touch a Truck Promotion.

In softball the Madison Night Mares swept the three team categories winning Promotion of the Year for their O'Keefe Jerseys, Community Program of the Year for their Rally Cap program, and Outstanding Theme Night for Pride Night.

Dylan Hocking is the Director of Business Development for the Hot Tots and Honeybees and Managing Partner for the Minot Hot Tots, bringing over a decade of sales and communication experience. Originally from Eagle River, Alaska, he has spent most of his life in Bismarck and has been the public address announcer since the Hot Tots' inaugural season. In his first year with the company, Dylan doubled sponsorship revenue, and launched the Community Sales Associate Internship program in partnership with Minot State University. He personally recruited, hired, and trained two seasonal sales interns.

Minot's Touch a Truck promotion encouraged Local businesses and sponsors, specifically those with large trucks, to bring their "truck" to the ballpark for fans to enjoy. Trucks were displayed both inside and outside of the ballpark, and fans were able to climb inside the actual vehicles and interact with them. To add to the excitement, a helicopter threw out the first pitch! The goal was to create an immersive theme night experience at the ballpark that targeted young families and drives ticket sales.

The Dock Spiders featured Caleb Durbin during two promotional nights during the season, June 5 and July 2. Not only did the former Dock Spider player reach the Major Leagues, but he did so with the hometown Milwaukee Brewers. When the Brewers had a scheduled day off coinciding with a Dock Spiders home game, Durbin gladly accepted the invitation to appear in Fond du Lac - and stay with his former host family during his visit! While at the game, he signed autographs for everyone in attendance. During his visit in June, Durbin wore the giveaway jersey to assist in promoting the promotion a month later. As was the case with his appearance, lines entering the ballpark extended well beyond the ballpark property. Durbin highlighted a group of five former Dock Spiders to reach the Major Leagues in 2025, joining Chandler Simpson, Ryan Bergert, Tim Elko, and Ryan Ritter.

The Green Bay Rockers partnered with Green Bay Packers Give Back to award $5,000 lo local teachers in attendance, gaining a new partner with the Green Bay Packers Give Back. The program gave all teachers free admission and discounted tickets to their friends and family accompanying them to the game. 376 Teachers signed up, 250 Discounted tickets were bought for teachers' families and friends and overall attendance for the night was 2,21. As part of the promotion, three Rockers players in the lineup used Rawlings painted bats that resembled different writing utensils. Each player's successful at-bat result correlated to funds donated to a teacher in attendance to use for their classroom. After the night two teachers received $250, and one received $500. Twenty more teachers were picked, giving them $200 each.

The Rally Cap Program in Madison was introduced as a way for Madison-area little leagues to lower their equipment costs while connecting them to the Mallards and Night Mares. Members of the Rally Cap Program receive free hats or visors for their baseball and softball leagues, presented by the Mallards and Buck & Honey's Restaurants. In return, the teams attend at least one Mallards or Night Mares game over the summer and are recognized on the field with first pitch opportunities and a team photo with the Mallards or Night Mares. In 2025, 9,955 hats and visors were provided to Rally Cap participants in Madison and the surrounding areas. In total, 30 different leagues participated in the program in four different counties. Six leagues were first time participants in 2025.

Each year, the Night Mares partner with the Outreach LGBTQ+ Community Resource Center in Madison to raise money for their non-profit through jersey auctions, merchandise, and presale ticket packages. This season, the team used their "Mares Heart" logo to create a pride uniform and flag that uses Night Mares marks in a small rainbow pattern. Their video promoting the night was shot in front of a Pride mural in Madison with a member of the Night Mares softball team that identifies as a member of the LGBTQ community. The team promised a contribution of $5 for each uniform sold going back to Outreach. In total, the team donated $1,670 back to Outreach Community Center.

Georgia O'Keeffe is a famous modernist painter from Sun Prairie, Wisconsin near Madison. The Night Mares worked with the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum in Santa Fe, New Mexico to create a uniform referencing her painting style using her work "Pink Moon Over Water" as the inspiration. They worked with local mural artist, Lena Ugren, and the Madison Museum for Contemporary Art (MMCA), to create a Night Mares painting done in O'Keeffe's style. The MMCA allowed the Night Mares to hang the painting in their gallery and shoot the release video in their space. The team sold 362 replica jerseys in the team store and the uniforms were worn on the field for the first time as part of Sun Prairie Night at the ballpark to honor O'Keeffe's hometown, where Ugren was able to throw a first pitch and show off the painting she created.

The Northwoods League is proud to recognize these most worthy award winners for the 2025 season.

Northwoods League Stories from October 17, 2025

• Northwoods League Announces Promotion, Community Program, Outstanding Theme Night and Most Valuable Team Member - Northwoods

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