Indiana club hockey prepares for the upcoming season after releasing the new roster on Sept. 3 and beginning practice. The club held tryouts the first week of classes, beginning Aug. 21 at Hamilton Center and Ice Arena in Columbus, Indiana. The club’s home rink, Frank Southern Ice Arena, does not open its doors until October.
The 2023-24 roster lists 31 players, including 14 new additions and 17 returners. Club president Drew Micheli reported that around 60 prospective players tried out, with 80% of that number being new players. Graduated players Adam Offenbach, Jack Kissell and Aidan Goodfellow have departed from the club.
Among returning players are sophomore forwards Ithan DeLorenzo and Will Gerami, who garnered a combined total of 107 points last season. Also returning is senior goaltender Sammy Bilis, who had 828 saves last season.
The upcoming season will begin mid-September. The season schedule features 31 games over the span of six months before the club heads to Fishers, Indiana, for the Tri-State Collegiate Hockey League tournament in mid-February.
The first of these games is part of a two-game away series against Bowling Green State University at Slater Family Ice Arena on Sept. 15 and 16. The club’s first home game will take place Oct. 6 in a two-game series against Ohio State at Frank Southern Ice Arena.
Notable games include a home-and-away series against the University of Louisville on Oct. 12 and 13, where the Hoosiers will be looking to settle the score against the Cardinals. Louisville beat Indiana twice during the 2022-23 regular season before the Hoosiers took the win in the Southeast Regionals.
The club will also play at fellow Big Ten school Michigan. Indiana was scheduled to host Michigan during the 2022-23 regular season, but was forced to postpone due to standing water on the ice at Frank Southern Ice Arena.
Indiana club hockey went 21-10 in the 2022-23 regular season. The club finished15th in the American Collegiate Hockey Association, 4th in the Southeast Region and made it to the final four during the ACHA Division 2 National Championships.
