2017: A Year in Review
As the calendar year winds down once again, let's take a look back on all of the major happenings in Adrian College Hockey in the past twelve months...
Senior Jessie Rushing, junior Sabrena Camp and Freshman Britt Levasseur were all selected to compete for Team USA at the 2017 World University Games was the first story to break of the 2017 calendar year. Rushing, Camp and Levassuer all joined Brett Berger as members of Team USA in Kazakhstan as WACHA sent three players to the Games for the first time in program history. They didn't just make Bulldog history in their trip to Almaty, Kazakhstan though, they brought home Team USA's first bronze medal for the highest finish for the women's team USA in the history of the Games.
In their fifth year as a program, WACHA took home their first regular season title on February 13th, 2016 after a sweep of Robert Morris University in Illinois.
"I am extremely proud of the girls for showing up and battling each game. This group is very close and they play for each other every shift. This accomplish is a direct reflection of the leadership and hard work that each player on our team possesses," said Head Coach Brett Berger back in January.
After falling in the regional playoffs for the previous two seasons, the D3 Gold team ran past the Michigan Wolverines and Grand Valley State University Lakers to win the North Region and punch a ticket to the National Tournament. The Bulldogs had not made an appearance at the tournament since 2014 when they bested Hope College 1-0 in the Championship game for their third consecutive National Title.
March 11, 2017: Women's Varsity Punches Ticket to First Final Four
After a heartbreaking loss at home against the Elmira Eagles last season in the NCAA Quarterfinal, the Women's Varsity team was once again facing off against the Eagles in Adrian for the Quarterfinals.
This time, it would take more than 60 minutes this time at Arrington Ice Arena. It would take 79:00 nearly exactly before senior captain Kaylyn Schroka sent the puck past the the Elmira goaltender to send the entire team piling onto the ice and creating a frenzy in Arrington Ice Arena as the crowd erupted.
After their historic win the weekend prior, the Women's Varsity team was tasked with hosting the Frozen Four, marking the first time that Adrian College has hosted an NCAA Championship Tournament.
The Bulldogs took Gustavus Adolphus in the semifinal game, which the Bulldogs took in overtime once again. They would face the three time reigning champions, the Plattsburgh State Cardinals. The Bulldogs looked to have the game and the National Championship in the bag before the Cardinals scored with less than 30 seconds remaining. The Cardinals would then strike in overtime for all the marbles and the National Title.
The Bulldogs took home three top awards at the 2017 ACHA Banquet at the annual convention in Naples, Florida.
Brad Kobryn took home the award for ACHA Men's D1 Player of the Year award while Marcus Rose was named the ACHA Men's D1 Rookie of the Year. This marks Kobryn's second POTY award and the only second player in ACHA history to be named POTY twice in his career. Rose became the third Bulldog (Senate Patton and Brad Kobryn) to be named ROTY.
Brett Berger would be named the Women's ACHA D1 Coach of the Year as well, marking his first Coach of the Year honor as he lead WACHA to the National Tournament in every year behind the bench as well as three straight Frozen Four appearances.
The entire senior line of Sarah Shureb, Kaylyn Schroka and Kristin Lewicki became the third, fourth and fifth Women's Varsity players to play professional hockey. The trio signed with the Buffalo Beauts of the National Women's Hockey League in July and all played in their first professional games this past October. Sarah Shureb was the first of the three to send home her first goal in her first game while Kaylyn Schroka would score a few games later. The "Adrian Trio", as the Beauts refer to the three as, and the Beauts are currently second in NWHL standings.
Photo courtesy of Mike Dickie Photography
The first powerhouse duo in Bulldog Hockey history was reunited behind the bench this season when Shawn Skelly was named the new Men's NCAA assistant coach this July. Krug and Skelly were a force to be reckoned with in their two seasons they spent together as linemates on the Men's NCAA team in their first two years as a program.
The newest addition to the Bulldog Hockey Program kicked off their first season with a bang, sweeping the University of Pittsburgh in their opening weekend.
Photo courtesy of Adrian College Athletics
The 2007-08 Inaugural Men's NCAA team were the first members of the Adrian Hockey Program to be inducted into the Adrian College Athletics Hall of Fame this past Homecoming Weekend. The majority of the Inaugural Team along with former Head Coach Ron Fogarty were all in attendance Homecoming Weekend.
Senior forward Brad Kobryn took over the MD1 All Time Point Record this past October in a game versus Kent State University less than a year after capturing both the MD1 Goal Record and Adrian Hockey Program Goal Record. Kobryn currently sits less than ten points away from the Adrian Hockey Program Record for Career Points as he goes into his final semester with the MD1 team.
November 10, 2017: WD2 Ranked #1 in the West Region
After going 8-0-0 in the first 8 games of the season, the WD2 team was ranked #1 in the West Region by the ACHA. The Bulldogs were once again ranked #1 in the second regional rankings this past week, ending their first semester 10-0-0 and #1 for the second ranking period in a row. The WD2 Team's 10-0-0 record is the best record to start a program here at Adrian College, quite the honor for the group of 14 freshmen and 2 sophomores that compose the inaugural team.
November 15, 2017: MD1 Ranked #1 for the First Time since 2013
The MD1 team spent 3 weeks at #1 this semester for the first time since the later part of the 2012-2013 season. The Bulldogs slipped down to the #2 spot in the final ranking of the semester.
MD1 Head Coach Gary Astalos won his 50th game behind the bench for the MD1 team last week in his 54th game behind the bench, becoming the quickest Adrian College Hockey coach to do so.