The hockey Dogs compete in the Southeastern Collegiate Hockey Conference along with a number of club teams from other SEC schools. The team had its share of ups and downs in its first season, being on the winning side of blowouts against Loyola and finding themselves on the wrong side of a few mismatched games against SEC opponents.
Getting players together for their first season was a long process, but now that word has spread about Bulldog ice hockey, the team has grown a lot and expects to be much more competitive after a character-building 2008 season.
“It’s still early,” notes goaltender and founding member Michael Miller, “but with our new crop of players this year I expect to see a definitive increase in skill level. And I expect to be competitive with every team we play against.”
After seeing what the team had in training camp last weekend, senior wingman Patrick Swartz is hopeful that the strong foundation of veterans will be able to improve with the addition of some talented new players.
“Our incoming freshmen have more responsibility than they realize.” Swartz stated Sunday. “Guys like Corey McCarn from Champaign, Illinois, Andrew Wilson from Newark, Delaware, and Josh Miller from Huntsville, Alabama, are a vital piece of building this program up to a major competitor in the SECHC, and their hard work on the ice and off will be a major part of getting this team from season to season.”
While the team is relatively inexperienced in comparison to other teams in the division, players believe that good coaching and passion will help the Dogs play better than expected this season.
”Our strength for this season will be our determination.” Miller says, “We may not be the best team in the league, but we will never quit. We all love the sport of hockey.”
The biggest weakness for the team is not a lack of talent, but a lack of facilities. Ice time in Tupelo is limited to only games, which means the Ice Dawgs travel a minimum of two hours to practice. Training camp this weekend was in Pelham, AL, and the majority of practices are even farther away in Huntsville, AL.
“Our weakness,” Miller stated Sunday, “just like last year, will be inability to access ice. It’s hard to practice and mesh as a team when we have to drive between two and four hours to practice. But, we love the sport and if there is ice available, we'll play.”
The team certainly has drive, but building chemistry will be the biggest hurdle for the Bulldogs this season, particularly as they try to integrate all the new players. Volunteer head coach Mike Mayhew is a valuable asset to the team, having played professional hockey himself, and he will play a large role in helping the players grow comfortable with each other in a short amount of time.
All costs for the Bulldog Ice Hockey team are taken on by donors and the players, who pay significant dues every season, and all equipment is paid for on an individual basis. The team dreams of one day having local facilities for the Hockey Dogs to play on, but until that happens, the lack of local ice will be the biggest hurdle facing the team. For now, the team relishes the support they get from fellow students, alumni and hockey fans and hope to build a strong program that can be a contender in the SECHC.
The 2009-10 schedule as stands includes 16 games and the SECHC tournament in February, but the team is hoping to add more home games to the schedule if possible.
Oct. 2 Vanderbilt Nashville, TN TBA
Oct. 3 Vanderbilt Nashville, TN TBA
Oct. 16 Georgia Duluth, GA TBA
Oct. 17 Georgia Duluth, GA TBA
Oct. 23 Ole Miss Southaven, MS TBA
Oct. 24 Ole Miss Southaven, MS TBA
Nov. 6 Middle Tennessee State University Franklin, TN TBA
Nov. 7 Middle Tennessee State University Franklin, TN TBA
Nov. 23 Ole Miss Tupelo, MS TBA
Nov. 24 Ole Miss Tupelo, MS TBA
Jan. 8 Arkansas Tupelo, MS TBA
Jan. 9 Arkansas Tupelo, MS TBA
Jan. 22 Life University (DII) Decatur, AL TBA
Jan. 23 Life University (DII) Decatur, AL TBA
Feb. 5 LSU Decatur, AL TBA
Feb. 6 LSU Decatur, AL TBA
Feb. 26 SEHCC Tournament TBA TBA
Feb. 27 SEHCC Tournament TBA TBA
Feb. 28 SEHCC Tournament TBA TBA
