By Brian Schoelzel
In addition to Division I teams, SMU has a club sports program that provides student-athletes the opportunity to play a sport they love, says Austin Green, president of the SMU ice hockey team.
Similar to varsity teams, club teams receive some funding from the University, but must raise the majority themselves. SMU has 20 club teams that include soccer, rugby and men’s ice hockey.
The ice hockey team, which began in 2006, recently finished their season with two home games against the Texas State University Bobcats.
Because SMU does not have a rink on campus, the team practices and plays all home games 15 minutes away at the Ice Training Center in Richardson.
All 20 players on the team attend SMU and have varying levels of hockey experience.
Although the Mustangs went 0-2, the games were high paced and physical. Despite being shorthanded because of illnesses and academic commitments, the Mustangs put forth a tremendous effort and skated with one of the league’s top teams.
“SMU only had 12 players in comparison to Texas State’s 20, but the final score of 4-5 demonstrates the talent and passion of this Mustangs team,” says forward Ben Brower.
The Mustangs started the second game on a 2-0 run, but fell victim to fatigue and chippy play. They began taking undisciplined penalties, which ultimately led to a 4-7 defeat.
“These were our last two home games of the year and even though we couldn’t get the win, they will be games to build off of for next year,” says Green, a junior defenseman. “Just nice to see some fan support from SMU students, faculty, and parents at the game.”
Green went on to say that the 100 or so SMU supporters that lined the rink helped motivate the team.
“Looking forward, the hockey team shows signs of great promise and growth,” says Brower.
Green has high hopes for the team and says SMU has the players and resources available to establish the Mustangs as one of the premier teams in the region.
He says his vision is to not only improve the on-ice product, but help get the SMU community involved and grow the team’s fan base through fundraising and social media.
