After ending last season with three straight losses at the American Collegiate Hockey Association Nationals immediately following a 15-game win streak and Tri-State Collegiate Hockey League Championship, Club Ice Hockey at Indiana enters the 2022-2023 season looking to repeat and build on its success from a year ago.
Andrew Weiss assumed head coaching duties for the club in the middle of last season on Nov. 10, 2021. The team had a somewhat shaky 6-5 start, but once he took over, the team went 21-3-1 to close out the year.
“I told them, ‘Hey, this is going to be hard, but anything you tackle in life is going to be hard,’” Weiss. “We had practice intensity, an overall buy-in and all 30 players were in a team atmosphere. All the players canceled spring break plans to come out and practice.”
Last season was the first time since 2008 the Hoosiers qualified for a trip to nationals. After going on a monstrous run to end the season, Indiana beat back-to-back regular season champions Miami University to win the TSCHL Championship. Weiss said the team desperately wanted to win the championship to top off its historic streak and were ecstatic after hoisting the banner. It’s a feeling they won’t forget, he said.
“To beat the eighth-ranked team in the conference, after not scoring in the first two games against them — to go out there, knowing how to play and playing how we played, it was a testament to the guys buying in,” Weiss said.
Even though losses to Northeastern University, University of Mary and Wisconsin at nationals erased the hopes of winning the ACHA D2 National Championship and ended Indiana’s season, there were many bright spots along the way.
Last season, starting goalie Sammy Bilis accumulated a .919 save percentage, averaging just over 30 saves a game and recording three shutouts with a starting record of 18-6.
Jack Null, Indiana senior forward, emphasized this team was built on chemistry and a true bond, not just the talent the players possess.
“Sammy’s one of the best kids I’ve met here at IU, and he’s definitely one of the best players on the team,” Null said. “Sammy influenced all the kids to not care about any hockey that was played before or after IU — staying focused on the here and now.”
Among all ACHA Division II hockey teams, Indiana ranked 16th in total points, despite playing less games than all teams ranked above them. It had no issue shooting the puck either, scoring 140 goals with only 83 allowed. The team’s top returning goal scorers are senior Jack Kissell, along with sophomores Will Gerami, Ithan DeLorenzo and Tommy MacDonald.
“Delo, MacDonald and Gerami have been unbelievable additions to the team,” Null said. “Not only helping in this significant rebuild but coming in with a super positive attitude all throughout the season.”
The season kicks off on a three-game home stretch where Indiana will face Concordia University Wisconsin in back-to-back games, then will take on Miami in a home/road game split.
[Related: COLUMN: Long-term takeaways from Indiana’s stunning comeback victory over Illinois]
The Miami games may mean more than any other this season, with it being a rematch of a heated rivalry from last season that began when Indiana was shutout in the first two regular season matchups and ended with Indiana beating Miami for the TSCHL championship.
“Beating Miami was definitely the most unreal experience of my college career. There were pictures of everyone, including myself going absolutely crazy,” Indiana senior forward Adam Offenbach said. “We proved people wrong after thinking we had no chance of winning the league.”
Many eyes are on the team this season as it continues to make a name for itself and take this program to the next level. After having arguably its best season yet, the club is focused on continuing to build and making a run at this year’s national championship.
“With Frank Southern being the arena it is, when the fans come out, it’s truly felt and appreciated, so we hope they show up and support us on another run,” Weiss said.
Indiana Club Ice Hockey will open its season at 9:30 p.m. Sept. 16 at the Frank Southern Ice Arena against Concordia University Wisconsin.
