Students at Colgate University often look forward to gathering in the Class of 1965 Arena, partially sheltered from the cold, to watch our Division I ice hockey teams compete. Hockey season brings friends, popcorn and the anticipation of hearing “Hey Baby” by DJ Ötzi over the loudspeakers after a Colgate goal. But there is another group of students that also calls the rink home and deserves their due recognition: Colgate’s club ice hockey teams.
Colgate’s club ice hockey teams offer a wonderful opportunity for students to improve and showcase their skills on the rink, while also traveling to compete against other schools throughout the region. Both men’s and women’s teams balance structure and flexibility – giving players a serious chance to grow athletically, on the ice and on the road – while maintaining their student-run roots.
The women’s club team schedules games against other local schools without being in a formal league, which allows them to practice, travel and compete on a more flexible schedule. Games are organized by team captains with support of alumni, who have helped forge connections with other schools that have club ice hockey teams.
For the women’s team, close bonds are also forged in the moments between practices and games, especially during travel and away competitions.
Sophomore Josie Rioux, a current member of the women’s team, expressed her pride in being a part of the tight-knit community.
“A lot of our team bonding happens naturally in the locker room and during away game trips,” Rioux said. “One of the best parts of the team is getting to know girls from different grade levels and building friendships with people we might not have met otherwise.”
After practices, some of the players will grab meals together up the hill. This past season, the team traveled to Ithaca, N.Y., to play against Cornell, where moments of shared meals and travel off the ice strengthened bonds between the girls.
Sophomore Tejas Prakash, a member of the men’s team, also spoke highly of his experiences building friendships with teammates on and off the ice.
“Travel is a big part of the season, as we play at least half of our games away at other schools,” Prakash said. “Being able to travel with the team a handful of times has been a great way to build meaningful relationships with my teammates, and the meals after an away game, on the ride back to Colgate, have been some of my favorite moments with the team.”
Practices for club ice hockey are held on a regular basis throughout the academic year, and emphasize building team spirit while developing skills on the ice. Rioux shared what practices usually look like for the women’s team.
“We typically begin each practice with a warmup that includes skating, passing and stationary shooting to get both players and goalies ready,” Rioux said. “After that, our captains usually lead a team meeting where we go over the previous weekend’s game and talk about what’s coming up in the week ahead.”
After their meeting, the team moves into drills that focus on developing technical skills like edge work and stickhandling. In the second half of practice, the team usually holds a scrimmage or some other form of dynamic competition that simulates a real game environment.
The men’s team is part of Division 2 in the Upstate New York Collegiate Hockey League. The division consists of local schools such as SUNY Cortland, Le Moyne College, Hamilton College and Cornell University. Each season, the men’s team faces off against each opposing school twice, with one home and away game. Playoffs are held in varying locations; the team traveled to Buffalo in 2024 and Skaneateles in 2025.
The men’s club finds it necessary to strengthen communication with other schools during the offseason. Junior Dylan Bzdell explained the process of scheduling and organizing games as a club team.
“Over the summer leading up to each season, our captains communicate with the coaches, captains, or leaders of other teams to determine gamedays,” Bzdell said. “For home games, we must schedule ice time and referees with the help of Assistant Director of Recreation Programming, Emma Carlisle-Reske.”
The men’s club ice hockey team won the Division 2 Championship in the 2023-2024 season and advanced to the semifinals last year.
While many participants have earlier experience from playing the sport in high school, these student-run clubs are open to new members of varying skill levels. Rioux concluded by reflecting on the inclusive environment that the women’s club hockey team fosters for new and experienced members alike.
“Whether you’ve played hockey for years or are just interested in trying something new, club hockey is a great way to meet people and be part of a team. It’s also such a fun and easy way to get a PE credit,” Rioux said.
