Evansville, In.: The Evansville Thunderbolts and Head Coach/Director of Hockey Operations Jeff Bes are pleased to announce the signing of forward Derek Contessa for the 2024-25 season. The Thunderbolts begin the 2024-25 season at Ford Center on Friday, October 18th as they host the Knoxville Ice Bears.
Contessa joins the Thunderbolts following his rookie professional season with the Macon Mayhem in 2023-24, scoring 8 goals and 21 points in 48 games, and despite his 6-foot-3, 220-pound frame, showed discipline with only 22 penalty minutes. The Freehold, New Jersey native played four seasons of college hockey prior to turning pro, beginning with Sacred Heart University between 2019-2021, tallying 3 assists in 18 games, before moving on to Endicott College, where he scored 9 goals and 16 points in 36 games between 2021-2023. Contessa played two full seasons of American junior hockey prior to college, beginning in 2017-18 as a member of the Robertson Cup-winning Shreveport Mudbugs of the NAHL, scoring 4 goals and 17 points in 40 games, before playing his final junior season with the USHL’s Dubuque Fighting Saints, scoring 11 goals and 20 points in 62 games.
“I am ecstatic to be joining the Thunderbolts for this upcoming season,” replied Contessa when asked about his excitement on joining the Thunderbolts. Having played on the opposition at Ford Center previously with Macon, Contessa further added: “The fans in Ford Center create an incredible environment that is among the best in the league, I will be glad to have the fans’ support and to call Evansville home this season.”
