[2] The Waterloo Black Hawks began as a semi-professional senior team in the United States Hockey League (USHL) in 1962.

[citation needed] After league titles in 1978, and 1979 in a hybrid junior-senior format, the Black Hawks converted to junior hockey with the rest of the USHL in 1979–80.

They won the Southern Division title in 1979–80 before head coach Jack Barzee moved the team to Dubuque the next season, becoming the Fighting Saints in the process.

[citation needed] The Black Hawks turned out several future National Hockey League (NHL) players in the early 1990s.

Two seasons later, Jason Blake had 50 goals and 50 assists, the first 50-goal, 50-assist player in the USHL since Thunder Bay's Terry Menard seven years prior.

O'Handley brought immediate changes to the Black Hawks in 2002–03 and Waterloo won their first division championship in 23 years with a 38–17–5 record and finishing two points behind the Lincoln Stars in the Anderson Cup standings.

The next season brought the Hawks' first USHL Clark Cup championship win, and the first league title of any kind since 1979, despite finishing fourth in the Eastern Division.

[citation needed] Of the 31 Black Hawks alumni who have gone on to appear in the NHL, 22 played for O'Handley, including Joe Pavelski, Vinnie Hinostroza, and Brock Boeser.

[12] Under Greene's leadership the Black Hawks were awarded Business of the Year (1-50 employees) by Grow Cedar Valley also in March 2023.