| Alabama–Huntsville Chargers ice hockey | ||
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| Current season | ||
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| University | University of Alabama in Huntsville | |
| Conference | Independent | |
| Head coach | Chris Luongo | |
| 1st year, 4–26–2 | ||
| Arena | Von Braun Center Capacity: 6,602 |
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| Location | Huntsville, Alabama | |
| Colors | Blue and Grey and White
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| NCAA Tournament Champions | ||
| 1996 (DII), 1998 (DII) | ||
| NCAA Tournament Frozen Four | ||
| 1994 (DII), 1996 (DII), 1997, (DII), 1998 (DII) | ||
| NCAA Tournament Appearances | ||
| 1994 (DII), 1996 (DII), 1997, (DII), 1998 (DII), 2007, 2010 | ||
| ACHA Tournament Champions | ||
| 1982, 1983, 1984 | ||
| ACHA Tournament Appearances | ||
| 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985 | ||
| Conference Tournament Champions | ||
| 2007, 2010 | ||
| Conference Regular Season Champions | ||
| 1979–80, 1980–81, 1981–82, 2000–01, 2002–03 | ||
The Alabama–Huntsville Chargers ice hockey team is currently the only Division I ice hockey program located in the Southern United States, fielded by the University of Alabama in Huntsville in Huntsville, Alabama.[1][2][3] With its stature as the South's only Division I team in place, following the 1987 season Alabama governor George Wallace declared Huntsville to be the "Hockey Capital of the South."[4]
The Chargers previously competed as a charter member of College Hockey America between 1999 and 2010, but have been an independent since the beginning of the 2010 season. The team has home ice at the Von Braun Center. Although all Charger home games are played in Huntsville, UAH was selected as the host school for the 2012 Frozen Four scheduled to be held at the St. Pete Times Forum in Tampa, Florida.[5] The current men's head coach is Chris Luongo. The 2011–12 season was expected be the school's final season competing at the NCAA Division I level, and hockey was planned to be relegated to club sport status in 2012 and beyond.[6] However, this decision was reversed on December 6, 2011, when the university issued a statement indicating a renewed intent to maintain the program at the Division I level.[7]
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In 1979, the initial Charger team was organized with Joe Ritch serving as head coach.[4] Competing as a club team as part of the Southern Collegiate Hockey Association, UAH would win their inaugural game by a final score of 11–4 on October 26, 1979. UAH would capture the SCHA Championship in the first season and win another two in addition to the 1982 National Club Championship in the first three seasons of play.[4]
For the 1982–83 season, UAH would move to the Central States Collegiate Hockey League and hire Doug Ross as head coach.[4] The team would continue to excel in winning both the 1983 and 1984 National Club Championships and finishing as runner-up in 1985.[4] The on-ice success led to the program spending the 1985–86 competing in the NAIA before moving to compete in NCAA Division II college ice hockey for the 1986–87 season.[4]
Following the 1986–87 season, the NCAA would eliminate Division II ice hockey resulting in UAH competing at the Division I level from the 1987–88 through the 1991–92 seasons. For the 1992-93 season, UAH would drop back to a reinstituted Division II, citing competition, overall program costs and an inability to join a Division I conference.[8] In the second season back at D-II, the Chargers would finish as the Division II National Runner-up.[4] Between 1995 and 1998, the Chargers would win a pair of D-II National Championships (1996 & 1998) in addition to finishing as Division II National Runner-up again in 1997.[4]
Following the 1998–99 season, the NCAA would eliminate Division II ice hockey resulting in UAH once again moving to Division I as a charter member of College Hockey America.[4] As a member of the CHA, UAH has finished as regular season champions twice (2001 & 2003) in addition to two tournament championships in 2007 and 2010. In Doug Ross' final season as head coach, the Chargers would advance to the NCAA Men's Division I Ice Hockey Tournament for the first time in school history only to lose to Notre Dame in the first round.[4] Following their NCAA exit, Danton Cole was announced as UAH's third head coach in April 2007.[4]
By the 2008–09 season, the immediate future of College Hockey America was in doubt with Niagara University and Robert Morris University moving to Atlantic Hockey and Bemidji State moving to the WCHA effective for the 2010–11 season.[9] With these departures, it was subsequently announced that the CHA would fold following the 2009-10 season.[10] As such the Chargers have applied for membership to the Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) to begin play in the 2010–11 season.[9] By June 2009, the prospects for UAH to join the CCHA improved with Nebraska-Omaha departing to the WCHA leaving the league needing a twelfth team to compete in 2010–11.[11] On August 11, the CCHA announced that UAH's application to become a member of the conference was denied.[12] Following the 2009–10 season, UAH will play as the only Division I Independent program due to the lack of conference affiliation.[13] In their final season as a member of CHA, the Chargers won the 2010 CHA Men's Ice Hockey Tournament, but lost in the first round of the 2010 NCAA Tournament. In June 2010, Danton Cole announced his departure from the program to pursue a position with USA Hockey.[14]. On July 9, 2010, Chris Luongo was named UAH's fourth all-time head coach.[15]
On October 24, 2011, interim UAHuntsville President Malcolm Portera announced that the 2011–12 season would be the school's final season competing at the NCAA Division I level, citing financial reasons for making the decision. The program would be "realigned" as a club team, and the coaches' jobs would be eliminated as of May 31, 2012. [16] [6] An effort is under way by local boosters to save the team: there is still some hope that the incoming president, Robert Altenkirch, might reverse Portera's decision.[17] At a meeting between school administrators and local supporters on December 6, 2011, the university issued the following statement:
Members of The University of Alabama in Huntsville administration met this evening with hockey supporters, following discussions with Chancellor Malcolm Portera, and came to a consensus to work closely together to pursue institutional and community support to continue UAH hockey at the Division I level.[7]
Ironically, UAHuntsville is the host institution for the 2012 Frozen Four, which will be played in Saint Petersburg, Florida.[18]
Prior to making the move back to Division I for the 1999–00 season, UAH had won Division II championships in both 1996 and 1998.[19]
As of September 18, 2011.[23]
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| # | State | Player | Height | Weight | Year | Hometown | Previous Team |
| 31 | John Griggs | 6'1" | 180 | Junior | Barrington, Illinois | Cumberland (CJHL) | |
| 32 | C.J. Groh | 6'2" | 185 | Sophomore | Cincinnati, Ohio | Waterloo (USHL) | |
| 35 | Clarke Saunders | 6'3" | 200 | Sophomore | Brockville, Ontario | Brockville (CJHL) | |
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| # | State | Player | Height | Weight | Year | Hometown | Previous Team |
| 2 | Graeme Strukoff | 6'0" | 190 | Freshman | Chilliwack, British Columbia | Victoria (BCHL) | |
| 10 | Matt Hagen | 6'0" | 185 | Sophomore | Ottawa, Ontario | Kanata (CJHL) | |
| 14 | Nickolas Gatt | 6'3" | 185 | Sophomore | Farmington Hills, Michigan | Topeka (NAHL) | |
| 20 | Lasse Uusivirta | 6'1" | 185 | Sophomore | Espoo, Finland | Espoo Jr. | |
| 23 | Curtis deBruyn | 5'10" | 180 | Junior | Calgary, Alberta | Olds (AJHL) | |
| 24 | Tom Durnie | 6'2" | 190 | Senior | Calgary, Alberta | Canmore (AJHL) | |
| 28 | Ben Reinhardt | 5'10" | 185 | Freshman | Arnprior, Ontario | Pembroke (CCHL) | |
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| # | State | Player | Height | Weight | Year | Hometown | Previous Team |
| 5 | Brice Geoffrion | 6'0" | 190 | Sophomore | Brentwood, Tennessee | Motor City (NAHL) | |
| 7 | Jamie Easton | 5'8" | 170 | Senior | Edmonton, Alberta | Bonnyville (AJHL) | |
| 8 | Alex Allan | 5'11" | 185 | Sophomore | Calgary, Alberta | Victoria (BCHL) | |
| 12 | Mac Roy | 6'0" | 180 | Sophomore | Chilliwack, British Columbia | Langley (BCHL) | |
| 13 | Michael Webley | 6'0" | 180 | Freshman | Stittsville, Ontario | Gloucester (CCHL) | |
| 15 | Tyler Kotlarz | 6'0" | 190 | Freshman | Hudsonville, Michigan | Markham (OJHL) | |
| 16 | Doug Reid | 6'0" | 200 | Freshman | Innisfil, Ontario | Markham (OJHL) | |
| 18 | Andrew Creppin | 6'1" | 190 | Freshman | Orleans, Ontario | Gloucester (CCHL) | |
| 19 | Craig Pierce | 5'11" | 185 | Freshman | Roswell, Georgia | Rochester (EJHL) | |
| 21 | Jeff Vanderlugt | 6'3" | 220 | Freshman | Richmond Hill, Ontario | Surrey (BCHL) | |
| 22 | Sebastian Geoffrion | 5'10" | 190 | Junior | Brentwood, Tennessee | Indiana (USHL) | |
| 26 | Justin Cseter | 5'10" | 180 | Junior | Menomonie, Wisconsin | Salmon Arm (BCHL) | |
| 27 | Kyle Lysaght | 6'0" | 190 | Freshman | Marietta, Georgia | Oakville Blades (OJHL) | |
As of September, 2009.[25]
Players
Team (since 1986)
Player
Team
| Tenure | Coach | Years | Record |
|---|---|---|---|
| (1979–1982) | Joe Ritch | 3 | 85–4–1 (.950) |
| (1982–2007) | Doug Ross | 25 | 461–271–43 (.623) |
| (2007–2010) | Danton Cole | 3 | 23–59–11 (.306) |
| (2010–) | Chris Luongo | 1 | 4–26–2 (.156) |
| Totals | 4 coaches | 32 seasons | 565–359–62 (.604) |
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