Courtesy of @humpshockey
Connecticut College is home to 28 varsity sports teams, all of which regularly compete against competitive Division 3, and the occasional Division 1, schools. It can be easy for students, faculty, and even those not privy to the inner workings of Connecticut College to solely focus on these “advertised” varsity sports. However, there are several club sports teams that are filled with extremely talented Camels looking for less of a commitment or an extracurricular to add to their balanced academic experience. The men’s club hockey team is no exception. With a roster stacked with talented skaters and stick handlers, Connecticut College’s men’s club hockey team is a dedicated group with one common goal each year: to make an appearance at Nationals at the end of the season. This year, that goal was accomplished, with the Camels qualifying and traveling to Maryland Heights, Missouri to compete against the best of the best in the ACHA Men’s 2 League. The College Voice had the chance to ask a couple of players to reflect on their experience with the team, as well as their aspirations for their trip to Nationals.
On February 6, Connecticut College’s men’s club hockey team was ranked first in ACHA Men’s 2 Rankings (Northeast). The team ended regular season play ranked second, only behind Army West Point. Shortly after the final rankings were released, the Camels went on to be crowned champions of the NECHA-American Conference, defeating the University of Vermont with a final score of 7-4. It became clear that the team was capable of great things, proving to both the school and themselves that they were a force to be reckoned with. Adam Teryek ’26 shared with The College Voice that they “all knew [we] would have an amazing team this year. We set a goal at the beginning of the year to make it to this point [Nationals].” Teammate Cole Eichler ’25 touched on the determination and motivation that the team entered this season with: “After losing in the region finals last year, the guys were super motivated to make it to Nationals this year.” With their eyes set on St. Louis, the Camels stayed on campus to prepare for their upcoming games, despite the majority of students having left for spring break.
Both Teryek ’26 and Eichler ’25 expressed their excitement and confidence surrounding their scheduled games and trip. Eichler ’25 was eager to “reunite with some of [his] former varsity teammates.” He coined it a “fun…opportunity to compete against them.” Teryek ’26 was looking forward to the trip, as it was set to be “a road trip with some of [your] best friends.” “Competing every day with your best friends by your side knowing they have your back is what I am looking forward to the most.” With optimism and comradery, the men’s club hockey team made the trip to St. Louis, eager and ready to compete against the best of the league.
The Camels first took on the Roadrunners of Metropolitan State University-Denver on March 14. Ryan Rosenau ’28 served as Connecticut College’s sole goaltender for the entirety of the trip, recording 21 saves in his first outing. MSU-Denver opened up the scoring 5:27 into the first period, taking advantage of a power play that resulted from a Major penalty for boarding against Conn’s Cam Abel ‘27. Towards the end of the first period, the Camels answered, with Aidan Trainor ’26 finding the back of the net and both Atticus Roop ’26 and Luke Begg ’27 recording assists. The Camels came out firing in the second period, controlling play and putting the puck in the net three times: Atticus Roop (3:49), Owen Stacey (10:36), and Cameron Yee (16:06) all earning one goal. The Roadrunners had a glimpse of hope in the third period, scoring just two minutes in. However, this was short-lived, as Connecticut College was able to tack on three more points, with goals from Will Conway ’25, Pierece Blaeser ’28, and Roop ’26. The Camels earned a well-deserved first-game victory with a final score of 7-2.
With a quick turnaround, Connecticut College faced Maryville University on March 15. Maryville was on the board first, scoring 3:56 into the first period. The Camels responded about seven-and-a-half minutes later, as Owen Stacey ’25 found the back of the net off a power play. Shane Jellison ’26 added one of his own six minutes after, with the assists going to Trainor ’26 and Begg ’27. The second period was nothing short of exciting, as four goals were scored. Begg ’27 started it off for the Camels, taking advantage of an earned power play off a slashing penalty against Maryville. However, the Saints quickly added to their score, netting two within three minutes of one another. Shortly thereafter, Cole Blaeser ’28 and Eichler ’25 assisted Trainor ’26, who slotted it in to give the Camels a 4-3 lead heading into the last period. The third period featured a goal from Eddie Pistorino ’25, assisted by first-years Jacob Cataldi ’28 and Cole Blaeser ’28. However, Maryville was able to tie the game, scoring two goals in the last three minutes and forcing a trip to overtime. Just a mere 37 seconds into the first overtime, the Saints defeated the Camels by netting the game winning goal, leaving Connecticut College stunned.
Despite the gut-wrenching loss the day before, the Camels competed once more on March 16. The team took on the Eagles of Florida Gulf Coast University. The first period consisted of two goals against the Camels, both scored when Connecticut College was not at full strength. The Eagles tacked on another one 7:28 into the second period. The Camels finally found some offensive rhythm, with Trainor ’26 and Eichler ’25 both netting the puck. FGCU added one, and in response, Eichler ’25 was able to find the back of the net once more with only nine seconds left in the period. Entering the remaining 20 minutes down by one, the Camels were looking to survive and advance. However, the Eagles scored an insurance goal with eight minutes left and were able to hang on until the end, ending the Camels’ 2025 Nationals run.
Despite an unsatisfying end to their season, the Connecticut College men’s club hockey team has everything to be proud of. Eichler ’25, having been a part of both the varsity and club teams during his time at Conn, noted that he “had a great experience with both teams but having a little more free time to focus on academics with the club team has been beneficial.” The club hockey team provides a place for talented hockey players to find comfort in the sport without the pressure and commitment that comes with being a varsity athlete at the Division 3 level. Teryek ’26 added that “this has been the most fun [he] has had playing hockey in [his] entire life,” truly highlighting the special nature of this club hockey team. It is more than just a “group of guys,” but rather a family. When asked to share one last thought about Nationals and the team, Teryek ’26 was keen in making sure the comradery of this group was conveyed. “I think everybody should know that we have an amazing team with amazing people…I would take a bullet for any of the guys on my team, and I know they would do the same for me.” At the end of the day, this is a team that genuinely enjoys each other’s company and the sport that they all know and love. Their 2025 run to Nationals has not only proven their abilities but cemented them as a family above all, a team that will fight tooth and nail for one another, a “group of guys” that are more than just simply a “group of guys.”
