Union Garnet Chargers men's ice hockey
| Union Garnet Chargers men's ice hockey | |
|---|---|
| Current season | |
| University | Union College |
| Conference | ECAC Hockey |
| Governing Body | NCAA Division I |
| First season | 1903–04 |
| Athletic director | Jim McLaughlin |
| Head coach | Josh Hauge[1] 4th season, 49–51–8 (.491) |
| Assistant coaches | John Ronan Mike Zannella Bryan McDonald |
| Arena | M&T Bank Center Schenectady, New York |
| Student section | The U Crew |
| Colors | Union garnet and white[2] |
| NCAA tournament champions | |
| DI: 2014 | |
| NCAA tournament Frozen Four | |
| DI: 2012, 2014 DIII: 1984, 1985 | |
| NCAA tournament appearances | |
| DI: 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2017 DIII: 1984, 1985, 1986, 1989 | |
| Conference tournament champions | |
| ECAC West: 1985 ECAC: 2012, 2013, 2014 | |
| Conference regular season champions | |
| ECAC 2: 1977 ECAC: 2011, 2012, 2014, 2017 | |
| Current uniform | |
The Union Garnet Chargers ice hockey team is a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I men's college ice hockey program that represents Union College. The Garnet Chargers are a member of ECAC Hockey. They play at the new M&T Bank Center by the Mohawk River in Schenectady, New York.[3] The Garnet Chargers (known as the Dutchmen at the time) won the 2014 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey tournament by defeating the Minnesota Golden Gophers 7–4.
Program history
The hockey team was founded in 1904 making it the 7th oldest college program playing in NCAA Division I [4] and provides the school with a long and colorful history in the sport. Men at Union have played hockey in four distinct periods: club hockey from 1904 to 1911, varsity hockey from 1919 to 1949 (from 1943 to 1948 there was a hiatus from play due to WW II), NCAA Division III hockey from 1975 to 1990 and NCAA Division I hockey from 1991–present.
Early history 1904–1911
Union's first game, played on February 3, 1904, was a victory over the Union Classical Institute. Three other games were played that inaugural season including a 1–4 loss to rival Rensselaer. Lacking a rink of its own during that inaugural season, all games were played on the opponent's home ice. The first attempt at creating an on-campus outdoor rink was made by students in 1905 when a plow and scaper was hired to form a level area with earthen banks near what is now Memorial Chapel. The club team's record in known games during those early years was 6–7–1. No collegiate games were played in the 1910 or 1911 seasons because Union's players couldn't afford the costs of travel and opponent game guarantee fees. The club team subsequently disbanded bringing a close to the earliest era of hockey at Union.
Varsity era 1919–1949
Division III era 1975–1990
Division I era 1991–present
In 2012, the team made the school's first NCAA men's ice hockey championship Frozen Four appearance, losing to Ferris State University.
In the 2013–2014 season, the team won the 2014 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey tournament, the first in school history. The team had an overall 32-6-4 record with 12 consecutive wins leading up to the national title win. Junior Shayne Gostisbehere won the Most Outstanding Player of the 2014 Frozen Four, and signed his NHL entry level contract with the Philadelphia Flyers 3 days after the championship.
In 2017, senior Mike Vecchione was named as a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award. Vecchione finished his collegiate career with a school record of 175 points, along with the leading number of all-time assists at 104. He led the D1 league with 21 multiple point games, 17 goals, 4 short handed goals, 4 game winning goals, and a 60.4% faceoff win percentage.[5]
In 2023, the college changed the school's athletic nickname from "Dutchmen" and "Dutchwomen" to "Garnet Chargers" as part of a branding update.[6] Garnet has been the school's official color for 150 years, and the name "chargers" is a reference to "Schenectady's legacy as a leader in electrical technologies."[6]
In the 2023-24 season, the team had the second-best penalty kill in college hockey, at 87.9%.
Season-by-season results
Championships
NCAA National Championships
| Year | Champion | Score | Runner-up | City | Arena | Coach | MOP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Union | 7–4 | Minnesota | Philadelphia, PA | Wells Fargo Center | Rick Bennett | Shayne Gostisbehere |
ECAC Hockey Tournament championships (Whitelaw Cup)
| Year | Champion | Score | Runner-up | City | Arena | Coach | MOP | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Union | 3–1 | Harvard | Atlantic City, NJ | Boardwalk Hall | Rick Bennett | Jeremy Welsh | Lost to Ferris State in NCAA Semifinal |
| 2013 | Union | 3–1 | Brown | Atlantic City, NJ | Boardwalk Hall | Rick Bennett | Troy Grosenick | Lost to Quinnipiac in NCAA East Regional |
| 2014 | Union | 4–2 | Colgate | Lake Placid, NY | Herb Brooks Arena | Rick Bennett | Daniel Carr | Defeated Minnesota in NCAA Championship |
Runners-up in 2010
ECAC Hockey Regular season Championships (Cleary Cup)
| Year | Conference record | Overall record | Coach |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010–11 | 17–3–2 | 26–10–4 | Nate Leaman |
| 2011–12 | 14–4–4 | 26–8–7 | Rick Bennett |
| 2013–14 | 18–3–1 | 32–6–4 | Rick Bennett |
| 2016–17† | 16–4–2 | 25–10–3 | Rick Bennett |
† Shared with Harvard
Players
Current roster
As of August 10, 2025.[7]
| No. | Nat. | Player | Class | Pos | Height | Weight | DoB | Hometown | Previous team | NHL rights |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | D. J. Hart | Junior | D | 6' 3" (1.91 m) | 210 lb (95 kg) | 2002-02-23 | Stamford, Connecticut | Lincoln Stars (USHL) | — | |
| 3 | Cal Mell | Senior | D | 5' 11" (1.8 m) | 180 lb (82 kg) | 2001-01-30 | Alpharetta, Georgia | Janesville Jets (NAHL) | — | |
| 4 | Will Felicio | Sophomore | D | 5' 10" (1.78 m) | 161 lb (73 kg) | 2006-05-19 | Holden, Massachusetts | Michigan (Big Ten) | — | |
| 5 | Carter Rose | Junior | D | 6' 2" (1.88 m) | 195 lb (88 kg) | 2002-08-09 | Brasher Falls, New York | Clarkson (ECAC) | — | |
| 6 | Troy Pelton | Freshman | F | 6' 1" (1.85 m) | 185 lb (84 kg) | 2004-12-06 | Clifton Park, New York | Corpus Christi IceRays (NAHL) | — | |
| 7 | Nick Young (C) | Senior | D | 6' 3" (1.91 m) | 215 lb (98 kg) | 2001-09-12 | Raleigh, North Carolina | St. Cloud Norsemen (NAHL) | — | |
| 8 | Connor Smith | Sophomore | F | 5' 11" (1.8 m) | 172 lb (78 kg) | 2003-06-06 | Hugo, Minnesota | Oklahoma Warriors (NAHL) | — | |
| 9 | Alex Laurenza | Freshman | F | 5' 10" (1.78 m) | 165 lb (75 kg) | 2005-02-24 | Woodbridge, Ontario | Austin Bruins (NAHL) | — | |
| 10 | Ethan Benz | Senior | F | 6' 1" (1.85 m) | 190 lb (86 kg) | 2001-03-29 | Shakopee, Minnesota | St. Cloud Norsemen (NAHL) | — | |
| 11 | Colby MacArthur | Senior | F | 6' 3" (1.91 m) | 185 lb (84 kg) | 2001-11-02 | Summerside, Prince Edward Island | Summerside Western Capitals (MHL) | — | |
| 12 | Carter Korpi | Senior | F | 6' 0" (1.83 m) | 185 lb (84 kg) | 2001-07-28 | South Lyon, Michigan | Wichita Falls Warriors (NAHL) | — | |
| 14 | Brandon Buhr | Senior | F | 6' 2" (1.88 m) | 200 lb (91 kg) | 2002-07-07 | North Vancouver, British Columbia | Alberni Valley Bulldogs (BCHL) | — | |
| 15 | Ollie Chessler | Freshman | D | 5' 11" (1.8 m) | 174 lb (79 kg) | 2004-07-09 | Watertown, Massachusetts | Bismarck Bobcats (NAHL) | — | |
| 16 | Lucas Buzziol | Sophomore | F | 6' 1" (1.85 m) | 194 lb (88 kg) | 2004-04-05 | Mississauga, Ontario | Alberni Valley Bulldogs (BCHL) | — | |
| 17 | Parker Lindauer | Senior | F | 5' 11" (1.8 m) | 172 lb (78 kg) | 2001-05-17 | Madison, Wisconsin | Maine (HEA) | — | |
| 18 | Ben Muthersbaugh | Sophomore | F | 5' 11" (1.8 m) | 187 lb (85 kg) | 2004-02-15 | Gilford, New Hampshire | Cedar Rapids RoughRiders (USHL) | — | |
| 19 | Drew Sutton | Sophomore | F | 5' 10" (1.78 m) | 170 lb (77 kg) | 2003-02-10 | Hortonville, Wisconsin | Oklahoma Warriors (NAHL) | — | |
| 21 | Tyler Dunbar | Junior | D | 6' 1" (1.85 m) | 197 lb (89 kg) | 2003-12-18 | Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan | Colorado College (NCHC) | — | |
| 22 | Jacob Jeannette | Junior | F | 6' 1" (1.85 m) | 200 lb (91 kg) | 2002-12-13 | Duluth, Minnesota | Tri-City Storm (USHL) | — | |
| 24 | Nate Hanley | Senior | F | 5' 11" (1.8 m) | 185 lb (84 kg) | 2002-05-30 | Rocky Point, New York | Cedar Rapids RoughRiders (USHL) | — | |
| 26 | Brendan Miles | Senior | D | 6' 1" (1.85 m) | 180 lb (82 kg) | 2001-12-12 | Farmington Hills, Michigan | Michigan (Big Ten) | — | |
| 27 | Riley Brueck | Sophomore | F | 6' 2" (1.88 m) | 190 lb (86 kg) | 2003-05-07 | Chesterfield, Missouri | Oklahoma Warriors (NAHL) | — | |
| 28 | Étienne Lessard | Freshman | D | 5' 9" (1.75 m) | 168 lb (76 kg) | 2004-03-22 | Blainville, Quebec | Lincoln Stars (USHL) | — | |
| 29 | Brayden Gillespie | Freshman | G | 5' 11" (1.8 m) | 174 lb (79 kg) | 2005-07-23 | Oakville, Ontario | Brampton Steelheads (OHL) | — | |
| 30 | Brendan Holahan | Freshman | G | 6' 2" (1.88 m) | 181 lb (82 kg) | 2004-06-15 | New Canaan, Connecticut | El Paso Rhinos (NAHL) | — | |
| 31 | Cameron Korpi | Sophomore | G | 6' 4" (1.93 m) | 172 lb (78 kg) | 2004-05-26 | South Lyon, Michigan | Michigan (Big Ten) | — | |
| 33 | Luke Buss | Sophomore | F | 5' 10" (1.78 m) | 174 lb (79 kg) | 2003-02-14 | Columbus, Ohio | Wisconsin (Big Ten) | — |
Awards & honors
As of April 2017[8]
Spencer Penrose Award - AHCA Coach of the Year
USCHO Coach of the Year
College Hockey News Coach of the Year
NCAA Frozen Four Most Outstanding Player
NCAA Frozen Four All-Tournament Team
NCAA East Regional Most Outstanding Player
Tim Taylor Award - ECAC Hockey Coach of the Year
ECAC Hockey Player of the Year
Ken Dryden Award - ECAC Hockey Goaltender of the Year
ECAC Hockey Best Defensive Defenseman
ECAC Hockey Best Defensive Forward
ECAC Hockey Student Athlete of the Year
|
ECAC Hockey Tournament Most Outstanding Player
ECAC Hockey All-Tournament Team
AHCA First Team All-Americans (DI) - East
AHCA Second Team All-Americans (DI) - East
AHCA Second Team All-Americans (DIII) - East
Academic All-American Second Team
Academic All-American Third Team
Union College Athletics Hall of Fame[9]
|
Historic records
Records vs. Current ECAC Hockey Teams
As of the completion of the 2023–24 season
| School | Team | Away Arena | Overall record | Win % | Last Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brown University | Bears | Meehan Auditorium | 25–28–15 | .478 | 6-0 W |
| Clarkson University | Golden Knights | Cheel Arena | 30–40–5 | .433 | 5-1 W |
| Colgate University | Raiders | Class of 1965 Arena | 33–49–4 | .407 | 3-4 L |
| Cornell University | Big Red | Lynah Rink | 23–49–10 | .341 | 3-2 W |
| Dartmouth College | Big Green | Thompson Arena | 36–31–7 | .534 | 2-4 L |
| Harvard University | Crimson | Bright-Landry Hockey Center | 20–39–6 | .354 | 6-2 W |
| Princeton University | Tigers | Hobey Baker Memorial Rink | 43–27–9 | .601 | 2-2 SOL |
| Quinnipiac University | Bobcats | People's United Center | 17–26–5 | .406 | 2-6 L |
| Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute | Engineers | Houster Field House | 47–56–12 | .461 | 5-3 W |
| St. Lawrence University | Saints | Appleton Arena | 36–40–5 | .475 | 2-2 SOW |
| Yale University | Bulldogs | Ingalls Rink | 29–35–7 | .451 | 1-3 L |
In-season tournaments
As of April 2017[8]
| Event name | Host city | Season | All-Time Record |
|---|---|---|---|
| Badger Showdown | Madison, WI | 2003–04 | 0–2 |
| Capital District Mayor's Cup | Albany, NY | 2012–13, 2013–14, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2016–17 | 3–2 |
| Brice Alaska Goal Rush | Fairbanks, AK | 2010–11 | 1–1 |
| Catamount Cup | Burlington, VT | 2012–13 | 1–1 |
| Concordia Invitational | Montreal, QE | 1993–94 | 2–0 |
| Dodge Holiday Classic | Providence, RI | 2005–06 | 1–1 |
| Dunkin Donuts Coffee Pot | Providence, RI | 2004–05 | 0–1–1 |
| Frozen Holiday Classic | Bridgeport, CT | 2014–15 | 1–1 |
| Governor's Cup | Albany, NY | 2008–09, 2007–08, 2006–07 | 1–4–1 |
| Ice Breaker Cup | Denver, CO | 1999–00 | 0–2 |
| Icebreaker Invitational | Colorado Springs, CO | 2005–06 | 1–1 |
| J.C. Penney Classic | Orono, ME | 1996–97, 1998–99 | 2–2 |
| Ledyard Bank Classic | Hanover, NH | 2015–16 | 2–0 |
| Mariucci Classic | Minneapolis, MN | 2000–01, 2005–06, 2010–11 | 2–3–1 |
| Omaha Stampede | Omaha, NE | 2008–09 | 1–1 |
| Pete Kelly Cup | Fredericton, NB | 2007–08 | 1–1 |
| Rensselaer Invitational | Troy, NY | 1991–92, 1998–99, 1999–00, 2009–10 | 2–6 |
| Shillelagh tournament | Notre Dame, IN | 2008–09, 2014–15 | 2–2 |
| Sheraton/TD Banknorth Tournament | Burlington, VT | 2006–07 | 1–1 |
| UConn Classic | Storrs, CT | 2009–10 | 1–1 |
Program records
Individual – career
Individual – season
|
Team – game
Team – season
|
Head coaches
All-time coaching records
As of completion of the 2023–24 season[8]
| Tenure | Coach | Years | Record | Pct. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1903–1904, 1905–1911 | No Coach | 7 | 6–7–1 | .464 |
| 1919–1924 | Ambrose Clark | 4 | 7–10–0 | .412 |
| 1924–1925 | Henry Gardner | 1 | 1–3–0 | .250 |
| 1925–1930 | H. A. Larabee | 5 | 9–14–3 | .404 |
| 1930–1933 | William Harkness | 3 | 4–8–1 | .346 |
| 1933–1935 | H. L. Achilles | 2 | 4–7–0 | .364 |
| 1935–1936, 1939–1942, 1947–1949 | Arthur C. Lawrence | 6 | 10–30–2 | .262 |
| 1936–1939 | Duke Nelson | 3 | 3–11–2 | .250 |
| 1975–1977 | Ned Harkness | 3† | 45–8–2 | .836 |
| 1978 | Bob Driscoll | 1† | 0–13–0 | .000 |
| 1978–1988 | Charles Morrison | 10 | 123–147–9 | .457 |
| 1988–1996 | Bruce Delventhal | 8 | 89–111–21 | .450 |
| 1996–1998 | Stan Moore | 2 | 24–35–7 | .417 |
| 1998–2003 | Kevin Sneddon | 5 | 50–99–18 | .353 |
| 2003–2011 | Nate Leaman | 8 | 138–127–35 | .518 |
| 2011–2022 | Rick Bennett | 10‡ | 192–133–45 | .580 |
| 2022 | John Ronan | 1‡ | 8–8–1 | .500 |
| 2022–Present | Josh Hauge | 3 | 49–51–8 | .491 |
| Totals | 17 coaches | 83 Seasons | 762–822–154 | .483 |
† Bob Driscoll coached the final 13 games of the 1977–78 season after Ned Harkness resigned.
‡ Rick Bennett was suspended on January 19, 2022 and John Ronan coached the final 17 games of the season.
Garnet Chargers in the NHL
As of July 1, 2025.[10]
| = NHL All-Star team | = NHL All-Star[11] | = NHL All-Star[11] and NHL All-Star team | = Hall of Famers |
| Player | Position | Team(s) | Years | NHL Games | Stanley Cups |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steve Baker | Goaltender | NYR | 1979–1983 | 4 | 0 |
| Daniel Carr | Left Wing | MTL, VGK, NSH, WSH | 2015–2023 | 117 | 0 |
| Nick DeSimone | Defenseman | CGY, NJD, UTA | 2022–Present | 58 | 0 |
| Spencer Foo | Right Wing | CGY | 2017–2018 | 4 | 0 |
| Mario Giallonardo | Defenseman | COR | 1979–1981 | 23 | 0 |
| Shayne Gostisbehere | Defenseman | PHI, PHO, CAR, DET | 2014–Present | 689 | 0 |
| Collin Graf | Right Wing | SJS | 2023–Present | 40 | 0 |
| Troy Grosenick | Goaltender | SJS, LAK | 2014–2022 | 4 | 0 |
| Josh Jooris | Right Wing | CGY, NYR, ARI, CAR, PIT | 2014–2018 | 213 | 0 |
| Duane Joyce | Defenseman | DAL | 1993–1994 | 3 | 0 |
| Keith Kinkaid | Goaltender | NJD, MTL, NYR, BOS, COL | 2012–2023 | 169 | 0 |
| Sam Morton | Right Wing | CGY | 2024–Present | 1 | 0 |
| Mike Vecchione | Center | PHI, WSH | 2016–2022 | 3 | 0 |
| Jeremy Welsh | Defenseman | CAR, VAN, STL | 2011–2016 | 27 | 0 |
See also
References
- ^ "Men's Ice Hockey Coaches". Union College. Retrieved July 25, 2022.
- ^ "Colors - Communications - Union College". Retrieved September 26, 2014.
- ^ "Quinnipiac makes history in 5 OT hockey game". March 13, 2010.
- ^ "Oldest Hockey Programs". your-college-hockey.com.
- ^ Vecchione, Mike. "2016-17 Men's Ice Hockey Roster". Union College Athletics. Retrieved August 29, 2024.
- ^ a b Singelais, Mark (August 3, 2023). "Union changes nickname to Garnet Chargers". Albany Times Union. Retrieved September 20, 2023.
- ^ "Men's Ice Hockey Roster". Union Garnet Chargers. Retrieved September 21, 2024.
- ^ a b c "2017–18 Union College Men's Ice Hockey Media Guide" (PDF). Union College. Retrieved December 29, 2017.
- ^ "Athletics Hall of Fame". Union College Athletics.
- ^ "Alumni report for Union College". Hockey DB. Retrieved November 17, 2019.
- ^ a b Players are identified as an All-Star if they were selected for the All-Star game at any time in their career.