Dropping the Puck on a New Opportunity - University of New Hampshire Athletics

By Leah Wyner
Special to UNHWildcats.com

The atmosphere is simply electric for everyone in the Whittemore Center on the night of each season's home opener for the University of New Hampshire men's hockey team. For player or spectator, the feeling one gets when the lights go down and the big screen brightens to show the profile of each Wildcat taking the ice is unlike any other. This feeling, however, is even greater for those who are taking the ice for the first time in a UNH jersey, ready to represent the UNH letters on their uniforms.

The summer before the new season is full of preparation and anticipation because each player is learning how to adjust to life as a college student and also as a Division I athlete. As the Wildcats are set to start the season at the Whittemore Center on Sunday, Oct. 6, in an exhibition game versus Guelph at 5 p.m., see what the six freshmen have to say about their experiences so far as a Wildcat.

Individual game tickets with affordable options that start as low as $9 and a convenient six-ticket flexible miniplan can now be purchased for the season by calling the Whittemore Center Box Office at (603) 862-4000 or by visiting the men's hockey ticket page.

BECOMING A WILDCAT

Nolan McElhaney (Photo by Meghan Murphy)

Deciding on which school to call home is a tough decision for anyone, but the final choice tends to be made with good reasoning. For these six incoming players, two attributes of the school stood out, those being the campus atmosphere and the rich history of the men's hockey program.

Defenseman Nolan McElhaney (Natick, Mass.) puts into words the feelings that drove him to this decision.

"I chose UNH because of the history of the program. I want to be a part of something special at this school and I think the coaching staff will do a great job leading us there. I also believe that this is the best spot for me to play hockey and move on to the next level."

For defenseman Kalle Eriksson (Leksand, Sweden), the UNH tradition stood out to him, even before coming to the United States.

"Before I came to the U.S., I didn't know a lot of college teams but I had heard great things about Hockey East. After my visit here in early December I really got a positive impression of the campus and the coaching staff, and I felt right away that this could be a perfect place for me to develop."

Forward Lucas Herrmann (Lancaster, N.Y), who already had a chance to play with fellow freshman Eriksson on the Madison Capitols, chose UNH for similar reasons.

"I chose UNH because I felt very comfortable during my visit on campus as well as with the coaches and other players. UNH has a historic hockey program and I am looking forward to being a part of it for the next four years."

MEETING THE TEAM

Beginning a new chapter in life is always nerve-wracking, and for these players this next chapter involved meeting a team that would become one of the biggest parts of their lives for the next four years.

Herrmann reflected on what his first thoughts were when meeting the team for the first time.

"Meeting a whole new group of guys is always intimidating but they made it easy and welcomed us with open arms. It's been fun to get to know them. I noticed that they are a close knit group which is awesome for a team."

For Robby Griffin (Burlington, Mass.), this group of players has already made a positive impact on his hockey experience.

"Meeting the team was great. I have already made a few close connections, and have gotten to know everyone so when we get to practices early in the year we already have bonded as a team. It seems special because it's one group. Having everyone come together is huge, that's how you win."

With the anticipation about finally getting to play college hockey already so great, getting to know the guys that he will actually be on the ice with made forward Joe Hankinson (Hopkins, Minn.) that much more excited to step on the ice.

"I had a great experience meeting the team and it made me that much more excited for the season to start. It really seems like it will be a close knit group of guys."

TAKING AN EXTRA STRIDE

Being a student-athlete is a huge commitment and requires constant dedication, and for these Wildcats, this kicked into full gear over the summer, when summer classes were in full swing. Starting school early helped make the big adjustment move more smoothly.

Forward Chase Stevenson (West Kelowna, British Columbia) is appreciative of the chance to start classes early.

"Summer classes were great. As an international student I had to take two classes which made it quite challenging. It has made my transition into my regular schedule easier."

Chase Stevenson (Photo by Meghan Murphy)

Griffin was grateful for the early adjustment as well, saying, "It was nice to get acclimated to the school and its facilities early. Rather than spending my first few weeks here looking for buildings and being a little lost, I got all of that out of the way. Now that I'm here in the fall, I can be much more focused on school, hockey, which is helping me big time."

For Eriksson, being from Sweden meant he not only had to get adjusted to life in college, but life in a new country, after only just coming to America to play juniors.

"Being from Sweden, it has been an adjustment period getting used to the new lifestyle as a student-athlete and taking classes in English. But I am definitely enjoying my time here and am looking forward to the next four years."

LEARNING THE WILDCAT WAYS

With pre-season training now in full swing, these first-year Wildcats are appreciative of the time they've had to learn the ways of their new team in the early months of the school year.

"I really liked getting to know all the boys and learn what the work outs are like and what is expected on a daily basis. I think after the summer session, it allows all of us to be on the same page and hit the ground running in the fall," said Herrmann.

MOMENTS AHEAD

All of the decisions and preparations these six incoming players have made have all been centered around one moment, which is that first time stepping onto the ice at the Whittemore Center as a UNH Wildcat. As they get closer and closer to the puck drop of the season-opener, there is so much to look forward to.

Griffin is not only excited for the chance to play hockey, but to also prove himself academically.

"I'm looking forward to the academic side of it, being able to focus in on a major that I love, which is business, and taking classes that interest me the most. Hockey wise, playing in front of your school, your friends and tons of people is extremely exciting."

Playing in front of such a passionate fan base is something that has McElhaney counting down the days.

"I'm looking forward to playing college hockey in general. It has been a dream of mine for a very long time and I am super excited to get it started. At UNH I'm excited to play in front of the great fan base we have and to put on a good game every single night for our fans."

As these six players gear up for the season, head coach Mike Souza is pleased with how they have handled their new roles as Wildcats.

"They've all done a nice job. There's new responsibilities that come with playing at this level after junior hockey," said Souza. "They are smart hockey players and they've grasped a lot of concepts early on. We've been pleased with all six freshmen; they're right where we hoped they would be."

Despite the unique paths these six incoming players have taken, each one brought them here to Durham. With a rich history to motivate them and new teammates to push them, a future filled with new athletic and academic feats is in store. As the new school year quickly begins, the eagerness to prove themselves and all of the time they have dedicated to getting here is sure to help these Wildcats make the most of their first year here at UNH.

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Players Mentioned

Kalle Eriksson

Robby Griffin

Joe Hankinson

Lucas Herrmann

Nolan McElhaney

Chase Stevenson