ACC Hockey League

The George Washington University Ice Hockey club will join the ACCHL beginning in the 2010 season.

The ACC Hockey League is pleased to announce George Washington University will be joining the league for the 2010-11 season.  The GW Hockey Club has maintained close ties with the ACCHL over the years, regularly playing league teams each season.

Don Martin, ACCHL Commissioner, expressed his enthusiasm at the announcement, “The GW Hockey Program has grown and matured tremendously over the years.  I would like to welcome the GW Colonial players, coaches, fans and alumni into the league.  They play a great brand of quality hockey and have built a strong administrative and management foundation.  Simply put, they are a quality program and are a great addition to the ACCHL.”

GW and Georgetown have built a strong rivalry over the years.  This season, they again play a home-and-home series.  In October, the Colonials won at Kettler Capitals Iceplex 5-1.  On January 15 (10:30PM), Georgetown will attempt to avenge the loss at GW’s home rink, Fort Dupont.   With the addition of GW into the league, this rivalry is sure to grow.  Co-President of the Colonials, Jon Moynihan, explains how GW looks forward to the competition in the league, “The ACCHL provides GW Hockey with an opportunity to further grow as a club. The members of the team are excited to form new rivalries with such elite schools.  We are all particularly excited to be joining a league where we will have the opportunity to play two meaningful games each season with crosstown rival Georgetown.”

The George Washington program has worked hard over the years to elevate the quality of the program, not just on the ice, but also in the front office.  The organization, administration and support of the program greatly impressed the ACCHL schools and leadership.  Taylor Guidon, current GW Hockey Vice President and planned President of next year’s team discussed the opportunity to join the ACCHL, “After an extremely successful season and a half in the BRHC, the opportunity the play in the ACCHL was one that was too good for GW Hockey to pass up.”  Colonials coach, Tim Schliftman, recognizes the contributions of the team’s players, management and supporters, “I am proud of the accomplishments of both our recent alumni and current upperclassmen to bring our program to the point where an elite league such as the ACCHL has invited us to join.”

George Washington Hockey:  http://www.gwu.edu/~hockey

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA – The Men’s Ice Hockey Team at the University of Virginia announced today that it will make a donation to the Stephen Russell Memorial. This donation will be recognized with a check presentation and moment of silence during a pre-game ceremony before their game against North Carolina State University on Friday, November 13, 2009, at the Charlottesville Ice Park on the Downtown Mall. The ceremony will begin at 9:30pm.

The Stephen Russell Memorial was created in July 2009 to honor the passing of North Carolina State University student-athlete Stephen Russell, a goaltender on the NCSU Men’s Ice Hockey Team. The Memorial aims to carry forward his “positive approach to life and hockey” during the annual Canes Cup, recently renamed the Stephen Russell Memorial Tournament.

“Our players were really the impetus behind making this contribution to Stephen’s Memorial. It shows how close the collegiate hockey community is and how much these players care about one another,” said Virginia head coach Tony Fischer. “Our hearts are with the entire NCSU Men’s Ice Hockey Team during what must be a very difficult season.”

For more information on the Stephen Russell Memorial go to: http://www.ncsuhockey.org/SRMemorial.htm

The North Carolina State University Club Hockey Team will be retiring the jersey of Stephen Russell at their home game against UNC on November 6, 2009.

The Wolfpack lost one of their own over the summer, when Russell, a rising senior at NC State University, died on July 4, 2009 at Jordan Lake, NC. “There is a piece of the team that’s missing. Stephen was a special person with a passion for life on and off the ice. In retiring his jersey, we hope to carry his legacy and positive outlook on life forward so he can continue to influence us as a team and as members of the Wolfpack.” said GM/Associate Head Coach David Kurtz when speaking of the planned event.

Stephen’s mother, Kelly Buckley said she is “honored and humbled with how the team has honored the memory of her son. It speaks volumes about the character of the players and coaches, but also makes a strong statement about the caliber of students NC State University produces. The school and the team gave Stephen so much joy. That was the very reason we requested donations be made to the team in his memory.”

Club Hockey at NC State does receive some financial support from the university, but the majority of the operating budget comes from dues, ticket sales, sponsors and donations.

“NC State Hockey is a wonderful representative for the university in terms of its display of integrity and excellence,” said Buckley. “It is my hope that donations in his memory or for the team will continue, supporting the success of a program that played a huge part in my son’s life.”

The #20 jersey will be retired at the Home Opener game against UNC, on November 6, 2009 at the Rec Zone in Raleigh, North Carolina. The ceremony will begin at 9:15 p.m., and the game starts at 9:30 p.m. Admission is $5.00 at the door for adults, $3.00 for children and students.

NC State Club Hockey has been active since 1978 and has a growing fan base within the university community and triad area. The program offers students an opportunity to play competitive hockey while pursuing studies at a nationally acclaimed university. For more information about the retirement ceremony, please contact GM/Associate Head Coach David Kurtz at 252-314-9657 or ncsucoach@gmail.com. For more information about the NC State Club Hockey Team or to make a donation, please visit www.ncsuhockey.org

Coaches drop their game faces for a friendly meeting at UNC last month to kick-off the 2009/10 ACCHL season. Topics discussed included League expansion, League finances, new criteria for selecting the program hosting the end of season championship tournament, ideas for greatly expanding team booster clubs and fan base development,and for attracting experienced players to come out for ACCHL hockey. Also discussed was ACCHL direct communication with school program administers at each school.

In attendance, clockwise, Dave Kurtz (NC State), Bill Trofi (Duke), Keith Rosenfeld (RIC), Tony Fisher (UVA) Earl Anderson (UNC), John Kokidko (Georgetown), Mike Spradlin (VT)and Brian Meyers (VT).  Also in attendance but not in the picture were Bud Johnson (UNC), Jesse Long (VT) and Don Martin (Photographer and ACCHL Commissioner).

Review the USA Hockey Zero Tolerance Policy and ensure you are up to date on the policy.

 http://www.usahockey.com/LinkedDocs/d/d/3/dd36f224-362f-42c6-a6d5-69d6373f1f84.ppt

FASTHockey.com, the premier destination for LIVE and on-demand video streaming of amateur ice hockey, today unveiled an unprecedented relationship with the American Collegiate Hockey Association to stream games live online at FASTHockey.com.  FASTHockey.com will cover regular season games, special events, and the ACHA National Tournaments using its proprietary platform for live games, archives on demand, and new media marketing.

FASTHockey will support the ACHA and all its member teams by offering its full suite of services including video streaming, multi-channel marketing, professional production, and content hosting.  The ACHA and all its member teams will be able to offer passionate fans live and on-demand access to games throughout the year.  Over 400 teams are expected to take advantage of the FASTHockey platform.

“We are incredibly excited to work with the ACHA and showcase this great college hockey to passionate fans world-wide,” said Marc Ruskin, CEO of FASTHockey. “Working with the University of Central Oklahoma last season gave us great insight into the ACHA and its brand.  We could not be more proud than to announce this long term partnership with the governing body of college “non-varsity” ice hockey in the United States.”

“We are thrilled to be working with a class organization like FASTHockey,” said Chris Wilk, Executive Director of  the ACHA. “FASTHockey is leading the pack in delivering a full suite of services—we were most impressed by their focus on ice hockey and ability to drive traffic with their enormous database.  We are also very pleased that our partnership includes the professional production and delivery of our National Tournaments and Special Events.  After watching FASTHockey’s exceptional coverage of the USA Hockey National Championships and World U-18 Championships in Fargo, we knew who we wanted to partner with.”

For more information on watching ACHA games this season, please visit: www.fasthockey.com.

FASTHockey.com is the premier online network for ice hockey players, coaches and fans to organize their hockey lives while developing personal connections rooted in shared hockey interests. FASTHockey.com provides the online platform so that athletes and coaches can create player and team profiles, upload videos and photos, track and view statistics, check out opponents before games, and discover the best ice hockey players in the world.

Luke Holden, former Georgetown Hockey player and Captain, recently opened a restaurant in Manhattan. If you are planning a trip to the big apple, don’t miss Luke’s Lobster in New York’s East Village. We’ve been assured that you’ll get a good table if you mention the ACCHL.

It doesn’t take a master chef to make a great lobster roll; it takes great lobster. Fortunately, Luke Holden knows where to get the best stuff around. He’s bringing top-quality, low-price lobster, crab, and shrimp rolls, along with crab claws, chowders and more to New York’s East Village at Luke’s Lobster.

Holden, 25, was born and raised in Cape Elizabeth, a small town on the coast of Maine. He grew up lobstering, built his own skiff, and launched a lobster company while still in high school. When Luke moved to New York to work in finance, he was dismayed to see lobster rolls—drowning in mayo and diluted with celery and other fix-ins—priced anywhere from $20-30. So he called up his dad, Jeff, who owns the Portland Shellfish seafood processing company. The father-son duo have built longstanding relationships with lobstermen, which earns them access to Maine’s best catch. That means Luke’s can provide top-quality, fresh-from-the-harbor seafood rolls for just $6-14, a fraction of the cost of a typical 4 oz. NYC roll. Decked out in Down East style, Luke’s Lobster is like a trip to a Maine lobster shack without the airfare.

The Maine Ingredient
The Maine lobster industry is one of the most sustainable fisheries in the world. But the meat in most New York lobster rolls changes hands so many times you can’t tell where or when it was caught. Portland Shellfish gets its lobster directly from the docks and ships it straight to Luke’s Lobster, so your server can trace your roll back to the very harbor where the lobster was caught. If your first bite brings to mind an old lobster boat steaming through the morning fog off Vinalhaven Island, it’s because that’s exactly what happened just hours before.

Giving Back
The recession has hit lobstermen as hard as anyone, forcing them to sell their catch at rock-bottom prices. But that drop-off hasn’t been reflected on New York menus. At Luke’s Lobster you can enjoy Maine’s freshest seafood for a fair price and feel good about it, because the company will donate a portion of its profits to the Maine Lobstermen’s Association. You’re not just getting a healthy meal; you’re feeding a whole industry and allowing independent lobstermen to set their traps for another morning.

For media inquiries, e-mail lukeslobster@gmail.com or contact Ben Conniff, company president, at (860) 391-4123.

Stephen Russell, NC State
It is our sad duty to report the tragic loss of ACCHL player and NC State student/ teammate, Stephen Russell in a water accident over the July 4th weekend. The whole ACCHL family including players, coaches, managers and Board of Directors extends its heartfelt sympathies and condolences to the Russel family.

The Russell family offered that, “The NC State Hockey team was his true passion,” and has requested that, in lieu of flowers donations be made to NC State Hockey.”

Order an official ACCHL All Team Jersey!

We have a limited number of these “first ever” All Star Team jerseys.  These are not replicas but the same high quality jerseys worn by the ACCHL All Star Team. 

By one jersey for $40 each plus shipping costs, or purchase 2 or more at $35 each and free shipping.

Each jersey displays the “smart looking white star with ACCHL in red on the diagonal and a number of the back.”

For more information or to order, email us at acchockey@gmail.com

The ACCHL All Star Team played against the nations best Division II hockey players.

The ACCHL All Stars joined all star teams from nine other leagues, playing five games in three days, including an OT thriller.  This was the first time the ACCHL selected an All Star Team to play against the nation’s best, and the coaches and players represented the league well. 

Dan Masuilis and Reuben Kamp led the team in scoring, and tied for 12th in tournament scoring with seven points each.  Full stats are available on the ACHA website:  http://www.achahockey.org/page.php?page_id=14552&league_id=1061