A new coach, a new attitude and a new league have greeted area hockey fans as the Virginia Tech hockey team has begun a new season on the ice.
The Hokies, who were the reigning champions in the Atlantic Coast Collegiate Hockey League, will be playing in the MACHA Conference this season, which is part of the American Collegiate Hockey Association.
“The team made a decision mid-way through last season to switch conferences, as they wanted to raise the level of competition,” said Chris Arnold, Director of Marketing and Game Day Operations for Virginia Tech Ice Hockey.
This is one of the premier conferences in Southeastern Regional Division, one which had nine of their 15 teams ranked in the top 15 at some point during last year. Virginia Tech is excited about the opportunity to join this premiere MACHA (Mid-American Collegiate Hockey Association) conference.
“This is a move up in overall competition.” said first-year head coach Keith Houghton, who was a standout hockey player in his own right. “The teams are of much [higher] quality in the MACHA.”
With this conference change come some challenging home games, including a pair of games with University of Kentucky and East Carolina, as well as single games with Penn State, Maryland, Temple, Liberty, Monmouth and University of Maryland-Baltimore County which finished 4th in the country last year.
The Hokies, who are a Division 2 club, will be returning about 14 players from last year’s squad, according to Houghton, who established himself as the finest goaltender in Babson College ice hockey history after his arrival in 1980.
He set numerous Babson and ECAC records, including most consecutive shutout minutes (203:38) and lowest career goals against average 2.38. Houghton’s greatest season came in 1983-84, when he allowed just 62 goals in 1,782 minutes to lead Babson to its first-ever NCAA Division III National Championship.
A second-team All-American in 1984 and a first-team selection in 1985, Houghton remains Babson’s all-time record holder in single-season wins (24), consecutive shutout minutes (208:38), and single-season goals against average (2.08). He was also one of eight goalies who tried out for the 1984 U.S. Olympic Team. Houghton spent one year as a pro in the minor leagues with the Virginia Lancers, who were based in Vinton.
As for his Hokies, “we have some decent depth and I think we will be strong from the goalie on out,” said Houghton, who replaced Mike Spradlin. “We have some freshmen coming in this season that are looking good.”
Houghton, the Chief Credit Officer for Stellar One in his day job, and his entire coaching staff are all volunteers. “This is the ultimate in amateur sports,” he added. “The coaches don’t get paid anything and the players who make the team have to pay $1500 to help fund our expenses.” As before the Civic Center put down ice the Hokies (a club team the university only provides about $7000 in funding) had to travel to Lynchburg for practices.
The match-up against UVA (played in Sept.)is typically the team’s most popular night. “This is our top home game,” said Arnold. “Last year we drew more than 5,000 people to this game alone. The rest of the time, we averaged about 900 fans a game.”
The Virginia Tech Hokies ice hockey team plays all its home games at the Roanoke Civic Center, with a season that stretches into March. Admission for adults is $5, while children under the age of 12, Virginia Tech students and faculty are free. Tickets are sold at the Roanoke Civic Center Box Office. For more information about the team and a complete schedule visit www.virginiatechicehockey.com.
