The Beginning of a Dynasty: The Inaugural Men's NCAA Team Did More Than Win 26 Games
Photo courtesy of adrianbulldogs.com
On October 19th, 2006, if you looked toward US 223 from the campus of Adrian College, you'd see a field of grass between a parking lot and the highway.
On October 19th, 2007, in that field stood Arrington Ice Arena, packed with Adrian College Hockey's new fanbase who would watch Chris Stansik score the first goal in Bulldog Hockey history. They would also watch their team put a beating on Potsdam State University 9-1 for the first win in program history.
It was the first win of many for the 2007-08 Men's NCAA Hockey team here at Adrian College, the first of 26 that season to be precise.
A year prior, there was no hockey team in Lenawee County, heck, there wasn't even an ice rink within 45 minutes of Adrian College or in all of Lenawee County, you had to drive to Ann Arbor or Toledo for ice.
But on October 19th, 2007, hockey came alive in Adrian, Michigan.
Lead by head coach Ron Fogarty and captained by Adam Krug, the Men’s NCAA team made history in their first season ten years ago. Composed of 24 freshmen, two sophomores and one junior, the inaugural team helped put the very first sheet of ice down at Arrington Ice Arena in 2007 before the season began. And when they toured the campus the season before? There was no rink, just a pile of dirt and a construction site and a plan to have one up and running by the time the regular season began the following year, just ask Krug, the program's first player to be named All American, or standout forward Shawn Skelly.
Captain Adam Krug came to Adrian as the lone junior and upperclassman on the team after playing two seasons at the NCAA D1 level at Wayne State University before transferring to Adrian for the first season of hockey.
"First and foremost, the commitment," said Krug when I asked him why he chose to come to a first year DIII program after playing at the D1 level, "There was a commitment to win from President [Jeff] Docking and Coach [Ron] Fogarty and you could see it from day one. When I made my visit to Adrian, there was construction happening, so I knew we'd have a great situation on campus. From the recruiting process to my two years at Wayne State, all we ever heard about was a plan for a rink, and at 19 and 20 years old I guess I was naive enough to just believe anything I heard. Well, that program ended up folding. And now, here we are 10 years later and I'm just feel fortunate to be a part of the great culture and a winning program at Adrian College."
The lone upperclassman on the team, Krug was named the first captain in program history that year, something he says is one of his proudest accomplishments.
"I took great pride in that role. There were so many guys that could have been the captain," said Krug, "Coach Fogarty assembled a team full of former captains at the junior hockey level and he picked me. To this day, that might be my best and most favorite accomplishment outside of building my family. To be able to be the leader of that group was special. From day one, we had a unique bond, and being the so-called leader is something I'll always cherish. I think I knew it was a big deal, but at this point, I certainly see it in a different light."
The Bulldogs were a force to be reckoned with that year, something that’s more than uncommon in first year programs. And the person responsible for putting an entire team together? Head coach Ron Fogarty, who had the following to say about piecing together a winning team in the first year of the program.
"I had a lot of contacts throughout the Junior A leagues in Canada and the USA from my recruiting at the NCAA Division I level," said Fogarty, "These Junior coaches understood what Adrian College was trying to do and helped me in the recruiting process with their players. I targeted Captains who were leaders on winning teams, and those players who just missed out on Division I scholarships. The constant selling point was that each player was going to play a significant role in starting a program from scratch and starting something special. I went to a couple of MCHA games and the NCAA final four during the recruiting year, so I was familiar with the calibre of teams we were going to face. The team was very determined to set a standard for first year teams and ultimately win the Harris Cup. I knew we had a chance to be good, but didn’t expect winning our last 21 games to win the league and playoff championship."
Even to the community around them, who never had any kind of competitive level hockey or even an ice rink in their county, it was obvious that there was something special about this team, rolling through the Midwest Collegiate Hockey Conference with a conference record of 19-1 and a regular season record of 26-3 and ending the season on a 20 game win streak. Averaging nearly 8 goals a game.
"Kicking off the first home weekend with the Stanley Cup outside of Arrington was a brilliant idea planned by President Docking," said Fogarty, "The Cup brought sports fans to Arrington and I knew we had to play well against Potsdam to keep those in attendance interested. Another factor in generating the interest in and around Lenawee County, was that my wife, Monica and I hosted post game receptions in our house, for all fans, after every home game. Our focus was to make the community a part of the team, not just spectators."
"The obvious favorite moment from the first season was the Eric Miller goal [to win the Harris Cup]," said Krug of his favorite memory of the season, "But I think my other favorite moment was our first game at Arrington. The anticipation, the excitement, it was a fun time. The arena was packed on that first night and the 9-2 win set the table for years of success.
The team's 19-1 MCHA record would take them all the way to Milwaukee, Wisconsin to the MCHA Playoffs, where they would beat the host team, Milwaukee School of Engineering Raiders, in the semifinals on their quest for the Harris Cup, the trophy named after an alum of MSOE no less.
The highest scoring team in the nation would be tied 0-0 with the reigning champs, the Finlandia Lions, at the end of regulation, sending the two teams to sudden death overtime.
But then Eric Bailien found Adam Krug who found Eric Miller who would find the back of the net, sending 24 freshmen, 2 sophomores and 1 junior off of the Bulldog bench and into the first of many "dogpiles" in front of the Bulldog faithful who had made the trek to Wisconsin. You can re-live the moment below in a 2008 quality YouTube video I found while searching for more information on the team this past season.
"I remember that goal like it happened yesterday," said Krug of the overtime winner he assisted on, "To be honest, I don't remember any of my own goals, but that one, I'll never forget. Fortunately the goal is on YouTube and I watch it from time to time. When I made the pass to Miller, it wasn't a question on whether or not he was scoring, instead I wondered on which rafter the goalies' jock would be hanging on. I think Eric made about six dekes before roofing it."
"There are too many memories and stories to mention that have great significance to what happened that season," said Fogarty, "The most gratifying moment was the team picture with the Harris Cup following our 1-0 overtime win against Finlandia. To see President Docking, parents, players, and my family on the ice celebrating was very moving. These were the people who took the chance, took the blind leap of faith and trusted each other to start something special."
Now, the team who wins the MCHA (now the NCHA) playoff title gets a bid to the NCAA Tournament, but in 2008, that wasn’t the story. If your league didn’t get an autobid, your chances at the big dance were reliant on the decision of the NCAA Tournament Committee who determined who went and whose seasons would be over.
Mitch Albom, a columnist for the Detroit Free Press, appeared on EPSN and said, “This team is what college sports should be about, strangers coming together, bonding, fighting the odds. Besides, 26-3 is 26-3, I don’t care what sport or level of competition. So come on [national tournament] committee, a first year team, 22 freshmen, and your Final Four this year is held in Lake Placid. Answer the question, do you believe in miracles?”
Unfortunately, the national tournament committee did not believe in miracles and the team would not be granted a bid to the National Tournament.
"Our league didn’t have the automatic bid, so I knew the league championship would not get us into the NCAA tournament," said Fogarty, "I was in constant contact with two people that had a great pulse for the at large bids, and they believed we didn’t have a chance based on a series of factors. However, more than winning 26 games and being the best first year program ever, 24 freshmen, 2 sophomores and 1 junior brought a community together and proved that anything is possible."
Ten years later, Coach Fogarty has moved on to coach at Princeton University and captain Adam Krug was named his successor in 2014 and a few weeks ago, Shawn Skelly was named Krug's new assistant coach, making them the perfect pair to continue the legacy that Coach Fogarty began while Krug and Skelly were playing on a line together in 2007. Not only has the Men's NCAA team continued their success, but the hockey program in general has grown and become the largest in the country, all thanks to the 2007-08 team.
"The friendships and the life I have made over the past 10 years in Adrian by far exceeds all of the on-ice success," said Krug, "Don't get me wrong, the on-ice success is probably a big reason as to why so much good stuff has come my way, but the relationships I have with so many are what I might be most proud of. Adrian College harbors a place for young people to learn what it takes to be a successful adult and without Adrian College, I'm not sure where I would be."
They may not have gotten a bid to the Big Dance, but the 2007-08 Men's NCAA Hockey team will now be forever remembered and enshrined in the Adrian College Athletics Hall of Fame this coming September over homecoming weekend to celebrate all the team did for Adrian College and the hockey program.