Tar Heel Hockey turns 50
The rapidly growing Carolina club hockey program will move into a more competitive division next year.
Since its start in the 1970s, the Tar Heel Club Hockey team has been an outlet for student players, helping to break the ice and popularize the sport in North Carolina.
The team, composed of 28 students on the roster and several coaching and administrative staff members, currently practices twice a week at the Orange County Sportsplex in Hillsborough. They travel to division opponents along the East Coast or host them at the Sportsplex. The Tar Heels play about 30 games a year, with their season starting in August and running through March.
Next season, the team will move up to American Collegiate Hockey Association Division 1 to face more competitive teams. They will be one of the founding members of the Atlantic Coast Conference Hockey League M1 Division, along with Alabama, Louisville and NC State. (The ACCHL also recently added a women’s club hockey team that has attracted a wider audience.)
“We’re trying to set high expectations, but the good thing is we have the players who are excited to do that,” said senior Michael Vaglia, center and alternate captain for the team. “The team is ready to play at higher levels and tougher games.”
Like other sports teams at Carolina, the players’ connections are very strong. “All the guys on the team are great friends,” said Spencer Haskell, senior and defenseman for the team. “As a transfer, I automatically gained 20 friends with the hockey team.”
With the sport’s increased popularity, there’s a high demand for ice time amongst college and youth programs in the area. The team currently practices along with the Duke University club team and other area teams at the Sportsplex, often practicing late at night when the ice is free.
With the team’s growing popularity, they’ve been able to start their own traditions over the last few years. More than 25,000 people came to the “Frozen Finley” game in 2023, when the Tar Heels played against the NC State Icepack at Carter-Finley Stadium.
“Now I’m out on Franklin Street after we beat Duke in basketball, and I see multiple hockey jerseys, and it’s such a surreal experience,” said Vaglia. “Only a short time ago, people were like, ‘We have an ice hockey team?’ and now people are buying jerseys and supporting us.”
As the team finishes their 50th season, they are looking forward to the program’s growth in the years to come.
“Fifty years is a testament to all the guys that started this program when they were playing at Daniel Boone Arena. A lot of times they would just travel anywhere to find ice time because they loved hockey,” said coach Steve Rice. “They’re the ones who started this program. We’re grateful for everything they’ve done.”
Along with looking toward the future, the team also appreciates reconnecting with past players.
“It’s been so cool to reconnect with the alumni and get their perspective. I love that they’re keeping up with us and they care about our results,” said Vaglia. “We’re trying to honor them because they laid the groundwork. Without them, we wouldn’t have a program.”
