The UConn Huskies men's ice hockey team is a

National Collegiate Athletic Association The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates College athletics in the United States, student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, and Simon Fraser University, 1 in Canada. ...

(NCAA) Division I

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 go ...

program that represents the

University of Connecticut The University of Connecticut (UConn) is a public land-grant research university system with its main campus in Storrs, Connecticut, United States. It was founded in 1881 as the Storrs Agricultural School, named after two benefactors. In 1893, ...

. The Huskies are a member of the

Hockey East The Hockey East Association, also known as Hockey East, is a college ice hockey conference which operates entirely in New England. It participates in the NCAA's Division I as a hockey-only conference. Hockey East came into existence in 1984 for ...

conference. The Huskies play in the on-campus

Toscano Family Ice Forum The Toscano Family Ice Forum is an ice hockey arena on the main campus of the University of Connecticut in Storrs, Connecticut. The arena opened in January 2023 and has a capacity of 2,600 spectators. History Despite being an NCAA Division I sch ...

, having moved from the

PeoplesBank Arena The PeoplesBank Arena, (originally known as the Hartford Civic Center and formerly as the XL Center) is a multi-purpose arena and convention center located in downtown Hartford, Connecticut. Owned by the City of Hartford, it is managed by the qu ...

Hartford, Connecticut Hartford is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The city, located in Hartford County, Connecticut, Hartford County, had a population of 121,054 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 ce ...

during the 2022–23 season.

History

The Huskies men's ice hockey program began in 1960 under head coach John Chapman. UConn began NCAA competition at the

NCAA Division III NCAA Division III (D-III) is the lowest division of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in the United States. D-III consists of athletic programs at colleges and universities that do not offer athletic scholarships to student- ...

level in the

ECAC East New England Hockey Conference (formerly the ECAC East) is a college athletic conference which operates in the northeastern United States. It participates in the NCAA's Division III as a hockey-only conference. __TOC__ History The New England ...

. Prior to 1998, the Huskies played all home games outdoors at a partially enclosed rink on-campus near Memorial Stadium. The UConn Hockey Rink had a roof but was open on the sides. However, in preparation for the upgrade to Division I, the University built the

Mark Edward Freitas Ice Forum Mark Edward Freitas Ice Forum was a 2,000-seat hockey rink in Storrs, Connecticut. It was the longtime home arena and recent practice facility for the University of Connecticut women's and men's college ice hockey teams. Freitas Ice Forum ope ...

. Construction began in 1996, and the first indoor home game for UConn was on November 7, 1998. The move to

NCAA Division I NCAA Division I (D-I) is the highest division of intercollegiate athletics sanctioned by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in the United States, which accepts players globally. D-I schools include the major collegiate athlet ...

status allowed the team to join other Husky athletic programs. In 1998 they joined the

Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference The Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC, ) is a collegiate List of NCAA conferences, athletic conference affiliated with NCAA Division I. Its current 13 full members are located in five Northeastern states: Connecticut, Maryland, Massachuse ...

, after previously playing for 38 years in the Division III ECAC East. At the time, head coach Bruce Marshall was in his tenth season at the position. In its 2nd season in the 2000 MAAC Men's Ice Hockey Tournament, UConn beat Iona 6-1 to win its 1st league championship. However, due to a 2-year probationary period placed on the MAAC for an automatic bid to the NCAA Ice Hockey championship by the league champion, UConn was unable to participate in the NCAA tournament that year. It has been the only championship UConn has won since moving to Division I. But when the athletic department was forced to remove all athletic scholarships from the sport in order to comply with Title IX, and the Huskies consistently finished in the bottom few spots of the national computer rankings before the most recent season. In 2003, the MAAC formed a new league called

Atlantic Hockey The Atlantic Hockey Association (AHA) was an NCAA Men's Division I Ice Hockey conference which operates primarily in the northeastern United States. It participated in the NCAA's Division I as an ice hockey-only conference. Unlike several other ...

. In June 2010, the University announced that the team would face

Sacred Heart The Most Sacred Heart of Jesus () is one of the most widely practised and well-known Catholic devotions, wherein the heart of Jesus Christ is viewed as a symbol of "God's boundless and passionate love for mankind". This devotion to Christ is p ...

Rentschler Field Rentschler Field was an airport in East Hartford, Connecticut in use from 1933 to 1999. Originally a military facility, later a private corporate airport, it was decommissioned in 1999, after which the football stadium of the same name was bui ...

East Hartford East Hartford is a town in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 51,045 at the 2020 census. The town is located on the east bank of the Connecticut River, directly across from Hartford. It is home to aerospace manufactu ...

on February 13, 2011, as part of a doubleheader also featuring a game between the

women's team A woman is an adult female human. Before adulthood, a female child or adolescent is referred to as a girl. Typically, women are of the female sex and inherit a pair of X chromosomes, one from each parent, and women with functional uteruses ...

and the

Providence Friars The Providence Friars are the College sports in the United States, intercollegiate athletic teams that represent Providence College, located in Providence, Rhode Island. They compete in the Big East Conference (NCAA Division I) for every sport exc ...

. The Huskies won this game 3-1, in front of 1,711 fans. The Huskies also played their first ever game at the

XL Center The PeoplesBank Arena, (originally known as the Hartford Civic Center and formerly as the XL Center) is a multi-purpose arena and convention center located in downtown Hartford, Connecticut. Owned by the City of Hartford, it is managed by the qu ...

in downtown

Hartford Hartford is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The city, located in Hartford County, Connecticut, Hartford County, had a population of 121,054 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 ce ...

that year, though this was not originally scheduled. Due to heavy snow accumulation on the Freitas roof, the team's February 5 game against

Army An army, ground force or land force is an armed force that fights primarily on land. In the broadest sense, it is the land-based military branch, service branch or armed service of a nation or country. It may also include aviation assets by ...

was moved to the off-camps arena, also home to the Connecticut Whale of the

American Hockey League The American Hockey League (AHL) is a professional ice hockey league in North America that serves as the primary developmental league of the National Hockey League (NHL). The league comprises 32 teams, with 26 in the United States and 6 in Cana ...

. In spite of free admission, only 891 fans turned up on short notice to watch the Huskies lose 5-3. As a whole, the 2010-11 season was also a major improvement for the Huskies, who advance to the Atlantic Hockey Tournament semifinals at

Blue Cross Arena Blue Cross Arena, also known as the War Memorial, is a multi-purpose indoor arena located in Rochester, New York. For hockey and lacrosse, its seating capacity is 10,662. The arena opened on October 18, 1955, as the Rochester Community War Memor ...

before being eliminated. They finished with a final record of 16-18-4. One of the major factors in the turnaround was the young recruits the Huskies had signed. Freshman

Cole Schneider Cole Schneider (born August 26, 1990) is an Americans, American professional ice hockey player who is currently under contract with Storhamar Ishockey of the EliteHockey Ligaen (EHL). After leaving the Connecticut Huskies men's ice hockey, Univer ...

led the team with 32 points, while sophomore Sean Ambrosie finished second with 29. Meanwhile, sophomore Garrett Bartus set a school record with 1,085 saves. The 2011-12 AHA preseason rankings reflected the newly gained reputation, with the Huskies ranked fifth out of twelve teams. The Huskies posted a winning record once again in the 2012-13 season. On June 21, 2012, UConn announced the program would join

as the conference's 12th member beginning in the 2014-15 season. Prior to the move into Hockey East, on January 7, 2013, head coach

Bruce Marshall Bruce Marshall may refer ro: * Bruce Marshall (writer), Scottish writer * Bruce Marshall (ice hockey), NCAA ice hockey coach * Bruce Marshall (taxonomist), New Zealand taxonomist * Bruce D. Marshall, American Catholic theologian {{Hndis, name=Mars ...

resigned after 25 years and was replaced in interim by Asst. Dave Berard. The season ended with a record of 17-13-4. The team finished 4th in the AHA, drawing a crowd of 1438 for their final home game of the season against Sacred Heart. As part of the move from Atlantic Hockey to Hockey East, the university added 18 scholarships for the men's ice hockey team and additional scholarships to existing women's sports programs to meet

Title IX Title IX is a landmark federal civil rights law in the United States that was enacted as part (Title IX) of the Education Amendments of 1972. It prohibits sex-based discrimination in any school or any other education program that receiv ...

gender equity requirements. The university also investigated options to significantly renovate the Freitas Ice Forum, which has a seating capacity around 2,000 fans, and mostly consists of metal bleachers; or build a new, larger ice arena on-campus. As a new member of Hockey East, the team played home games at the 15,635-seat former NHL arena, the

in downtown

, with other select (home) games at the

Webster Bank Arena Total Mortgage Arena (formerly The Arena at Harbor Yard and Webster Bank Arena) is a 10,000-seat multi-purpose arena in downtown Bridgeport, Connecticut, United States. It is the home venue of the Bridgeport Islanders of the American Hockey Lea ...

Bridgeport Bridgeport is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Connecticut and the fifth-most populous city in New England, with a population of 148,654 in 2020. Located in eastern Fairfield County at the mouth of the Pequonnock River on Long Is ...

. A study by the university projected a cost around $20,000 a game to play at the XL Center. Head coach Mike Cavanaugh, who spent 18 seasons as an assistant at Boston College, was hired to guide UConn into their new era of scholarship hockey in the Hockey East. He coached Uconn's final season (2013–14) in

to a record of 18-14-4, with wins over future Hockey East opponents Providence and UMass, while playing to a 2-2 tie with eventual 2014 NCAA Champ Union . UConn made a successful transition to Hockey East in 2014-15 as they finished in the top 10 nationally in home attendance (5,396) while also leading their new conference . They were also competitive on the ice as their transition year resulted in 4 wins over top 20 teams while gaining ties with national championship game finalists Providence and Boston University. Starting in the 2015-16 season, all home games were played at the XL Center, which drew a much better attendance per game (5,879) than those at the Webster Bank Arena (2,900) in which UConn appeared during the 2014-15 season. Groundbreaking took place on May 22, 2021 to start construction for UConn's new $48 million ice hockey rink at the Storrs campus, for an opening in fall 2022. The 2,600-seat Toscano Family Ice Forum opened in January 2023 adjacent to the current Freitas Ice Forum in the Athletics District on Jim Calhoun Way. The team facilities also include team lounges; dry locker area and locker rooms with video displays; training space with a hydrotherapy area; strength and conditioning room; and other areas such as coaches' offices. The 97,300-square-foot facility meets all NCAA Division I ice hockey requirements and all Hockey East regulations, which the Freitas Ice Forum did not.

Season-by-season results

Source:

Coaching staff

The Huskies are coached by Mike Cavanaugh, the fourth head coach in program history.

All-time coaching records

As of completion of 2023–24 season † David Berard served as an interim head coach after Bruce Marshall took a medical leave of absence.

Awards and honors

NCAA

All-Americans

AHCA Second Team All-Americans *2020–21:

Jonny Evans Jonathan Grant Evans (born 3 January 1988) is a Northern Irish former professional Association football, footballer who played as a centre-back. Evans started his career at Manchester United F.C., Manchester United, having progressed throug ...

, F *2021–22: Ryan Tverberg, F *2024–25: Joey Muldowney, F

ECAC East

All-Conference Teams

First Team *1991–92: Chris Potter, D; Bryan Krygier, F *1992–93: Chris Potter, D *1994–95: Bryan Quinn, F *1995–96:

Ryan Equale Ryan Equale (born 22 February 1973) is an American ice hockey coach and retired player. He served as head coach of the Connecticut Whale in the Premier Hockey Federation (PHF) during the 2017–18 and 2018–19 seasons. Playing career Equ ...

, F Second Team *1987–88:

Todd Krygier Todd Andrew Krygier (born October 12, 1965) is an American former professional ice hockey player. He played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Hartford Whalers, Washington Capitals, and Mighty Ducks of Anaheim between 1989 and 1997. Int ...

, F *1989–90: Bryan Krygier, F *1990–91: Bryan Krygier, F *1991–92: Mike Krygier, F *1993–94: D. J. LeBlanc, F *1997–98:

Eric Linkowski The given name Eric, Erich, Erikk, Erik, Erick, Eirik, or Eiríkur is derived from the Old Norse name ''Eiríkr'' (or ''Eríkr'' in Old East Norse due to monophthongization). The first element, ''ei-'' may be derived from the older Proto-Nor ...

, D

MAAC

Individual awards

MAAC Defensive Rookie of the Year * Eric Nelson, D: 2002 MAAC Tournament Most Valuable Player * Marc Senerchia, G:

2000 2000 was designated as the International Year for the Culture of Peace and the World Mathematics, Mathematical Year. Popular culture holds the year 2000 as the first year of the 21st century and the 3rd millennium, because of a tende ...

All-Conference Teams

First Team First team may refer to: Sports * First team (association football), the colloquial name given to the most senior team fielded by a football club * The First Team, the first players known to have played the sport of basketball * First Team All-A ...

*1998–99:

Geoff Angell Geoffrey, Geoffroy, Geoff, etc., may refer to: People * Geoffrey (given name), including a list of people with the name Geoffrey or Geoffroy * Geoffroy (surname), including a list of people with the name * Geoffroy (musician) (born 1987), Canadia ...

, F *2001–02: Mike Boylan, D Second Team *1998–99: Rob Martin, D *2000–01: Michael Goldkind, F Rookie Team *1998–99: Jon Chain, G; Mike Boylan, D *2000–01: Eric Nelson, D *2001–02: Adam Rhein, D

Atlantic Hockey

Individual awards

Player of the Year Several sports leagues honour their best player with an award called Player of the Year. In the United States, this type of award is usually called a Most Valuable Player award. Association football In association football, this award is held on b ...

* Tim Olsen, F: 2004 Best Defensive Forward * Trevor Stewart, C: 2007 Regular Season Goaltending Award * Matt Grogan: 2013 Regular Season Scoring Trophy * Tim Olsen, F: 2004

All-Conference Teams

*2003–04: Eric Nelson, D; Tim Olsen, F *2004–05: Tim Olsen, F *2011–12:

, F Second Team *2006–07: Matt Scherer, F *2007–08: Beau Erickson, G *2008–09: Sean Erickson, D *2011–12: Alex Gerke, D Third Team *2006–07: Sean Erickson, D *2012–13: Matt Grogan, G *2013–14: Brant Harris, F Rookie Team *2003–04: Scott Tomes, G; Matt Scherer, F *2004–05: Brad Smith, G *2005–06: Sean Erickson, D *2009–10: Alex Greke, D *2010–11:

, F

Hockey East

Individual awards

Best Defensive Forward * Jáchym Kondelík: 2022 * Hudson Schandor: 2025

All-Conference Teams

*2021–22: Ryan Tverberg, F Second Team *2015–16:

Maxim Letunov Maxim "Max" Vladimirovich Letunov (; born 20 February 1996) is a Russian professional ice hockey centre who plays for Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). Playing career Letunov was selected 52nd overall in the 2014 N ...

, F *2017–18:

, F *2021–22: Jáchym Kondelík, F *2024–25: Jáchym Kondelík, F; Hudson Schandor, F Third Team *2016–17:

Tage Thompson Tage Nathaniel Thompson (born October 30, 1997) is an American professional ice hockey center and alternate captain for the Buffalo Sabres of the National Hockey League (NHL). Thompson was selected 26th overall by the St. Louis Blues in the 2 ...

, F *2018–19: Karl El-Mir, F *2024–25: Jake Richard, F Rookie Team *2015–16:

, F *2022–23: Matthew Wood, F *2024–25: Callum Tung, G

Statistical leaders

Source:

Career points leaders

Career goaltending leaders

''GP = Games played; Min = Minutes played; GA = Goals against; SO = Shutouts; SV% =

Save percentage Save percentage (often known by such symbols as SV%, SVS%, SVP, PCT) is a statistic in various Goal (sports), goal-scoring sports that track Save (goaltender), saves as a statistic. In ice hockey and lacrosse and association football, it is a sta ...

; GAA =

Goals against average Goals against average (GAA), also known as average goals against (AGA), is a statistic used in field hockey, ice hockey, lacrosse, soccer, and water polo that is the mean of goals allowed per game by a goaltender or goalkeeper (depending on spo ...

'' Minimum 50 Games Statistics current through the start of the 2021-22 season.

Current roster

As of September 24, 2024.

Huskies in the NHL

As of March 3, 2025. Tage Thompson 2017-10-04

Source:

References

External links

* {{Hockey East College ice hockey teams in Connecticut NCAA Division I men's ice hockey teams 1960 establishments in Connecticut Ice hockey clubs established in 1960