By Sebastian Zucchet
When most hockey fans are asked about U.S. college hockey, they almost always refer to the NCAA. Some of the NHL’s best players have come through the NCAA and the U.S.’s top college hockey programs. But a hidden gem in U.S. college hockey is the American Collegiate Hockey Association. The ACHA serves as an option for college hockey programs with a low budget, as well as schools that struggle with Title IX, and it gives club teams a chance to compete in meaningful hockey games and help grow the sport. It plays sort of a second fiddle to the NCAA, but ACHA programs are not sponsored by their athletic departments. It is considered club hockey for most schools that compete and the ACHA serves no affiliation with the NCAA.
The ACHA has multiple divisions for men and women’s hockey, with the men’s top division having 72 teams across various conferences who compete to win the national championship each year. Some NCAA schools will have club teams competing in the ACHA, such as Arizona State or the University of Massachusetts. Penn State has won the most ACHA Div. I championships, having won five titles before graduating to the NCAA Div. I level.
This season, the ACHA national championship took place in St. Louis. The University of Nevada-Las Vegas Rebels won their first-ever title in program history when they defeated Adrian College 7-3 in the final. This game was revenge as Adrian College had beaten UNLV 3-0 in the final last season to win their third national title.
UNLV dominated the game, and after scoring the first, never looked back. They jumped out to a 4-0 lead midway through the second period, and all Adrian could do was play catch-up. UNLV winger Tristan Rand had two goals, including a successful penalty shot in the third period.
Rebels goalie Jeremy Forman was named MVP of the tournament, after allowing only nine goals on 116 shots throughout the event. Forman, who spent four years at the University of New Hampshire in the NCAA and never really got a shot, finally found somewhere he could shine, and he made the most of it.
The tournament's top scorer was also from the Rebels, as Preston Brodziak notched three goals and seven points in four games, and was the team’s overall leading scorer on the season with 20 goals and 54 points in 30 games. Brodziak also made the move from NCAA Div. I after four years with Long Island University.
UNLV dominated for the most part on their path to becoming champions, and had a bye in the first round due to their 27-5-2 record in the regular season. They beat the University of Arizona 6-2 in the second, and then in the quarterfinal took down Maryville University 3-2 in overtime, and came back against Liberty University in the semifinal in an eventual 5-2 victory.
In that semifinal, UNLV trailed 2-0 with 10 minutes to play in the third period, then ended up scoring five goals to blow Liberty away.
UNLV made some waves around the hockey world earlier in the season, when they defeated reigning NCAA champions Denver Pioneers 7-6 in a shootout in an exhibition game.
Between Forman and Brodziak, there is evidence that the ACHA can give players a second chance at collegiate success in hockey, and help to grow programs and the sport at other schools, bringing more competition.
With the Vegas Golden Knights winning the 2023 Stanley Cup, and now UNLV winning an ACHA championship, hockey has climbed to new heights in the state of Nevada, and by the looks of things, there won’t be any slowing down soon.
