This Week in Atlantic Hockey: Longtime Mercyhurst coach Gotkin on cusp of 600 wins, says achievement would be ‘a program milestone’

When Mercyhurst defeated Bowling Green 4-3 in overtime last Friday, the school posted on X (formerly Twitter) that the victory was the 600th of coach Rick Gotkin’s career. It turns out that after further review, it was “only” his 599th. “There was a typo on my record,” said Gotkin. “But it doesn’t matter to me. … Read more

Michigan’s McGroarty, Denver’s Rizzo, Boston University’s Celebrini, RIT’s Scarfone pick up October honors from HCA

The Hockey Commissioners Association has announced the men’s monthly honorees for Oct. 2023. The co-players of the month are Michigan sophomore forward Rutger McGroarty and Denver junior forward Massimo Rizzo, while Boston University freshman forward Macklin Celebrini is rookie of the month and RIT junior goalie Tommy Scarfone is the goaltender of the month. McGroarty … Read more

This Week in Atlantic Hockey: Intense weekend RIT-Holy Cross series proving ‘everything so close in this league’

There’s a cliche that says that “games in October are as important as games in March.” Of course, each game is always worth three points, but it often feels like contests late in the season carry more intensity compared to ones played early. That wasn’t the case last weekend when Holy Cross hosted Rochester Institute … Read more

This Week in Atlantic Hockey: After upsetting Penn State, American International aiming to ‘want and need results’ going forward

American International has been on the wrong end of three close games to open their 2023-24 campaign — and one not so close — but last weekend, the Yellow Jackets flipped the script, picking up their first win of this young season. Eric Lang’s team opened with a 5-3 loss to Massachusetts that saw AIC … Read more

This Week in Atlantic Hockey: Holy Cross finding ‘belief in ourselves,’ early-season momentum with 3-0 start

Under coach Bill Riga, Holy Cross has seen an upward trajectory. The 2021-22 season, Riga’s first at the helm, ended in a last-place finish and a 12-23-2 record. Last season, the Crusaders were picked to again finish last, but got on a roll in the second half of the season and really caught fire in … Read more

Atlantic Hockey issues one-game suspension to Niagara’s Brockhoff for major charging penalty Oct. 13 against Omaha

Atlantic Hockey on Saturday announced a one-game suspension for Niagara defenseman Lane Brockhoff, effective for the Purple Eagles’ next NCAA Division I contest. The suspension is a result of Brockhoff’s major penalty and game misconduct for charging, which occurred at the 19:24 mark of the third period in Niagara’s game on Friday, Oct. 13 at … Read more

2023-24 Atlantic Hockey Season Preview: Robert Morris back in fold as conference finding ‘opportunities to better tell our stories’

As Atlantic Hockey kicks off its 21st season, more changes are in store. Robert Morris returns after a two-year absence, restoring the number of programs to 11. This means a new scheduling plan as well as a new playoff format. There are also changes in administration, with a new commissioner and a new supervisor of … Read more

‘Tears of joy’ coming this weekend as Robert Morris hockey reboot taking center stage with Bowling Green home-and-home

By Mike Prisuta/Special to USCHO.com As the days dwindled down this week toward the triumphant return of Robert Morris men’s hockey, coach Derek Schooley found himself wrestling with perhaps the only emotion that had escaped him since the men’s and women’s programs had been abruptly terminated in May 2021. “I wonder if I remember how … Read more

After 68 wins in Atlantic Hockey play over six seasons, Canisius gives hockey coach Large multi-year contract extension

Canisius announced on Thursday that head coach Trevor Large has agreed to a multiple-year contract extension. Per university policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed. Entering his seventh season as head coach of the Golden Griffins, Large has amassed an overall record of 88-98-19 behind the Canisius bench, highlighted by a 68-66-15 record in … Read more

As college hockey commissioners get on same page regarding philosophy of game, ‘it’s better for college hockey in general’

When Joe Bertagna stepped down after 23 years as Hockey East commissioner at the end of the 2019-20 season, he had no idea that he was setting a trend. Two years after Bertagna’s departure, Josh Fenton left the NCHC after serving as that league’s only commissioner since its inception in 2013. At the end of … Read more

Air Force, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Omaha comprise field for 2024 Ice Breaker Tournament to be played in Las Vegas

Minnesota will host the 2024 men’s Ice Breaker Tournament at Orleans Arena in Las Vegas. Air Force, Massachusetts and Omaha will also compete in the event, scheduled for Oct. 11-12, 2024. “Las Vegas hosting the 2024 Ice Breaker is another example of the impressive growth of hockey, and particularly college hockey, in our country,” said … Read more

College Hockey Realignment, Part 2: With men’s CHA, WCHA long gone, NCAA D-I hockey moving full-steam ahead with ‘opportunity for growth’

College hockey’s tides are changing. The emergence of new programs and their alignment into new conferences are inserting new conversation pieces into the overall landscape, and the rising profiles of Arizona State and Augustana are two examples in a world that looks nothing like its historical decades. The transformation is sometimes hard to swallow, but … Read more

College Hockey Realignment, Part 1: With recent additions of several schools to men’s NCAA D-I hockey ranks, what will be future impact?

Realignment is on everyone’s mind in college sports these days. Things are changing, and the majority of sports won’t resemble anything like their present state by this time next year. The ACC, the Big Ten, the Big 12, the SEC – they’re all going to be different, and the dominant news in the sports cycle … Read more

NCAA announces recruiting violations for Air Force men’s hockey team, team accepts responsibility for infractions

The NCAA announced Thursday recruiting violations pertaining to the Air Force hockey team. In an announcement regarding the Air Force golf coach and gambling, the hockey violation was noted. “The school, enforcement staff, men’s ice hockey head coach (Frank Serratore) and two assistant coaches agreed that an additional violation at Air Force occurred in the … Read more

RIT tabbed Atlantic Hockey favorite in 2023 coaches poll, Tigers’ Wilkie chosen preseason player of year

Defending regular-season champion RIT is the winner of the 2023-24 Atlantic Hockey preseason coaches’ poll. The Tigers earned seven of 11 possible first-place votes in balloting among AHA head coaches (coaches could not vote for their own teams) for 105 points to outdistance second-place Sacred Heart, which received two first-place votes and tallied 99 points. … Read more

Bentley hires former USHL, NAHL coach, Wisconsin-Stout grad Colvard as new assistant coach with Falcons men’s hockey team

Bentley has announced the hiring of Riley Colvard as an assistant coach with the men’s hockey team. Colvard spent the previous six seasons as an assistant coach in the USHL and NAHL junior hockey ranks. “I am thrilled to be adding Riley to our hockey program’s coaching staff,” said Bentley head coach Andy Jones in … Read more

Former Bentley men’s hockey assistant coach Murphy hired as new assistant for Rensselaer women’s hockey team

The Rensselaer women’s hockey team has added Ben Murphy as an assistant coach. A veteran of nearly 15 years as a collegiate coach, Murphy was previously an assistant coach at Bentley, where he worked with the men’s program from the 2009-10 season until the 2018-19 season and again in the 2022-23 season. Between his stints … Read more

Army West Point adds Azzano as new assistant coach, promotes Riley to also serve as assistant coach for Black Knights

Army West Point has announced the hiring of Chris Azzano and Jack Riley as new assistant coaches. Riley served as the director of hockey operations this past season. Azzano spent the past three seasons on the staff at Colgate, serving as an assistant coach for the 2022-23 after a two-year stint as a volunteer assistant … Read more

Hobart grad, assistant coach, 2023 D-III national champ Fiorentino named new assistant coach at Bentley

Bentley has announced the hiring of Tom Fiorentino as an assistant coach on the men’s hockey staff. Fiorentino spent the previous five seasons as an assistant coach at Hobart from 2018 to 2023, helping lead the Statesmen to the 2023 NCAA Division III national championship and an overall record of 29-2-0. “Tom has established himself … Read more