Utica University Athletics

Utica College men's hockey has made exceptional progress in its 18 seasons of existence. The Pioneers have packed fans to the rafters at the Aud on numerous occasions, won six regular season conference titles, the 2018 UCHC tournament title, and won 265 games in the life of the program while becoming part of the fabric of the college and community.

The team has grown from relatively quiet beginnings to inspiring the return of the second-best league in North America and beyond. Many young men have entered the doors of that locker room to pave the way, but the program's most prominent coming-of-age moment came in 2012-13 during a season that will live on forever in Utica College lore.

The 2012-13 Pioneers won a school-record 21 games and won the ECAC West regular season title on their way to an accomplishment far greater. The team was ranked 1st in the NCAA regional rankings late in the season, and that positioning would propel them to the biggest stage after an untimely conference tournament loss to Manhattanville. The Pioneers were granted an at-large bid into the NCAA tournament and advanced to the national tournament for the first time in their history.

Once the Pioneers got to the dance, the scene that followed the next weekend was one of many special moments that marked a year to remember. In their first-ever NCAA tournament game, the Pioneers met NESCAC champion Bowdoin. In a late evening quarterfinal game on St. Patrick's Parade Day in Utica, a capacity crowd witnessed a spirited comeback that would advance the Pioneers into the national semifinals in Lake Placid. Down 2-0 after a tough first period, Jordan Hobaica changed the game entirely with a right wing shot in the opening minute of the second period for the team's first NCAA tournament goal. Trever Hertz propelled the comeback further with his goal at 3:28 of the third period, and Ridge Garbutt's deflection at 15:36 of the third period was the deciding blow. An empty net goal added further security to the win as the Pioneers became the first UC team to advance to a national semifinal game.

The Pioneers took in the sights and sounds of the 1980 Olympic Village of Lake Placid the following week, and took a 1-0 lead in their semifinal game against UW-Eau Claire before bowing out of the tournament at Herb Brooks Arena. The game was well attended by faculty, staff, students, alumni, and friends of the program alike as the team became a central rallying point for the entire City of Utica.

Utica averaged 4.36 goals per game that season to rank fourth in the nation, and their 122 goals were then a school-record. Utica finished fifth in the USCHO poll for their highest national ranking ever to conclude a season. Junior forward Louie Educate led the Pioneers with 36 points on 18 goals and 18 assists and was named a first team All-American and the ECAC West Player of the Year. Seven total Pioneers were named to the all-conference teams. Trever Hertz, Jon Gaffney, Donald Oliveri, and Nick Therrien were all named to the second team behind Educate's first team selection. Mike Slowikowski was an honorable mention all-conference pick. Therrien set a new UC Hockey program record for goaltending wins in a single season in goal with 19. The Pioneers were 14-3 at home and outscored opponents 122-64 for the season in total. Gary Heenan was named the ECAC West Coach of the Year and he was also a finalist for national coach of the year honors. 

Many people with a hand in that team have gone on to do something special in the world of hockey. Several players went on to play professionally for a period of time, and Nick Miglio remains an active professional player in Germany. Former assistant coach and UC alumnus Mike Levine recruited the core of that team, and is now a scout with the NHL's Vegas Golden Knights. Assistant coach Juliano Pagliero is an assistant at Division I UMass-Lowell.

Team Members: Cody Adams, Robert Etts, Doug Marshall, Mike Baird, Nick Miglio, Eric Peterson, Adam Graff, Peter LaFosse, Joel Wetmore, Trever Hertz, Jordan Hobaica, George Lotito, Jon Gaffney, Mike Slowikowski, Steve Zappia, Evan Chlanda, Ridge Garbutt, Justin Hogan, Chris Santiago, Steve Charest, Louie Educate, Josh Schmitt, Mike Taffe, Lou Malvasi, Nick Therrien, Rob Morton
 
Head Coach Gary Heenan
Assistant Coach Juliano Pagliero
Assistant Coach Geoff Noyes
Trainer Chris Warner
Director of Hockey Operations Alex Dawes
Manager Conor Hobbes