The University is peppered with world-class athletes, from multi-time national champions to Olympic gold medal winners. In all the sporting events I’ve attended here, however, maybe the most raucous atmosphere I’ve seen outside of John Paul Jones Arena is at a club hockey game.
Although Virginia doesn’t have a varsity hockey team, club hockey provides entertainment and high-level competition. Almost without fail, on autumn weekends, you’ll find Main Street Arena on the Downtown Mall packed with students cheering on their peers and standing room only all around the ice.
The rowdiness was clear last February when the Cavaliers hosted the ACCHL Playoffs — the quest for what they call the Admiral Cup. Virginia squared off against George Washington, a rival they had battled throughout regular season, with a championship berth on the line. The stadium was filled to the brim, and the game didn’t disappoint, with a back-and-forth battle continuing all the way until almost the end of overtime, when a George Washington slap-shot ended Virginia’s season. While the result wasn’t what they hoped for, the atmosphere and game quality beat expectations.
The popularity and success of Virginia Club Hockey is a relatively new phenomenon, however, as they’re on the rise as an organization. The team is markedly improved from where they were just a few years ago. The annual tryouts held this fall were the most competitive ever.
The Cavaliers’ rise has been mirrored in the standings as well, as Virginia finished first in their division last season and second in the league as a whole. They performed admirably in the playoffs as well, advancing all the way to the semifinals before their heartbreaking loss.
While the Cavaliers have made ample progress on the ice, their image as a serious and competitive team is still evolving. Virginia Hockey may in fact be best known for a video that went viral last season of their then-starting goalie chugging a beer on the ice — a bit for which he was ejected. The video sparked debate across the nation, evoking responses from amusement to outrage. While the video meant Virginia Hockey was featured on major sports outlets across the country for a while and portrayed a light-hearted atmosphere, it didn’t show the quality of program they’re becoming.
Looking to this season, the team returns many of its core players from last year. The Cavaliers are led on offense by forward Kevin McCollum, the team’s assistant captain and leading scorer; captain Dan Glavin; and team president Raffi Keuroglian, as well as Jack O’Rourke and assistant captain Roby Williams. Their defense is anchored by 2015 all-freshman team defenseman Nic Tuzinkiewicz. The team has yet to name a starting goalie.
This season looks to be a fun one for Virginia Hockey, and the team has scheduled more games this season than ever before. Sophomore defenseman Ted O’Rourke previewed the upcoming year.
“We lost some great players from last year, but definitely have a lot of the team's core coming back and think we can be even better,” O’Rourke said. “We're all excited to make another run at the title and try to win it on our home ice."
Their opening game is Friday at 9 p.m. against Wake Forest at Main Street Arena on the Downtown Mall. If the atmosphere and success of last season are any indications, it’ll be a must-attend event.
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