The Sunday, Aug. 18, clinic marked the third Rising Stars Academy conducted by the Capitals. The inaugural Academy was held in August 2023, with participation by more than 100 athletes. Due to interest in Rising Stars, a second Rising Stars Academy event followed in February 2024 for an additional group of youth hockey players that did not participate in the August 2023 clinic.
The Rising Stars Academy is funded through the Washington Capitals Capital Impact Fund. In 2020 the Capitals and Monumental Sports & Entertainment Foundation created the Capital Impact Fund to provide grants to organizations that can assist in eliminating cost barriers faced by individuals of color in the hockey community. The fund aims to help minority youth players reach their greatest potential and create more equal playing fields for all.
Rising Stars Academy Instructor Biographies
Duante’ Abercrombie became the first head coach of a hockey program at a historically Black college or university in April when he was named head coach of the Tennessee State University ice hockey program. A member of the Capitals’ Black Hockey Committee, Abercrombie is an inaugural member of the National Hockey League Coaches’ Association’s BIPOC Coaches Program. He spent the 2022-23 season with the NHL's Toronto Maple Leafs organization as a member of the coaching staff for the Maple Leafs, Toronto Marlies and the Newfoundland Growlers. In 2021, he was invited by the Arizona Coyotes to be a guest coach at their Rookie Development Camp and was also selected to participate in the Boston Bruins Scouting Mentorship Program. Prior to joining the Maple Leafs coaching staff, Abercrombie served in roles as Stevenson University's assistant ice hockey coach and as the Washington Little Caps' Director of Player Achievement. Abercrombie is also an alumnus of Gonzaga College High School, including winning multiple championships as a player and a coach. He also coached at Georgetown Preparatory School, and in his first year, he helped lead his team to its first IAC Championship. At the age of six, Abercrombie began playing hockey with the Fort Dupont Cannons at Washington D.C.'s Fort Dupont Ice Arena.
Entering his sixth season at Gonzaga, Bryan King serves as a member of the Gonzaga Hockey community and Varsity II Head Coach, winning the A division Mid-Atlantic Prep Hockey League (MAPHL) championship in 2022, 2023, and 2024. A native of Washington, D.C., King concluded his playing career at LaSalle University. During his senior season, he played a pivotal role in guiding his team to a league championship and represented LaSalle Ice Hockey in the ACHA DII All Star games. With a deep connection to the D.C. metropolitan area hockey community, King transitioned to Gonzaga after contributing as an assistant coach in the Fort Dupont Ice Hockey Program. Dedicated to the growth of hockey, King actively contributes to the continuous development of athletes across all levels. Notably, he has also participated as a panelist in the Washington Capitals Coaches Day, showcasing his expertise and commitment to the sport's advancement.
