The Union Garnet Chargers ice hockey team is a

National Collegiate Athletic Association The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. It also organizes the athletic programs of colleges an ...

(NCAA) Division I men's

college ice hockey College ice hockey is played principally in the United States and Canada, though leagues exist outside North America. In the United States, competitive "college hockey" refers to ice hockey played between colleges and universities within the g ...

program that represents

Union College Union College is a private liberal arts college in Schenectady, New York. Founded in 1795, it was the first institution of higher learning chartered by the New York State Board of Regents, and second in the state of New York, after Columbia Co ...

. The Garnet Chargers are a member of

ECAC Hockey ECAC Hockey is one of the six conferences that compete in NCAA Division I ice hockey. The conference used to be affiliated with the Eastern College Athletic Conference, a consortium of over 300 colleges in the eastern United States. This relati ...

. They play at the Frank L. Messa Rink at Achilles Center in

Schenectady, New York Schenectady () is a city in Schenectady County, New York, United States, of which it is the county seat. As of the 2020 census, the city's population of 67,047 made it the state's ninth-largest city by population. The city is in eastern New Y ...

. 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 The Minnesota Golden Gophers (commonly shortened to Gophers) are the college sports teams of the University of Minnesota. The university fields a total of 25 (12 men's, 13 women's) teams in both men's and women's sports and competes in the Big Te ...

7–4.

Program history

The hockey team was founded in 1904 making it the 7th oldest college program playing in NCAA Division I 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. 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."

Season-by-season results

Source:

Championships

NCAA National Championships

ECAC Hockey Tournament championships (Whitelaw Cup)

Runners-up in 2010

ECAC Hockey Regular season Championships (Cleary Cup)

† Shared with Harvard

Players

Current roster

As of August 2, 2023.

Awards & honors

As of April 2017

Hobey Baker Memorial Award The Hobey Baker Award is an annual award given to the top National Collegiate Athletic Association men's ice hockey player. It has been awarded 41 times. It is named for Hall of Famer Hobey Baker, who played college hockey at Princeton University ...

Mike Vecchione Michael Vecchione (born February 25, 1993) is an American professional ice hockey Center (ice hockey), center who is currently playing for the Hershey Bears of the American Hockey League (AHL) while under contract to the Washington Capitals of ...

- Hat Trick Finalist, F: 2017 *

Troy Grosenick Troy Grosenick ( ; born August 27, 1989) is an American ice hockey professional goaltender currently playing for the Lehigh Valley Phantoms of the American Hockey League (AHL), while under contract to the Philadelphia Flyers The Philadelphia ...

- Top 10 Finalist, G: 2012 *

Shayne Gostisbehere Shayne Gostisbehere ( ; born April 20, 1993) is an American professional ice hockey defenceman for the Arizona Coyotes of the National Hockey League (NHL). Between 2014 and 2021, he played in the NHL for the Philadelphia Flyers. Gostisbehere is ...

- Top 10 Finalist, D: 2014 * Daniel Ciampini - Top 10 Finalist, F: 2015 * Spencer Foo - Top 10 Finalist, F: 2017

Spencer Penrose Award The Spencer Penrose Award is awarded yearly to the top coach in NCAA Division I men's ice hockey by the American Hockey Coaches Association. The finalists for each year's award comprise the conference Coach of the Year winners from each Division ...

- AHCA Coach of the Year *

Nate Leaman Nate Leaman (born November 27, 1972) is an American ice hockey coach. He is currently the head coach for Providence. He was previously head coach at Union. Career Leaman grew up in Centerville, Ohio Centerville is a city in Montgomery County ...

: 2011 *

Rick Bennett Eric John "Rick" Bennett (born July 24, 1967) is an American former ice hockey left winger and head coach of the Savannah Ghost Pirates. He is the former head coach of the Union Garnet Chargers men's ice hockey team of Union College, where he c ...

: 2014 USCHO Coach of the Year *

: 2014 College Hockey News Coach of the Year *

: 2014 NCAA Frozen Four Most Outstanding Player *

, D: 2014 NCAA Frozen Four All-Tournament Team * Matt Bodie, D: 2014 * Daniel Ciampini, F: 2014 *

, D: 2014 * Colin Stevens, G: 2014 NCAA East Regional Most Outstanding Player *Max Novak, F: 2014 *

Jeremy Welsh Jeremy Welsh (born April 30, 1988) is a Canadian professional ice hockey Centre (ice hockey), centre currently playing under contract with UK Elite Ice Hockey League (EIHL) side Nottingham Panthers. Welsh was most recently with KS Cracovia (ice ho ...

, F: 2014 Tim Taylor Award - ECAC Hockey Coach of the Year *Bruce Delventhal: 1994 *Stan Moore: 1997 *

: 2010, 2011 *

: 2012, 2017 ECAC Hockey Player of the Year *

, D: 2013 (co-recipient) *

, F: 2017

Ken Dryden Award The Ken Dryden Award is an annual award given out at the conclusion of the ECAC Hockey regular season to the best goaltender in the conference as voted by the coaches of each ECAC team. The Ken Dryden Award was first awarded in 1996 and every year ...

- ECAC Hockey Goaltender of the Year *

Trevor Koenig Trevor Koenig (born 10 December 1974) is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender. He last played for the Dundee Stars in the UK Elite Ice Hockey League. Koenig was born in Edmonton, Alberta. Koenig currently coaches the Mighty Bulls' U7 a ...

, G: 1997 *

Keith Kinkaid Keith Patrick Kinkaid (born July 4, 1989) is an American professional ice hockey goaltender for the Providence Bruins in the American Hockey League (AHL) while under contract to the Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League (NHL). Playing care ...

, G: 2011 *

, G: 2012 * Colin Stevens, G: 2014 ECAC Hockey Best Defensive Defenseman *Andrew Will, D: 1997 (co-recipient) *Brock Matheson, D: 2011 *

, D: 2014 ECAC Hockey Best Defensive Forward *Adam Presizniuk, F: 2011 *

Kelly Zajac Kelly Zajac (born June 6, 1988) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He played for the Union Dutchmen in the NCAA Men's Division I ECAC Hockey conference and in the American Hockey League for the Albany Devils, Manitoba Moose and ...

, F: 2012 ECAC Hockey Student Athlete of the Year *Oliver Bouchard: 2007 *Matt Cook: 2009 *Stephane Boileau: 2011 *Josh Kosack: 2022 ECAC Hockey Tournament Most Outstanding Player *

, F: 2012 *

, G: 2013 * Daniel Carr, F: 2014 ECAC Hockey All-Tournament Team *Mike Schreiber, D: 2010 * Daniel Carr, F: 2012, 2013, 2014 *

, D: 2012 *

, G: 2012, 2013 *

, F: 2012 * Greg Coburn, D: 2013 *Max Novak, F: 2013 * Matt Bodie, D: 2014 *

, D: 2014 * Colin Stevens, G: 2014 *

, F: 2014 AHCA First Team All-Americans (DI) - East *1995-96:

, G *2010-11:

, G *2011-12:

, G *2013-14: Matt Bodie, D;

, D *2014-15: Daniel Ciampini, F *2016-17:

, F; Spencer Foo, F AHCA Second Team All-Americans (DI) - East *2011-12: Matt Bodie, D;

, F *2012-13:

, D *2013-14: Daniel Carr, F; Colin Stevens, G AHCA Second Team All-Americans (DIII) - East *1985-86: Wayne McDougall, G *1999-89: Ron Kinghorn, G *1989-90:

Terry Campbell Terry Campbell (born July 1, 1968) is a Canadians, Canadian-born Germans, German former professional ice hockey player. Prior to turning professional, Campbell attended Union College where he played three seasons (1987–1991) of college hockey ...

, F Academic All-American Second Team *2009-10: Stephane Boileau *2013-14: Cole Ikkala Academic All-American Third Team *2011-12:

*2012-13:

*2013-14: Matt Bodie *2016-17:

Union College Athletics Hall of Fame *Wayne McDougall, G: 2005 * Steve Baker, G: 2007 *Gil Egan, F: 2008 *Craig Ferrero, F: 2009 *Tod Fobare, F: 2010 *

, F: 2015 *Charlie Morrison, Head Coach: 2015 *1983-84 Men's Hockey Team: 2015 *Dalton Menhall: 2017 *Jack Rankin: 2019

Historic records

Records vs. Current ECAC Hockey Teams

As of the completion of the 2018–19 season

In-season tournaments

As of April 2017

Program records

Individual – career

*Most goals in a career: Gil Egan, 83, (1981–85) *Most points in a career:

, 176, (2013–17) *Most assists in a career:

, 119, (1987–91) *Most power play goals in a career: Daniel Carr, 34, (2010–14) *Most game winning goals in a career: Wayne Simpson, 16, (2009–13) *Most shots in a career: Wayne Simpson, 447, (2009–13) *Most wins in a career: Kris Mayotte, 46, (2002–06) *Best goals-against-average in a career:

, 1.89, (2010–13) *Most saves in a career: Brandon Snee, 3,085, (1998–02) *Best save percentage in a career:

, .930, (2010–13)

Individual – season

*Most goals in a season:

, 29, (2016–17) *Most points in a season:

, 63, (2016–17) *Most assists in a season: Spencer Foo, 36, (2016–17) *Most power play goals in a season: Daniel Carr, 12, (2010–11) *Most game winning goals in a season: Max Novak, 8, (2013–14) *Most shots in a season:

, 159, (2013–14) *Most wins in a season: Colin Stevens, 28, (2013–14) *Best goals-against-average in a season:

, 1.65, (2011–12) *Most saves in a career: Kris Mayotte, 987, (2005–06) *Best save percentage in a career:

, .936, (2011–12)

Team – game

*Most goals in a game: 11 vs. Clarkson (2/5/10) *Most goals allowed in a game: 10 vs. Penn State (3/25/17) *Most goals combined in a game: 15 vs. Clarkson (11/13/93) & Merrimack (11/1/91) *Most shots taken in a game: 75 vs. Quinnipiac (3/12/10) *Most shots allowed in a game: 63 vs. Bemidji State (10/26/02) *Fewest shots taken in a game: 13 (5x) last time vs. Cornell (11/18/05) *Fewest shots allowed in a game: 9 vs. Cornell (2/11/11) *Most penalties in a game: 27 vs. Cornell (12/4/98) *Most penalty minutes in a game: 116 vs. Cornell (12/4/98) *Longest game: 150:22 in 5 OTs lasting 5 hrs., 56 minutes vs. Quinnipiac (3/12/10)

Team – season

*Most wins in a season: 32 (2013–14) *Most conference wins in a season: 18 (2013–14) ECAC Hockey *Most consecutive wins in a season: 12 (2013–14) *Longest unbeaten streak in a season: 17 (2013–14)

Head coaches

All-time coaching records

As of completion of the 2022–23 season † 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. File:Josh Jooris 141021.PNG, Josh Jooris File:Keith Kinkaid New Jersey Devils.jpg,

File:Jeremy Welsh Canucks.jpg,