Out with a Bang: Bordeaux and Bancroft Look to Bring National Title Back to Adrian

The D3 Gold team made ACHA history three years ago on March 15th. Defeating the Hope College Flying Dutchmen 1-0 in the National Championship game would make them the first ACHA D3 team to win three straight titles and only the fourth program in college hockey history to accomplish the feat.

Three years later, only two players remain from this team, Nick Bordeaux and Mitch Bancroft, who will be playing in their final home game as Bulldogs this Saturday against Central Michigan.

“I chose Adrian not only for hockey, but also for the homey feel of campus,” says Nick Bordeaux, who came to Adrian from Warren Michigan, “When I came to Adrian for my recruit visit, it was the last college I visited, but when I stepped into the hockey rink and on campus for the first time, I just knew it was going to be home for the next 4 years.”

Mitch Bancroft came to Adrian from Jackson, Michigan after playing for Lakeshore-St. Joe’s High School hockey team said that hockey was a big part of his decision to come to Adrian College.

“It [winning it all freshman year] was great. Nice to get started on a winning foot. It was definitely the highlight of hockey in Adrian for me so far,” says Bancroft of the title run in ‘14.

“Words cannot describe. Coming in your freshman year and winning the national championship was awesome. It's by far the highlight of my career, something I'll never forget,” remarks Bordeaux.

It wasn’t exactly a walk in the park, coming onto a team full of grizzled veterans who had won the last two National Titles at a program where excellence was expected.

“It was definitely intimidating with guys like Fred Krause, Josh Dollinger, and Doug Raymond on the team,” Bancroft, a defenseman, said, “Those guys expected to win.”

“The team won it the past two years and we were once again expected to win it again that year, so expectations were really high. It was intimidating because you always had to be on top of your game, whether it was during practice or in the game when you got your shot, there was little room for error,” Bordeaux, a forward, said.

Bancroft has appeared in a total of 84 games (not including this weekend’s series against Central) in his time as a Bulldog. In those 84 games, he has racked up 5 goals and 33 assists for 38 points, including a 15 point season so far where he has notched a career high 3 goals this season while spending 62 minutes in the penalty box in four seasons.

Bordeaux has appeared in 79 career games (not including this weekend’s series against Central) for the Gold team. In those 79 games, he has buried 38 goals and dishing out 32 assists for and even 70 points while spending 46 minutes in the penalty box.

The hardest part for both Bordeaux and Bancroft wasn’t all on the ice though.

“Staying focused on school work was probably the hardest part,” said Bancroft, a physical education major.

“The hardest part of my four years at Adrian would have to be the time balancing hockey and school. It's not easy being a student athlete. From spending hours on the weekend in a bus traveling to having back to back home games, time is limited and you need to make the most of it by focusing on school as much as you are on hockey,” Bordeaux, a sport management major, remarked.

Bordeaux, Bancroft and the Gold squad wrap up the regular season with a home at home series with Central Michigan University this weekend where they hope to sweep the Chippewas to be crowned co-champions of the MCHC East and hope for a #1 or #2 ranking in the North Region to secure the Gold squad’s first autobid to the 2017 National Championships in Columbus, bypassing the Regional Tournament that has been tough for the Bulldogs the previous two seasons.

And as for bringing the title back home to Adrian and adding a banner to their collection?

“It would mean a lot to win, especially with these guys that I've played with for a few years now,” Bancroft says.

“To start off my career winning a national championship and ending it winning another, would just be the cherry on top. I have no doubt in my mind that our team can do it,” adds Bordeaux.