DUBUQUE, IA - The Dupaco Cowbell Cup is returning for the 2024-25 season, showcasing four teams vying for eastern Iowa's hockey title again this season. The Dubuque Fighting Saints, four-time defending Cowbell Cup Champions, will square off against the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders, Des Moines Buccaneers and Waterloo Black Hawks throughout the 2023-24 campaign to make up the Cowbell Cup schedule.

The Dupaco Cowbell Cup begins its 14th season on the weekend of Sept. 27th. The Saints' Cowbell Cup opener will come at home on Oct. 5th against Waterloo.

"The Cowbell Cup has become one of the great rivalries in the USHL," said Fighting Saints Team President Casey Weitz. "Dupaco is a fantastic partner for making the Cowbell Cup an impactful part of the USHL experience."

Dupaco Community Credit Union is a not-for-profit, member-owned financial cooperative headquartered in Dubuque. It is dedicated to the financial well-being of its members, and specializes in personalized financial counseling, money advice and education. It offers savings, loans, investments, insurance, and wealth management products for individuals and businesses. Founded in 1948, membership has grown to more than 167,000 with assets exceeding $3.2 billion. Dupaco has over 600 employees and 24 branch office locations.

"To have the majority of the Iowan teams competing for bragging rights just adds an additional level of competition on top of the already intense level of play we see throughout the season," Weitz added. "I look forward to watching Dubuque compete for its sixth-straight Cowbell Cup championship."

Each of the four organizations competing for the Dupaco Cowbell Cup title are rich with hockey history. The Fighting Saints, along with the Buccaneers, date back to 1980, while Waterloo's organization was founded in 1962. The RoughRiders formed in 1999 and have been part of the Cowbell Cup since its inception.

The Dupaco Cowbell Cup point system will be similar to the regular USHL standings system. Each head-to-head game between the four teams in contention will count toward the USHL standings and the Cowbell Cup standings. The Cowbell Cup will be awarded to the team with the most Cowbell Cup points at the end of the USHL regular season. For all Cowbell Cup games, teams will earn two points for each win and one point for each overtime or shootout loss.

In addition to five-straight Dupaco Cowbell Cup championships, the Saints lead all teams with eight total Cowbell Cup titles. No other team boasts more than four wins as the Fighting Saints have taken eight of the 13 total titles.

The Fighting Saints' longest stretch of consecutive Dupaco Cowbell Cup games will come from Dec. 6 through Dec. 31 as the Saints play seven-consecutive contests as part of the competition

You can stay up-to-date with all Dubuque Fighting Saints news, ticket deals and Dupaco Cowbell Cup information by visiting dubuquefightingsaints.com. The Saints' Dupaco Cowbell Cup schedule for this season is listed below.

2024-2025 FIGHTING SAINTS DUPACO COWBELL CUP SCHEDULE (Home Games in bold)