College
Passing the torch
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- Last Updated on Thursday, 10 January 2013 16:30
By John Gilger
Special to ECAC Hockey
Not too long ago, Harvard netminder Laura Bellamy was a ripe freshman trying to make the adjustment student-athletes are forced to make at some point in their respective careers – high school to college. After all, the environment is different; classes are harder; the competition is greater and then there is the social aspect of college.
A vital key in her smooth transition came from then-senior goalie Christina Kessler who had been through the same rigors herself of what it takes to be successful on and off the ice as a goalie at Harvard. Now, three years removed from her inaugural collegiate season and with the proverbial skate on the other foot, Bellamy is attempting to help pass the torch to the next up and coming goalie in Cambridge.
The changing face of Division III hockey
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- Last Updated on Monday, 09 July 2012 01:03
By Joe McQuillan
For years, NCAA Division III hockey has been known as a safe haven for aspiring young hockey players who had exceptional high school hockey careers. The MIAC used to be home to some of the most talented hockey athletes who never got the Division I attention that they so often dreamed of.
In recent years, this safe haven no longer offers the comfort that it once did, especially in the MIAC. But who is to blame for this offense? It’s quite simple, the ever-present junior hockey leagues. Leagues like the USHL, NAHL and MJHL are all thriving with popularity at the moment.
WIAC hockey teams to withdraw from NCHA
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- Last Updated on Sunday, 27 May 2012 23:31
The Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) announced that its men’s and women’s ice hockey teams will be leaving the Northern Collegiate Hockey Association (NCHA) and will compete solely under the auspices of the WIAC effective with the 2014-15 academic year.
U of M women’s club team takes second in nation
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- Last Updated on Sunday, 27 May 2012 23:31
The University of Minnesota women’s club hockey team finished in second place in the Women’s Division 1 ACHA National tournament in Wooster, Ohio. Going into the tournament, Minnesota was ranked fourth, a position that was gained with the help of two successful road trips to Michigan and Massachusetts, where they went 7-1 against some of the top teams in the league. Through these trips they were able to gain exposure in the ACHA and started getting noticed as a heavy competitor for post season play.
All the players came to the University for education most importantly, but wanted to continue playing hockey because of their love of the game. The University is known for its successful hockey program, which has prompted players from around Minnesota to join the team. Twelve out of the 15 players are from cities in Minnesota, while the others are from Madison, Wis., and Dubuque, Iowa.
College to NHL
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- Last Updated on Sunday, 27 May 2012 23:31
Nearly a third of all NHL players in 2010-11 honed their skills in college before making the leap to the pros
By Kevin Kurtt
Let’s Play Hockey Editor
If you’ve watched nearly any NCAA sporting event on television in the past few years, you’ve seen the ad. You may even be able to recite the tagline: “There are 380,000 NCAA student-athletes, and just about all of them will be going pro in something other than sports.”
It’s a noble campaign directed at educating the masses that most athletes in college will see their athletic careers come to an end at graduation.
In the world of NCAA hockey, the vast majority of players on the 58 Division I and 77 Division II/III men’s teams will not make the jump to the NHL, AHL, ECHL or any other of the various professional hockey leagues around the world. But for a select few, college hockey is merely a steppingstone to the bright lights of the National Hockey League.
In fact, according to our research, 294 players who saw at least one regular season NHL game in 2010-11 honed their skills in college before making the leap to the professional ranks. That number represents nearly a third of all NHL players from the current season. In 2010-11, 52 former collegiate hockey players made their NHL debut.
