The Chargers’ first victory still proved elusive Sunday, as they fell to Lake Superior State 3-2 in Sault Ste. Marie. Brian Scoville and Frank Vitucci scored their first collegiate goals for UAH.
The Chargers (0-3-1), who took their second one-goal loss of the season, will head to Ferris State for a single game on Tuesday to finish non-conference play and the calendar year 2020.
UAH dodged a bullet with 6:54 left in the first period. The Lakers’ Yuki Miura had a short-handed breakaway, and the Chargers’ Lucas Bahn tripped him up as the UAH power play was expiring.
Miura was awarded a penalty shot, the first against UAH in three years, but Krall was able to make the save to keep the game scoreless.
UAH goaltender Derek Krall makes the save on a penalty shot by Lake Superior State’s Yuki Miura. (Photo by Mike Barrett/Laker Hockey Blog)
But the Lakers would get the first goal a minute later. Their leading scorer, junior Ashton Calder, put in a rebound on an open net in front for his fourth goal of the season.
Lake Superior scored in the final minute as Brandon Puricelli slipped one through the legs of Derek Krall, who was making his second start in goal. The Chargers faced the same situation as Saturday’s game, going down 2-0 after one period.
Like Saturday, which ended in a 2-2 tie, UAH came out strong and started a rally in the second period, even though the Chargers found themselves short handed for a bit of it.
During a Scoville cross-checking penalty in the first minute, Vitucci had a shorthanded breakaway that hit the crossbar. Then Tyrone Bronte and Bauer Neudecker had a 2-on-1 break with Ayodele Adeniye getting a shot on new LSSU goaltender Seth Eisele backing them up.
Scoville would put the Chargers on the board during a 4-on-4 situation with 11:02 remaining in the second period. He scored on a rebound as Quinn Green was taken down while taking the initial shot.
The second period was the most penalty-filled. There were nine infractions called, with five on UAH and four on Lake Superior.
The Chargers outshot the Lakers 10-1 in the second at one point, finishing with an 11-6 advantage in the frame.
This time, though, UAH would not find the equalizer in the second, and allowed an early goal in the third. Miroslav Mucha one-timed a face-off win past Krall for a 3-1 Laker lead at the 1:36 mark.
But the Chargers answered two minutes later. Vitucci’s rifle wrister from the slot beat Ethan Langenegger high. Conor Witherspoon got the assist for his first point.
With not nearly as many penalties and stoppages, most of the third period breezed by. Before you knew it, the Chargers were pulling Krall with 2:07 remaining for the extra attacker.
However, UAH could not get the equalizer.
Krall had 16 saves in the contest.
The Lakers used all three of their goaltenders in the game. Senior Mareks Mitens (8 saves) started, Eisele (10 saves) played the second period, and Langenegger (3 saves) the third.
After the most tumultuous offseason in program history, the UAH Chargers finally get back to the business of playing hockey.
The Chargers enter the abridged 2020-21 campaign with half the roster turned over, necessitated by the week in May when the program was cancelled and then revived. Several players from last season’s squad transferred, meaning new head coach Lance West had spots available for 13 hungry freshmen.
“You’ve heard coaches in the league talk about players that were on our roster last year that are now on teams that are favored at the top.” West said. “Those were tough losses, but our approach has been to move on and upward and fight with the kids we have.
“The kids here are doing an outstanding job. They’re young, but sometimes when you’re young, you don’t know things. Their energy level and commitment has been exactly what we’ve wanted. They’re working every day. Clearly we know we’ve got something to prove. That chip is as big as you could probably find.”
With this much change, it’s hard to predict how this season, which starts Saturday at Robert Morris, will turn out.
Expectations are not high after the Chargers finished last season with only two wins and all the aforementioned changes. UAH finished last in the WCHA media and coaches’ preseason polls.
Complicating matters is the COVID-19 pandemic, which has already cancelled the season for eight Division teams (including Alaska Anchorage). UAH’s schedule has been reduced to 21 games (16 WCHA games), with only seven at the Von Braun Center, which will be limited to 30 percent capacity and other restrictions.
“I don’t think that there’s any secrets to where we’re at, but we’re thankful for the opportunity,” West said. “We know the challenge that’s ahead of us. When we recruited all these young men we told them that. They’re taking it face on and we’re excited to try and prove something and set a culture in the program back to where we believe it should be.”
Here is a look at the 2020-21 UAH Chargers.
Forwards
Bauer Neudecker (Photo by Todd Thompson/RiverCat Photography)
Scoring was a chore last season, as the Chargers averaged just 1.68 goals per game (last in the WCHA). The top seven point scorers from 2019-20 are gone.
So for this season, the Chargers will be looking for, as West puts it, “scoring by committee.”
“I don’t think we’re going to be talking about guys who lead the league, but I think we’re going to be a committee,” West said. “I think they guys have bought into that.”
Committees still need leaders, starting with Bauer Neudecker, who is looking for a rebound junior year. He was shut out of the net last season after a seven-goal freshman campaign.
“Just a smart hockey player,” West said. “He’s an impressive young man, one of the kids who came every day. Never quit, never changed how he approached things. He had to have surgery in the offseason, came back and just every day is a professional.”
The same goes for the team’s two seniors, Connor Merkley and Connor Wood. Merkley, one of the top returning scorers, had eight points, while Wood scored four goals last season, showing continued growth heading into his senior year.
“They’re committed to this program and helping us change and grow the culture,” West said.
Tyr Thompson, who had six goals last season, and Ben Allen, who scored a goal in 16 games, are the other juniors.
“Those two guys have shown a lot in practice that they are going to be able to step up and help us score by committee this year, which is what we’re going to have to do,” West said.
Among sophomores, Peyton Francis worked his way into the lineup as a freshman last season and netted a couple of assists. Adrian Danchenko, like Allen, also had a goal in 16 games.
There are more freshmen (eight) than returning players (seven), which means they will have plenty of opportunities to contribute immediately.
Tyrone Bronte, an Australian, posted over a point per game at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (NAHL) before the pandemic stopped the season.
Jonah Alexander was a first-team OJHL all-star after a 78-point season with the St. Michael’s Buzzers. Frank Vitucci also comes from the OJHL, scoring 67 points with Wellington.
“I think they can really add some offense to us,” West said. “Obviously as freshmen you know they’ll have some ups and downs and struggles, but we’re excited about what they can bring. They’ve had the right attitude.”
Noah Finstrom had 42 points in 54 games with Jamestown (NAHL) last season. Quinn Green comes to Huntsville after back-to-back 39-point seasons with Topeka of the NAHL. Bennett Stockdale, the alternate captain for Johnstown (NAHL), had 42 points in 50 games last season. Conor Witherspoon was second leading scorer (35 points) for Shreveport. Nick Michel had seven goals in 32 games with Janesville of the NAHL last season.
Returning (7): Ben Allen (Jr.), Adrian Danchenko (So.), Peyton Francis (So.), Connor Merkley (Sr.), Bauer Neudecker (Jr.), Tyr Thompson (Jr.), Connor Wood (Sr.) Losses (7): Austin Beaulieu (graduated), Liam Izyk (transferred to Boston College), Jack Jeffers (transferred to Lake Superior State), Daneel Lategan (transferred to Alberta), Josh Latta (transferred to UMass Lowell), Christian Rajic (transferred to Long Island), Brandon Salerno (graduated) Newcomers (8): Jonah Alexander, Tyrone Bronte, Noah Finstrom, Quinn Green, Nick Michel, Bennett Stockdale, Frank Vitucci, Conor Witherspoon
Defensemen
Dayne Finnson (Photo by Todd Thompson/RiverCat Photography)
The Chargers also struggled on defense last season, allowing a WCHA-worst 4.26 goals per game. UAH lost its top four shot blockers, but have retained some experience and added some size.
“There’s three guys returning who have played a lot of minutes,” West said. “They’re extremely quiet and calm, the kind of guys you don’t notice.”
West referred to two returning juniors in Dayne Finnson (a goal and six assists) and Drew Lennon (two assists) to provide some experience. Tennessee-native Lucas Bahn became a lineup regular as a freshman last year, scoring a goal and three assists.
“They have all played a lot of minutes the last couple of years. We have those guys to lean on and I think they’re solid contributors and will be really good Division I defensemen. They will surprise some people in my opinion.”
West said that freshmen Ayodele Adeniye and Brian Scoville bring size to the back end. Adeniye, the only commit to stay a commit when the dust settled, is a highly-rated 6-foot-5 freshman joining Carleton Place (CCHL) alums Francis and Merkley. Scoville clocks in at 6-foot-3 and 215 pounds.
“They’re going to be hard, they’re going to be heavy, and they’re going to be tough to play against,” West said. “I think they give us at least as solid foundation on the backend to build with.”
Mick Heneghan, another freshman, had 37 points with the Northeast Generals last season. Josh Corrow was most recently the alternate captain for the Whitecourt Wolves of the AJHL, notching 15 assists in 57 regular-season games. Another Tennessean, junior Jay Powell, is the tallest Charger at 6-foot-7.
Returning (4): Lucas Bahn (So.), Dayne Finnson (Jr.), Drew Lennon (Jr.), Jay Powell (Jr.) Losses (6): Max Coyle (transferred to Bowling Green), Tanner Hickey (transferred to Arizona State), Connor James (graduated), Bailey Newton (transferred to Western Ontario), Sean Rappleyea (graduated), Teddy Rotenberger (graduated) Newcomers (4): Ayodele Adeniye, Josh Corrow, Mick Henegan, Brian Scoville
Goaltenders
David Fessenden (Photo by UAH Athletics)
Mark Sinclair, who made 30 starts in net for the Chargers in 2019-20, has transferred to Michigan Tech, meaning UAH will have a new No. 1 between the pipes.
“That’s clearly going to be one of our biggest challenges,” West said. “David Fessenden returns as sophomore, a big 6-foot-6 kid that has a lot of athletic ability and upside, and has to prove it.”
Fessenden (4.44 goals against average, .869 save percentage) was the only other goalie to see action last season. He played in seven games and started four, with his best outing being a 37-save performance at UMass Lowell.
Freshman Derek Krall had a .917 save percentage and 2.62 goals against average in 30 regular-season games in the BCHL last year.
“Derek Krall was the MVP of his team in Powell River and spent a couple of years in Pentincton where he was behind really high-end goaltenders,” West said. “I believe (Krall) can push and will develop into a really solid Division I goaltender for us, so I’m a bit more excited about that position and the competition that’s there.”
George McBey, a 6-foot-2 sophomore, is the other returning netminder who did not see action last season.
Top photo by UAH Athletics: Defenseman Ayodele Adeniye is one of 13 freshmen on this year’s team.
The University of Alabama in Huntsville re-affirmed its long-term commitment to its Division I hockey program on Wednesday, collaborating with alumni on a massive pledge while setting goals for conference membership and an on-campus facility.
“This is not a band-aid. This is here long term,” UAH alumnus Taso Sofikitis said in a press conference Wednesday afternoon.
“The UAH hockey program has a long and cherished history,” UAH president Darren Dawson said in the school’s press release. “We are truly grateful for the vital support from our alumni and community as we work together to ensure that the legacy of UAH hockey continues.”
The university, in a partnership with an alumni group headed by Sofikitis and Sheldon Wolitski, are pledging $17 million over 10 years to turn the program into a sustainable model that will compete for championships.
Assisting the alumni group is an advisory committee featuring prominent members of the hockey community, including Nashville Predators president and chief executive officer Sean Henry, Tampa Bay Lightning executive vice president of communications Bill Wickett, and Minnesota Wild goaltender and UAH alumnus Cam Talbot.
“We’re the faces, but there’s a big tribe behind us,” said Wolitski, who along with Sofikitis were defensemen for the Chargers from 1992-96. “My vision expands over the next 10-20 years for not only just Huntsville hockey but hockey in general. My goal is to continue to grow it, because I know it’s going to make a big impact on kids, youth hockey and college hockey, like it’s made for me.”
“That’s the first step: The long-term financial stability,” UAH head coach Lance West said during the WCHA’s preseason teleconference. “There’s been a lot of older guys that have fought for years and now some of the younger guys are stepping up because they can financially. It’s been a very impressive thing to see everybody come together. It’s extremely exciting.”
UAH is about to begin its final season as a member of the WCHA, which will dissolve after this season as seven members are leaving for form the new CCHA, leaving UAH, Alaska Anchorage, and Alaska Fairbanks.
Nevertheless, Smith says he has gotten advice and support from schools such as Minnesota State and Bowling Green, who have been perennial contenders in the WCHA.
“Part of the reason why we’re in this situation is our own fault from the WCHA, and to their credit, some of those people in that league have had really open conversations with me about how things should’ve been done and what needs to be done in the future,” Smith said.
UAH has had conversations with the CCHA and Atlantic Hockey about potentially joining. Atlantic is currently the most likely candidate, and Smith said he has been talking with administrators from across college hockey about what it would take to land a spot. The timeline is secure membership sometime this season.
“We think that this news helps us in that step,” Smith said.
“We have to have a home,” Sofikits said. “We have to have a conference. We’re looking at college hockey. They can see we are committed. Whatever I touch and Sheldon touches, we have to make it a success. Failure is not an option. So we need to show we can be a very valued partner to a conference.”
The new on-campus arena is part of UAH’s master plan, which involves developing a mixed-use area in the 58-acre Executive Plaza along University Drive just west of the campus.
The facility, which would also be a new home for UAH basketball and volleyball, would be subject to approval from The University of Alabama System board of trustees based on “achieving fundraising goals, developing a sustainable business plan, and aligning with UAH’s budget parameters.” UAH announced the proposal in April of 2019 and added to the master plan later that summer.
In the meantime, the Von Braun Center has been helpful by renegotiating their revenue sharing to help UAH. The Huntsville Havoc, which shares the VBC with the Chargers, have also been helpful in game operations and scheduling.
Beyond that, UAH must work on building a program that sustains itself without putting too much of a burden on donors. That will require increasing attendance and corporate sponsorships, and overcoming any perception that nothing has changed from when the hockey program was saved eight years ago.
“There are things already in place that we think are going to generate a lot more revenue,” Smith said. “Any revenue generated from ticket sales, merchandise, or corporate sponsorships, that takes the place of what has been private donations. We don’t want (our donors) to have to foot the bill. That’s not fair. We want this to be a true partnership and working together to where this is something that generates revenue for itself.”
“I’ve been asked, ‘How is it any different than the last time we raised money?’ We have to overcome that,” Wolitski said. “We have a road map to success. It’s not a silver bullet, but there’s a number of things we need to do to prove to the hockey world that we are serious about hockey.”
“There are donors out there that haven’t donated because we haven’t had a strategic plan in place, and we do now. They need to have trust when they donate that it’s going to a good cause, and that’s my job.”
“We’re gonna do whatever it takes to become relevant in college hockey,” Sofikitis said. “If it takes more money, we’re gonna get it done. That’s how passionate we are to take UAH to the next level.”
UAH and the WCHA released a new 2020-21 schedule on Wednesday, setting a course for a shortened college hockey season while coping with the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Chargers will play 23 games, with 18 conference games and five non-conference games. UAH will play nine home games (all WCHA contests) at the Von Braun Center.
“In addition to state and local health and safety guidelines in force at each WCHA campus, the 2020-21 schedule will play out under the WCHA’s Return to Competition protocols,” the WCHA said in its press release. “Those protocols will include COVID-19 testing for student-athletes, coaches, staff and game officials as well as social-distancing requirements at all WCHA arenas.”
Every team in the WCHA will play 18 conference games, two against each of the other nine. Because of the restrictions on non-conference games for other conferences, most WCHA teams will play non-conference games against WCHA foes. UAH and Bowling Green are the only two that have any non-conference games against teams outside the WCHA.
The WCHA has set aside the weekend of March 5-6 for any games that may be postponed because of the pandemic. The conference tournament format has yet to be revealed, but it is scheduled for the weekends of March 12-13 and March 19-20.
The Chargers open the season in the Pittsburgh area on Nov. 20 and 21 at Robert Morris. It would be the first time since 2010 that UAH has played RMU, which hired former UAH head coach Mike Corbett over the summer. RMU, now with Atlantic Hockey. and UAH were both members of College Hockey America through 2010.
That will be the only non-conference series against a true non-conference opponent. UAH will visit Ferris State (Dec. 4) and Lake Superior State (Dec. 6-7) for three games that will not count in the WCHA standings.
The true start to the Chargers’ WCHA season is Jan. 2-3 at Michigan Tech. UAH’s first home series at the Von Braun Center will be Jan. 8-9 against Ferris State.
UAH hosts Northern Michigan (Jan. 22-23), Alaska Anchorage (Feb. 5-6) and Minnesota State (Feb. 11-12). The Chargers and travel partner Bowling Green will finish the regular season with a home-and-home series in Ohio (Wednesday, Feb. 24) and Huntsville (Saturday, Feb. 27).
This is expected to be the last season of the WCHA. Seven schools will be forming the new CCHA next season, with UAH still looking for a new conference home.
2020-21 UAH Hockey Schedule Nov. 20-21 at Robert Morris Dec. 4 at Ferris State Dec. 6-7 at Lake Superior State Jan. 1-2 at Michigan Tech* Jan. 8-9 vs. Ferris State* Jan. 15-16 at Bemidji State* Jan. 22-23 vs. Northern Michigan* Jan. 29-30 at Alaska* Feb. 5-6 vs. Alaska Anchorage* Feb. 11-12 vs. Minnesota State* Feb. 19-20 at Lake Superior State* Feb. 24 at Bowling Green* Feb. 27 vs. Bowling Green*
Home games in bold. Game time is 7 p.m. for all home games except for Feb. 27 (2 p.m.). *WCHA contest
The restart of Charger hockey is officially on hold because of COVID-19.
In a joint statement on Thursday, all Division I conferences announced that there will be a delay to the 2020-21 college hockey season due to the pandemic. Each conference will announce its own plans for the season, with the WCHA unveiling its revised schedule later in the fall.
“With 10 teams in five states, WCHA member institutions are currently operating under multiple state, local, university system, institutional and NCAA COVID-19 mandates,” the WCHA said in its statement. “Delaying the start of the season will provide league and member administrators the opportunity to continue detailed discussions regarding the implementation of a return to play plan that addresses the diverse guidelines all WCHA institutions must adhere to and recognizes the rapidly-evolving medical and safety environments that exist today.”
“It would be tough for us to play before January,” UAH athletic director Cade Smith said. “We’ll go with whatever the WCHA decides.”
Smith said teams traveling in buses and airplanes and going into locker rooms spreading the virus is the big concern.
Most fall sports at UAH and its primary league, the Gulf South Conference, have been cancelled. Charger basketball will not start before January.
The Huntsville Havoc, which shares the Von Braun Center with the Chargers, won’t begin their SPHL season until December. Venue limitations and capacity at the VBC will need to be worked out, Smith said.
“The University of Alabama system requires all athletes be tested every week, which is stricter than the NCAA guidelines,” Smith said. “How do we trace positives, how do we quarantine — these have taken much of administrative bandwidth.”
Smith said out of 150-160 tests this week, there were only eight positives. He feels that the protocols are working, and UAH head coach Lance West says his players are doing what needs to be done.
“The guys have been good at handling and protecting themselves and others,” West said. “They are preparing themselves as well as they can for when they can go.
“It’s been the hardest on the freshmen,” West said. “Their social interactions are limited and they are away from home. The veterans have been good at keeping them focused on what they can do as opposed to what they expected to do when they got to college.
“If you want to play, there are certain things they have to give up and choices they have to make.”
The Chargers are expected to have 13 freshmen this season, according to our commitment list, as West and his staff worked to build back the roster following the cancellation and restoration of the program. UAH is expected to announce the full roster soon once everyone has been cleared.
“That’s just the situation we were dealt,” West said. “We accepted the challenge together and found a way to get it done. You’ll see a team of hungry guys with something to prove.
“Everyone has a piece of where we’re headed. We will empower the guys that will set the tone for the future of the program. When we hit the ice, we will have the old-school, simple mentality of getting better every day.”
Meanwhile, the search for a conference home for the 2021-22 season continues. The primary target is now the Atlantic Hockey Association.
“I had a good call with the commissioner of the AHA (Robert DeGregorio, Jr.) about a month ago,” Smith said. “He laid out everything. I sent him a letter of interest, trying to gain an audience with their league about the application process.”
Atlantic Hockey currently has 11 teams, meaning UAH could become the 12th.
Smith says we could know by the time the Chargers play their first game this season, whenever that is, whether UAH has landed a spot in the conference.
The other option, the Central Collegiate Athletic Association, is now a long-shot at best. The CCHA announced the addition of the St. Paul-based University of St. Thomas as its eighth team on July 29, and it appears the new conference, comprising of seven WCHA programs, will be satisfied with eight entering its first season in 2021-22.
Guerriero played in 77 games for the Chargers from 2013-17. His .910 career save percentage was second best in UAH’s modern Division I era and fourth best all-time. His 3.19 career goals against average was fifth best in the D-I era and ninth all-time.
Last season, Guerriero was a volunteer goaltending coach at St. Lawrence.
Another former UAH netminder, Scott Munroe, has been named a player development coach at Total Package Hockey of Phoenix. Munroe, who played at UAH from 2002-2006, is the schools all-time leader in save percentage (.918) and helped the Chargers win the College Hockey America regular-season title in 2003.
Around the WCHA: Alaska Anchorage was given a chance to save its program after the Board of Regents voted Thursday to cut it following this season. The Seawolves must raise $3 million — two years of operating expenses — by February for the Board to consider reinstating the team. … The Alaska Nanooks team was quarantined as of August 30 after a player tested positive for COVID-19 following an on-campus gathering.
It didn’t take too long for the “acting” tag to be removed, as Lance West was named UAH’s head hockey coach on Wednesday.
After over 20 years in the business, West finally is a permanent Division I head coach.
“I have spent 18 years either playing or coaching with the program, and I am very aware of and share the passion of our alumni and fan base for UAH hockey,” West said in UAH’s press release. “The challenges that lie ahead are tough, but I am excited to work together with the young men, staff and The University that have committed to making this a successful program.”
West, who was an assistant for the Chargers the last two seasons, was named the acting head coach on June 3 after the resignation of Mike Corbett.
Since then, West has been rebuilding the roster, which has seen significant turnover since the May 22 announcement that the program was cancelled. Several players have transferred even after the program was reinstated on May 29.
One of the biggest transfers was revealed Wednesday. Michigan Tech announced that Mark Sinclair, UAH’s top goaltender the last two seasons, will play his senior season with the Huskies.
Sinclair is the ninth player to transfer from UAH, including six of the seven top point-scorers from last season. Including five graduating players, UAH has lost 14 players.
West has been busy finding players. So far, 12 have committed to play for the Chargers this fall (pandemic permitting). Only one, Ayodele Adeniye, was on this spring’s original recruiting class before the program was cancelled and reinstated.
West served as an assistant coach for UAH for seven seasons under Doug Ross from 2000-07. The Chargers won two College Hockey America regular season championships (2001 and 2003) and one tournament championship (2007) during that time.
Then West moved to Fairbanks, becoming an assistant with the Alaska Nanooks for nine years. He was the interim head coach in 2017-18, recruiting many of the players who helped the Nanooks earn a winning record last season.
West was a Charger winger from 1991-95. He scored 45 goals and 68 assists for 113 points, tying him for 15th in UAH varsity history.
West becomes the Chargers’ sixth varsity head hockey coach, and the first UAH alum to be head hockey coach.
Recent commitments:
Jonah Alexander, a forward from Toronto, was a first-team OJHL all-star after a 78-point season with the St. Michael’s Buzzers.
Josh Corrow is a defenseman from New Port Richey, Fla. He was most recently the alternate captain for the Whitecourt Wolves of the AJHL, notching 15 assists in 57 regular-season games.
Noah Finstrom, a forward from New Baltimore, Mich., spent the last two seasons with Jamestown of the NHL. He had 42 points in 54 games with the Rebels last season.
Quinn Green from West Chicago comes to Huntsville after back-to-back 39-point seasons with Topeka of the NAHL.
Michael Heneghan, a defenseman, had 37 points in 48 games with the Northeast Generals (NAHL) last season. Neutral Zone had him ranked 30th among uncommitted players born in 1999 and 174th in North America.
Derek Krall is a goaltender from Crofton, B.C. He had a .917 save percentage and 2.62 goals against average in 30 regular-season games with the Powell River Kings of the BCHL.
Nick Michel of Waconia, Minn. had seven goals in 32 games with Janesville of the NAHL last season.
Bennett Stockdale, a right wing from Ottawa, switched his commitment from Division III Geneseo to UAH. The alternate captain for Johnstown (NAHL) had 42 points in 50 games last season.
The next step in securing the long-term health of UAH hockey is building the season ticket base. A two-week season-ticket sales drive began Tuesday and will go through July 20.
For the first time, UAH hockey season tickets can be purchased online.
Reserved lower bowl season tickets will cost $242 and general admission upper bowl season tickets will cost $162 for 16 home games. This will include 14 WCHA games plus a non-conference series against Omaha to open the home season on Oct. 16-17.
Current ticket holders will get priority, and then new season ticket holders will get a chance to pick seats.
Buyers will have the option to donate their season tickets. They would be put in a pool that would distribute to local non-profits, veteran and military organizations, hospitals, and other service organizations supporting underprivileged families.
UAH students will still get into games for free.
If fans aren’t allowed in the VBC this season, or if the season is cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic, season tickets purchased will be applied to the 2021-22 season.
Strong season ticket sales will show prospective conferences of UAH hockey’s commitment to long-term stability and growth. The Central Collegiate Hockey Association and Atlantic Hockey are possible landing spots for the Chargers.
Advisory committee announced: Save UAH Hockey revealed the members of the program’s new advisory committee on Monday, and it has a significant NHL presence.
The seven-member committee will guide and support the advisory board, led by prominent Charger alumni Sheldon Wolitski and Taso Sofikitis, who will work with UAH athletic director Cade Smith on growing the hockey program long term.
The committee members are:
Sean Henry – President & CEO, Nashville Predators
Bill Wickett – Executive Vice President, Tampa Bay Lightning
Brent Flahr – Vice President & Assistant General Manager, Philadelphia Flyers
Five days after the UAH hockey program was saved by a fast and furious fundraising effort, Mike Corbett resigned as head hockey coach on Wednesday.
The resignation was first reported by WAFF’s Carl Prather. In an email Wednesday morning to supporters, assistant coach Gavin Morgan announced the “end of his time” with the Chargers.
Assistant coach Lance West will be the interim head coach for the 2020-21 season. Director of operations Ryan McRae and equipment manager Damon Wheeler will remain on staff.
“We’re thankful for the time and contributions to our hockey program and university from both Mike and Gavin while they’ve been here at UAH,” UAH athletic director Cade Smith said in the UAH’s official release. “We certainly wish them the best in their future endeavors. As we move towards the future, we’re confident in Lance and look forward to his leadership and what he continues to bring to this program.”
Corbett led UAH hockey for seven seasons, hired as the team was entering the WCHA. The Chargers were 48-181-24 during his tenure.
UAH made the playoffs three times in those seven seasons, winning one game. The highest the Chargers finished in the WCHA standings was seventh in the 2017-18 season.
West, who played for the Chargers from 1991-95, rejoined the UAH program before the 2018-19 season. Prior to returning to Huntsville, he was the interim head coach at Alaska for the 2017-18 season, when the Nanooks had an 11-22-3 record.
West was passed over for the permanent job in Fairbanks in favor of Erik Largen. The Nanooks were 16-15-5 last season with many of West’s recruits.
West was an assistant coach at Alaska for 10 years prior to his one season as interim head coach, and was an assistant under Doug Ross at UAH before that from 2000-07.
West getting a chance to be the head coach was a condition of Corbett’s resignation, according an email Corbett wrote to supporters on Wednesday afternoon.
“I want to thank all of you for your support and supporting the players during this time. It meant a lot to me and them. I wish things were different and the results were better, I truly do. I own that. I will not make excuses and I will tell you I came to work everyday and put everything I had into it. Not always making the right decisions, but doing what I thought was right for the program every day. Myself and my staff embraced it and fought the good fight every day. Only we know how that was and it was difficult but continued to put the program and the players first.”
The last two weeks were a roller coaster for Corbett and his staff. On Friday, May 22, the hockey program was eliminated, with his staff getting a final 90 days. Corbett spent the days immediately following the announcement on the phones trying to find new homes for his players.
On Monday, May 25, after alumni boosters met with university officials, a goal of $750,000 was to be raised in four days in order to save the program. With over $550,000 raised on GoFundMe and T-shirt sales in that time, top boosters Sheldon Wolitski and Taso Sofikits completing the balance, UAH announced on Friday that the program would continue.
West’s roster will certainly have a different look for 2020-21. Five players announced transfers to other schools, including last season’s leading scorer Josh Latta, four during the period after the program eliminated. The Chargers lost five players to graduation.
In the week the school announced the cutting of the program, the UAH hockey official Twitter account unveiled a six-player incoming class this fall. Two of them, Connor Szmul and Marty Westhaver, announced Wednesday that they was going to Long Island University to be part of its new program.
Meanwhile, the WCHA board of governors on Wednesday formally approved UAH’s return to the conference for the 2020-21 season. It’s currently expected that the 70th season will be the league’s last, with seven schools breaking away to form the new CCHA. UAH will be trying to join the new conference, which will start in 2021.
This story will update as more information comes in.
After a furious fundraising effort over four days, the University of Alabama in Huntsville varsity hockey program will, as we say, charge on.
Thanks to a GoFundMe fundraiser, T-shirt sales, and a massive publicity campaign, UAH alumni were able to raise the $500,000 by the 5 p.m. CT Friday deadline set by the university to keep UAH hockey alive for the 2020-21 season.
“The total amount of more than $750,000 in private dollars will allow the Chargers to continue to compete at the Division I level during the 2020-2021 season,” according to a UAH statement. “This total philanthropic contribution is the largest athletic campaign contribution in the history of UAH.”
Last Friday, UAH announced that it was cutting the hockey program due to financial concerns exasperated by the COVID-19 pandemic. On Monday, two of the program’s top alumni and benefactors, Sheldon Wolitski and Taso Sofikitis, spoke with UAH president Dr. Darren Dawson, athletics director Dr. Cade Smith, and faculty athletics representative Dr. Brent Wren.
The UAH officials told Wolitski and Sofikitis that $750,000 would need to be raised by the close of business Friday for the university to resume the program.
The cause was championed across several media outlets across the nation and across hockey. UAH alumnus and Calgary Flames goaltender Cam Talbot contributed to the effort, as well as Chicago’s Patrick Kane and Dylan Strome.
Wolitski and Sofikitis will each contribute $125,000 to complete the $750,000 goal.
Dawson has committed funds from the university to cover the balance of the hockey team’s operations during the upcoming season. “We are thankful and gratified from the loyal support that has been demonstrated this week by the fans and alumni of Charger hockey,” said Dawson in the statement.. “We are hopeful that this support will translate into a sustainable funding model that will allow the UAH hockey program to rise again to high levels of success.”
Now that the Chargers will play this season, the next step is stabilizing the program for the long term.
In a “state of the union” call Thursday with hockey alumni and boosters, Wolitski and Sofikitis outlined a goal to establish a $2 million yearly budget, with 25 percent coming from the university and 75 percent from outside sources.
An advisory council of alumni and local business owners would help the university manage the hockey program. They must collaborate on a 5- to 10-year plan philanthropic funding model, establish the structure of the program going forward and help secure a place in a conference, specifically the Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA), which starts in the 20201-22 season.
The council would also utilize the alumni network to recruit corporate sponsorship, recruit fans, and support the student-athletes with opportunities after their hockey careers are complete.
“The university is fully committed to the upcoming season,” said Smith in the statement. “The university will work with the supporters of the UAH hockey program and a newly formed Hockey Advisory Board to develop a plan that will allow the Chargers to thrive in 2021-2022 season and beyond.”
“UAH is committed to building a world-class D-I hockey program with a permanent conference home that will allow the Chargers to continue past the 2020-2021 season.”
The University of Alabama in Huntsville announced Friday the elimination of the hockey program after 41 seasons of competition.
The university cited budget restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic as a main factor in the decision.
“COVID-19 pandemic has forced the university to make difficult personnel and programmatic decisions,” according to the release, co-signed by UAH president Darren Dawson and athletic director Cade Smith. “Eliminating the expense of the hockey and tennis programs is a necessary step to ensure that UAH can continue meeting its core educational mission.”
The announcement comes rather sudden after the official UAH hockey Twitter feed revealed a six-player freshman signing class last week.
Men’s and women’s tennis will also be eliminated. The student-athletes for the cut programs were notified via email from UAH athletic director Cade Smith and video conferences with coaches and staff.
EXCLUSIVE: I spoke with @UAHChargers Athletic Director Cade Smith about the decision to eliminate the @uahhockey program.
The program finishes its 35-year varsity history with a record of 456-570-82. The Chargers became a varsity program after six years a club team starting in 1979, winning the 1982, 1983, and 1984 national club championships.
The Chargers won two NCAA Division II national championships in 1996 and 1998.
UAH went back up to Division I shortly there after, winning two College Hockey America regular-season championships in 2001 and 2003. The Chargers won CHA tournament titles in 2007 and 2010, earning berths in the NCAA tournament.
It’s not the first time the program has been cut. In 2011, UAH announced the program would be relegated to club status, but a movement to raise funds and find a spot in the new WCHA in 2013 saved it.
However, UAH would reach no higher than seventh place in the seven years in the WCHA, with only three playoff appearances. The last season of 2019-20 was one of the worst in the program’s history. The Chargers went 2-26-6, tying the program mark for fewest wins.
This comes almost a year since the announcement that seven programs were leaving the WCHA to form their own league, which is now known as the Central Collegiate Hockey Association. That left UAH’s future uncertain and looking for a new conference when the WCHA breaks up after this season.
“We are deeply saddened by today’s news that Alabama Huntsville has eliminated its men’s ice hockey program,” WCHA commissioner Bill Robertson said in a statement. “UAH has been a valued member of the WCHA since joining the league in 2013 and, as the first Division I hockey school in the Deep South, brought the sport to a previously untapped fan base for college hockey.”
UAH’s primary target was to join those seven CCHA teams, but now they won’t be around to apply.
UAH dropping hockey is the latest in a number of cancellations of athletic programs across the nation during the pandemic. Among those affected was fellow WCHA school Bowling Green, which dropped baseball, and Gulf South Conference affiliate school Florida Tech, which dropped football.
