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 Frank L. Messa Rink at Achilles Center 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.
| Union Garnet Chargers men's ice hockey | |
|---|---|
 Current season | |
 | |
| University | Union College |
| Conference | ECAC Hockey |
| First season | 1903–04 |
| Head coach | Josh Hauge[1] 3rd season, 30–37–5 (.451) |
| Assistant coaches | John Ronan Lennie Childs Bryan McDonald |
| Arena | Frank L. Messa Rink at Achilles Center Schenectady, New York |
| Student section | The U Crew |
| Colors | Union garnet and white[2] |
| NCAA Tournament championships | |
| Division I: 2014 | |
| NCAA Tournament Frozen Four | |
| Division I: 2012, 2014 Division III: 1984, 1985 | |
| NCAA Tournament appearances | |
| Division I: 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2017 Division III: 1984, 1985, 1986, 1989 | |
| Conference Tournament championships | |
| Division I: (ECAC Hockey): 2012, 2013, 2014 Division III: (ECAC West): 1985 | |
| Conference regular season championships | |
| Division I: (ECAC Hockey): 2010–11, 2011–12, 2013–14, 2016–17 Division II: (ECAC 2): 1976–77 | |
| Current uniform | |
 | |
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 1904–1911, varsity hockey from 1919–1949 (from 1943–1948 there was a hiatus from play due to WW II), NCAA Division III hockey from 1975–1990 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 2023, the college changed the school's athletic nickname from "Dutchmen" and "Dutchwomen" to "Garnet Chargers" as part of a branding update.[5] 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."[5]
Season-by-season results
Source:[6]
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 2, 2023.[7]
| No. | S/P/C | Player | Class | Pos | Height | Weight | DoB | Hometown | Previous team | NHL rights |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 |  | D. J. Hart | Freshman | D | 6' 3" (1.91 m) | 210 lb (95 kg) | 2002-02-23 | Stamford, Connecticut | Lincoln (USHL) | — |
| 3 |  | Cal Mell | Sophomore | D | 5' 11" (1.8 m) | 180 lb (82 kg) | 2011-01-30 | Alpharetta, Georgia | Janesville (NAHL) | — |
| 4 |  | Josh Phillips | Junior | D | 6' 2" (1.88 m) | 190 lb (86 kg) | 2001-05-24 | Getzville, New York | Minnesota Wilderness (NAHL) | — |
| 5 |  | Joey Potter | Freshman | D | 5' 11" (1.8 m) | 185 lb (84 kg) | 2003-05-09 | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | Fairbanks (NAHL) | — |
| 6 |  | Cullen Ferguson | Junior | D | 6' 0" (1.83 m) | 185 lb (84 kg) | 2001-02-16 | Binbrook, Ontario | Aberdeen (NAHL) | — |
| 7 |  | Nick Young | Sophomore | D | 6' 3" (1.91 m) | 215 lb (98 kg) | 2001-09-12 | Raleigh, North Carolina | St. Cloud (NAHL) | — |
| 8 |  | Chaz Smedsrud | Senior | F | 6' 2" (1.88 m) | 195 lb (88 kg) | 1998-06-04 | Luverne, Minnesota | Madison (USHL) | — |
| 9 | | Thomas Richter | Junior | F | 6' 1" (1.85 m) | 175 lb (79 kg) | 2000-06-06 | Greenwich, Connecticut | Penticton (BCHL) | — |
| 10 | | Ethan Benz | Sophomore | F | 6' 1" (1.85 m) | 190 lb (86 kg) | 2001-03-29 | Shakopee, Minnesota | St. Cloud (NAHL) | — |
| 11 |  | Colby MacArthur | Sophomore | F | 6' 3" (1.91 m) | 185 lb (84 kg) | 2001-11-02 | Summerside, Prince Edward Island | Summerside (MHL) | — |
| 12 |  | Carter Korpi | Sophomore | F | 6' 0" (1.83 m) | 185 lb (84 kg) | 2001-07-28 | South Lyon, Michigan | Wichita Falls (NAHL) | — |
| 13 | | Tyler Watkins | Senior | F | 5' 9" (1.75 m) | 175 lb (79 kg) | 1999-12-19 | Hermantown, Minnesota | Minnesota Wilderness (NAHL) | — |
| 14 |  | Brandon Buhr | Sophomore | F | 6' 2" (1.88 m) | 200 lb (91 kg) | 2002-07-07 | North Vancouver, British Columbia | Alberni Valley (BCHL) | — |
| 15 | | Josh Nixon | Junior | F | 5' 9" (1.75 m) | 175 lb (79 kg) | 2000-05-09 | Mississauga, Ontario | Lake Superior State (CCHA) | — |
| 17 |  | Cole Kodsi | Junior | F | 6' 2" (1.88 m) | 200 lb (91 kg) | 2000-06-17 | Delray Beach, Florida | Bentley (AHA) | — |
| 18 |  | Ville Immonen | Senior | F | 6' 2" (1.88 m) | 200 lb (91 kg) | 1999-06-18 | Seinäjoki, Finland | Minot (NAHL) | — |
| 19 | | Liam Robertson | Senior | F | 6' 2" (1.88 m) | 170 lb (77 kg) | 2000-05-14 | Courtice, Ontario | Youngstown (USHL) | — |
| 20 | | Eli Pilosof | Freshman | F | 5' 10" (1.78 m) | 180 lb (82 kg) | 2002-06-10 | Toronto, Ontario | Pickering (OJHL) | — |
| 21 |  | John Prokop | Sophomore | D | 6' 3" (1.91 m) | 185 lb (84 kg) | 2001-05-13 | Wausau, Wisconsin | Des Moines (USHL) | — |
| 22 | | Jacob Jeannette | Freshman | F | 6' 1" (1.85 m) | 200 lb (91 kg) | 2002-12-13 | Duluth, Minnesota | Tri-City (USHL) | — |
| 23 | | Joseph Messina | Freshman | D | 5' 9" (1.75 m) | 185 lb (84 kg) | 2002-02-01 | Woodbridge, Ontario | Langley (BCHL) | — |
| 24 | | Nate Hanley | Sophomore | F | 5' 11" (1.8 m) | 185 lb (84 kg) | 2002-05-30 | Rocky Point, New York | Cedar Rapids (USHL) | — |
| 26 | | Nathan Kelly | Senior | D | 6' 0" (1.83 m) | 185 lb (84 kg) | 2000-11-22 | South Delta, British Columbia | Chilliwack (BCHL) | — |
| 27 | | Ben Tupker (C) | Senior | F | 6' 3" (1.91 m) | 215 lb (98 kg) | 1999-12-23 | Collingwood, Ontario | Cornell (ECAC) | — |
| 28 |  | Caden Villegas | Junior | F | 5' 8" (1.73 m) | 167 lb (76 kg) | 2001-02-19 | Plano, Texas | Tri-City (USHL) | — |
| 30 | | Aksel Reid | Freshman | G | 6' 1" (1.85 m) | 185 lb (84 kg) | 2003-08-05 | Minneapolis, Minnesota | Springfield (NAHL) | — |
| 35 |  | Joe Sharib | Junior | G | 5' 11" (1.8 m) | 170 lb (77 kg) | 2001-08-16 | Natick, Massachusetts | Connecticut (NCDC) | — |
| 36 |  | Kyle Chauvette | Sophomore | G | 6' 1" (1.85 m) | 170 lb (77 kg) | 2001-10-05 | Goffstown, New Hampshire | Youngstown (USHL) | — |
Awards & honors
As of April 2017[8]
Historic records
Records vs. Current ECAC Hockey Teams
As of the completion of the 2018–19 season
| School | Team | Away Arena | Overall record | Win % | Last Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brown University | Bears | Meehan Auditorium | 23–25–14 | .484 | 2–3 L |
| Clarkson University | Golden Knights | Cheel Arena | 27–33–5 | .454 | 1–5 L |
| Colgate University | Raiders | Class of 1965 Arena | 29–44–4 | .403 | 4–0 W |
| Cornell University | Big Red | Lynah Rink | 22–43–9 | .358 | 2–4 L |
| Dartmouth College | Big Green | Thompson Arena | 31–26–7 | .539 | 4–3 W (OT) |
| Harvard University | Crimson | Bright-Landry Hockey Center | 17–34–6 | .351 | 4–3 W |
| Princeton University | Tigers | Hobey Baker Memorial Rink | 36–25–7 | .581 | 3–2 W |
| Quinnipiac University | Bobcats | People's United Center | 17–18–5 | .488 | 1–1 T |
| Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute | Engineers | Houster Field House | 40–53–11 | .438 | 0–0 T |
| St. Lawrence University | Saints | Appleton Arena | 29–38–3 | .436 | 4–3 W |
| Yale University | Bulldogs | Ingalls Rink | 27–27–5 | .500 | 4–3 W (OT) |
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
Head coaches
All-time coaching records
As of completion of the 2023–24 season[8]
| Tenure | Coach | Years | Record | Pct. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022–Present | Josh Hauge | 2 | 30–37–5 | .451 |
| 2022 | John Ronan | 1‡ | 8–8–1 | .500 |
| 2011–2022 | Rick Bennett | 10‡ | 192–133–45 | .580 |
| 2003–2011 | Nate Leaman | 8 | 138–127–35 | .518 |
| 1998–2003 | Kevin Sneddon | 5 | 50–99–18 | .353 |
| 1996–1998 | Stan Moore | 2 | 24–35–7 | .417 |
| 1988–1996 | Bruce Delventhal | 8 | 89–111–21 | .450 |
| 1978–1988 | Charles Morrison | 10 | 123–147–9 | .457 |
| 1978 | Bob Driscoll | 1† | 0–13–0 | .000 |
| 1975–1977 | Ned Harkness | 3† | 45–8–2 | .836 |
| 1936–1939 | Duke Nelson | 3 | 3–11–2 | .250 |
| 1935–1936, 1939–1942, 1947–1949 | Arthur C. Lawrence | 6 | 10–30–2 | .262 |
| 1933–1935 | H. L. Achilles | 2 | 4–7–0 | .364 |
| 1930–1933 | William Harkness | 3 | 4–8–1 | .346 |
| 1925–1930 | H. A. Larabee | 5 | 9–14–3 | .404 |
| 1924–1925 | Henry Gardner | 1 | 1–3–0 | .250 |
| 1919–1924 | Ambrose Clark | 4 | 7–10–0 | .412 |
| 1903–1904, 1905–1911 | No Coach | 7 | 6–7–1 | .464 |
| Totals | 17 coaches | 82 Seasons | 743–808–151 | .481 |
† 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 May 26, 2023.
| = NHL All-Star team | = NHL All-Star[10] | = NHL All-Star[10] 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–present | 117 | 0 |
| Nick DeSimone | Defenseman | CGY | 2022-Present | 12 | 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 | 538 | 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–present | 169 | 0 |
| Mike Vecchione | Center | PHI, WSH | 2016–2022 | 3 | 0 |
| Jeremy Welsh | Defenseman | CAR, VAN, STL | 2011–2016 | 27 | 0 |
Source:[11]