BYU Cougars men's ice hockey
| BYU Cougars men's ice hockey | |
|---|---|
 | |
| University | Brigham Young University |
| Conference | Mountain West Collegiate Hockey League |
| Arena | Peaks Ice Arena Provo, Utah |
| Colors | Blue and white[1] |
| Fight song | The Cougar Song |
| Conference regular season championships | |
| Mountain West Collegiate Hockey League 2019 | |
The BYU Cougars men's ice hockey team formerly represented Brigham Young University (BYU) in the Mountain West Collegiate Hockey League within Division 2 of the American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA). In 2021 BYU decided to cut ties with the organization and no longer sponsors a men's ice hockey team following the 2021-22 season.
The BYU Cougars Hockey Team began in 1996 as the Provo IceCats,[2] and ice hockey had been a part of Brigham Young University for many years prior, but at the beginning of the 2007–08 season, the Provo IceCats – a club team composed of Brigham Young students which had been around since at least 1970 – finally gained recognition as an official extramural sport at BYU. Upon being officially recognized, the Cougars hockey team began representing their school by wearing the BYU logo on their uniforms and in their advertising. Although the team was officially recognized and sponsored by the university, it was funded entirely through player fees, the contributions of private donors, ticket proceeds, and various forms of advertising.
In July 2021 BYU notified the Provo IceCats that it would not be renewing the contract for the IceCats to be sponsored by BYU and play as the university's collegiate ice hockey team.[3] The team was allowed to play under the BYU banner for the 2021-22 season, but access to the BYU name and support would end after the conclusion of the season. BYU cited organizational and Title IX concerns in the press release confirming the end of affiliation, although the IceCats disputed this, organizing a petition for BYU to reconsider that garnered around three thousand signatures, but was ultimately unsuccessful in extending the contract.[4]
Record as BYU Affiliated Team
| Year | Games Played | Win | Loss | Tie | Home Record | Away Record | GF | GA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008–09 | 18 | 7 | 10 | 1 | 4–5–0 | 3–5–1 | 94 | 115 |
| 2009–10 | 29 | 9 | 20 | 0 | 5–7–0 | 4–13–0 | 118 | 167 |
| 2010–11 | 27 | 8 | 18 | 1 | 5–8–1 | 3–10–0 | 81 | 135 |
| 2011–12 | 27 | 1 | 25 | 1 | 1–12–0 | 0–13–1 | 69 | 247 |
| 2012–13 | 25 | 2 | 23 | 0 | 2–12–0 | 0–11–0 | 65 | 186 |
| 2013–14 | 30 | 4 | 25 | 1 | 2–12–0 | 2–13–1 | 80 | 194 |
| 2014–15 | 28 | 3 | 24 | 1 | 3–8–1 | 0–16–0 | 95 | 193 |
| 2015–16 | 29 | 6 | 22 | 1 | 3–11–0 | 3–11–1 | 71 | 181 |
| 2016–17 | 27 | 12 | 13 | 2 | 8–4–2 | 4–9–0 | 125 | 105 |
| 2017–18 | 28 | 12 | 13 | 3 | 9–7–1 | 3–6–2 | 128 | 91 |
| 2018–19 | 31 | 19 | 11 | 1 | 10–4–1 | 9–7–0 | 136 | 89 |
| 2019–20 | 31 | 13 | 15 | 1 | 8–7–1 | 5–8–3 | 113 | 130 |
| 2020–21̽ | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2–0–0 | 2–0–0 | 20 | 11 |
̽ Covid-19 Pandemic restricted season
Venue
Peaks Ice Arena is the home venue for the BYU Cougars. It has two ice sheets and was an Olympic Venue for the 2002 Winter Olympics. The team maintains a locker room at Peaks for the exclusive use of the coaches and players. The venue has a seating capacity of 2,300.
In the 1970s and 80s Utah Lake State Park had a seasonal (winter) ice rink that was open for public skating. I believe the Ice Cats played there also.
Conference
The Cougars have been members of the Mountain West Collegiate Hockey League since its inception in 2013. They were runners up to the Championship in 2018 and won the Championship in 2019.[5]
References
- ^ "Colors". Brigham Young University Publications and Graphics. Retrieved October 11, 2021.
- ^ BYU Hockey Home Page
- ^ Turner, Caleb (2021-06-21). "BYU Hockey to play final season after university ceases contract". The Daily Universe. Archived from the original on 8 April 2023. Retrieved 2023-04-08.
- ^ Hinkhouse, Madisan (2021-09-21). "BYU Responds To Dropping Affiliation With Club Hockey Team". KSL Sports. Archived from the original on 8 April 2023. Retrieved 2023-04-08.
- ^ "No. 7 BYU Hockey secures MWCHL championship for first time in program history". The Daily Universe. 14 February 2019. Retrieved November 25, 2019.