Category: Stories

Razorbacks announce 2022-23 Schedule

Arkansas Hockey announced their 2022-23 season schedule today. The schedule is full of contests against familiar rivals and new faces. The Hogs will be hosting 17 home games and hit the road for 13 games against some of the top competition in the ACHA.

Arkansas starts their season with a tough stretch on September 16th-17th with a weekend series at bitter rival Missouri State. Arkansas took three out of five from the Ice Bears last season. The teams would split on home ice, with the Hogs winning the Battle of the Ozarks Trophy with a 2-1-1 record in the regular season. The two teams met again in the MACHA Conference Tournament Final with Arkansas taking the game by a score of 5-2.

The MACHA South games continue the following two weekends as the Hogs host their first home weekend against Dallas Baptist University on September 30th and October 1st, and the following weekend Missouri travels to The Jones Center on October 7th and 8th. Arkansas swept DBU in four contests last season. Arkansas swept Mizzou in their two meetings last season.

The following weekend the Hogs hit the road for a tough series against The University of Nebraska. Arkansas will be looking for vengeance as Nebraska is coming off a victory between the two programs in their game during pool play at the National Tournament last season. Arkansas had swept the Corn Huskers at home earlier in the season. A quick return home that same weekend will see the Razorbacks host another division rival, as North Texas stops by for a Sunday Matinee game on October 16th.

The action against top teams in the country continues as Arkansas will compete in the Route 66 Showcase, hosted by Missouri State. Arkansas is the two time defending champion of the event, and will look to go for the three-pete as they square off against Miami of Ohio, Ferris State, and Davenport University. Arkansas swept Miami of Ohio last season, a 5-1 victory in the Route 66 and an overtime victory in pool play of the National Tournament. Arkansas has never faced their other two opponents on the ice.

Next, the hogs host a familiar face in the University of Kansas on October 28th and 29th. The two programs have an extensive rivalry with both teams trading punches over the past few seasons. Arkansas took advantage of a down year for the Jayhawks, and swept them in their two meetings last season. The following weekend Arkansas will host the University of Nebraska-Omaha for the first meetings of the two programs on November 4th and 5th.

For the last road trip of the semester, the Razorbacks travel south to Dallas to square off with division opponents Dallas Baptist and North Texas. Arkansas will close out the fall semester at home against East Texas Baptist University on December 2nd and 3rd.

Arkansas starts their spring semester on the road when they participate in Miami of Ohio’s annual showcase. More tough competition against some of the top programs awaits the Hogs in Ohio as they face off against Miami (OH), Indiana University at Pennsylvania, and Grand Valley State University. IUP finished last season ranked in the top 20. GVSU faced a similar fate as the Razorbacks, losing in the semifinals of the National Tournament to the University of Michigan.

To finish the regular season Arkansas will host Missouri State on January 27th and 28th for senior weekend. The winner of the season series will be awarded the Battle of the Ozarks Trophy. The weekend will also have huge implications for the MACHA South division as both teams will playing their last division games ahead of the conference tournament.

The MACHA tournament is scheduled for February 10th-12th and will be hosted by Maryville University in St. Louis, MO. The ACHA National Tournament is scheduled for March 16th-21st and will take place in Boston, MA.

The teams complete schedule can be found here.
Ticket information can be found here.
Broadcast information can be found here.

Clear your calendars and make your way out to the Jones Center this year to support your University of Arkansas Hockey team as they attempt to make another run at a National Championship!

Razorback Season Preview

The 2021-22 schedule for the Arkansas Razorback Hockey team was announced last week, setting up for an exciting 15th season of Hog hockey. This will be the Razorbacks first official season as a part of the Mid-America Collegiate Hockey Association after announcing a departure from the SECHC in 2019. Arkansas begins the season at home on September 17th and 18th against DII East Texas Baptist University. The rivalry between the Razorbacks and Tigers has grown substantially, with teams splitting a two-game set in Shreveport, LA in the 2020-21 season. Arkansas swept the Tigers at home in the 2019-20 season. These two teams have a knack for offense, combining for an astounding 45 goals in the last 4 matchups. The hogs follow that up with a road series against DI Oklahoma. Arkansas has not played Oklahoma since the 2019-20 season. This will be the first game since February 29th, 2020 for Oklahoma, who elected to opt out of the 2020-21 season.

October gets started with a road trip to the Dallas Metroplex to take on DBU on October 1st and 2nd and North Texas on October 3rd. Arkansas swept DBU in five regular season games and one National Tournament game during the 2020-21 season. The Razorbacks last took on North Texas in 2018-19, defeating the Mean Green 10-0 and 18-2. Arkansas then returns home for four straight games, starting with two against Iowa State on October 8th and 9th. The Hogs then get a week off before welcoming longtime rival Missouri St. to The Jones Center. Arkansas swept Missouri St. during the 2020-21 season in four regular season games and the National Semi-Final.

After a week off, Arkansas will travel to Springfield, MO for the Route 66 Showcase on November 5th, 6th, and 7th. The Razorbacks look to defend their 2019 Route 66 Championship with games against Butler University on the 5th, New Mexico on the 6th, and Miami(OH) on the 7th. The Hogs then host Nebraska on November 12th and 13th. Arkansas and Nebraska have engaged in some exceptionally physical battles, last facing off in 2019 with the Razorbacks winning 6-3 and 5-2. Arkansas hits the road for a two-game set in Independence, MO against rival Kansas on November 19th and 20th. Kansas and Arkansas have a fierce rivalry that will grow even more with conference standings now on the line. The Hogs then return home to take on North Texas in a rare Sunday home game on the 21st. The Hogs cap off the Fall semester with a two-game road trip to play Mizzou on December 3rd and 4th.

After the holiday break, the Hogs open the Spring semester on home ice against Dallas Baptist on January 21st and 22nd. Arkansas hits the road for a trip to Missouri St. on January 28th and 29th, before finishing out the regular season with senior weekend on February 4th and 5th against Kansas. The following week begins postseason play at the Mid-America Collegiate Hockey Association Tournament. Maryville University Hockey Center will host the tournament in St. Louis, MO. Dates for the tournament are February 11th-13th. Arkansas then gets a month to prepare for the ACHA National Tournament, hosted by Maryville University in St. Louis, MO. Dates for the ACHA National Tournament are March 10th-20th.

Check out the full schedule here!

The University of Arkansas Men’s Hockey team plays in the Mid-America Collegiate Hockey Association. The 2021-22 season will be the team’s fifteenth season as a member of the ACHA competing in Division III. The team’s schedule can be viewed here. All home games are played at The Jones Center for Families in Springdale, AR.

 

University of Arkansas Hockey Announces Postponement of Fall Schedule

FAYETTEVILLE, AR (August 13th, 2020) – The University of Arkansas hockey team regrets to announce that we will be postponing all Fall 2020 games effective immediately. While we were extremely excited and hopeful to be playing hockey again, we feel that this decision is in the best interest of the health and safety of our student-athletes, coaches, staff, volunteers, and fans.

We are hopeful that we can begin play in January 2021 and defend our 2019-20 program record of 32 wins and #1 ranking. In the coming months, we plan to begin team practices in accordance with the Arkansas Department of Health and University of Arkansas UREC policies. We look forward to interacting with our fans in new ways and keeping you updated on exciting new developments. Thank you for your support and we can’t wait to be playing in front of the best fans in the ACHA at The Jones Center in the new year.

The University of Arkansas Men’s Hockey team plays in the Southeastern Collegiate Hockey Conference. The 2020-21 season will be the team’s fourteenth season as a member of the ACHA competing in Division III. The team’s schedule will be released shortly. All home games are played at The Jones Center for Families in Springdale, AR.

Trevor Borlace signs with Arkansas

The Razorback hockey team is pleased to announce that F-Trevor Borlace has committed to the University of Arkansas. The 5’11” 209lbs. right-shooting forward recently completed his junior career with the Texas Roadrunners of the NA3HL.

Trevor Borlace, a Negaunee, MI native, comes to Arkansas after a junior career with the Ironwood Yoopers, Dallas Snipers, and his final two seasons with the College Station Spirit/Texas Roadrunners. In his final season, Borlace recorded 20 goals and 22 assists in 45 games. He also holds the current Roadrunners’ franchise record for most goals in a career. Over his 4-year junior career, Borlace posted 58 goals and 57 assists in 154 games.

Borlace will be majoring in Business and minoring in Marketing starting this fall. His love for the game started at a young age playing on the ponds of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, and grew as he started to play competitively. “The University of Arkansas is best suited for me as an athlete. No matter where I move to play, my family has always supported me and the sport I love playing.”

The University of Arkansas Men’s Hockey team plays in the Southeastern Collegiate Hockey Conference. The 2020-21 season will be the team’s fourteenth season as a member of the ACHA competing in Division III. The team’s schedule will be released shortly. All home games are played at The Jones Center for Families in Springdale.

Blake Elliott commits to Arkansas

The Razorback hockey team is pleased to announce that F-Blake Elliott has committed to the University of Arkansas. The 5’10” 170lbs. right-shooting forward recently completed his junior career with the Texas Roadrunners of the NA3HL.

Blake Elliott, a Sugar Land, TX native, comes to Arkansas after a 4-year junior career with the College Station Spirit/Texas Roadrunners, Dallas Snipers, and Louisiana Drillers. In his final junior season with the Roadrunners, Elliott totaled 8 goals and 13 assists in 45 games. In his 4 years of junior hockey, Elliott recorded 26 goals and 33 assists in 156 games.

Elliott will be studying business marketing when school starts in the fall. “I decided to come to the University of Arkansas because I have heard nothing but great things about the school as well as the hockey program. I met Coach Falls at the NA3HL showcase 2 years ago and have been in touch with him ever since. Hockey has always been very special to me; I started playing at 3 years old and have never fell in love with any other sport like I did with hockey. Being able to get the opportunity to play for the University of Arkansas is a blessing and I can’t wait for the next four years.“

The University of Arkansas Men’s Hockey team plays in the Southeastern Collegiate Hockey Conference. The 2020-21 season will be the team’s fourteenth season as a member of the ACHA competing in Division III. The team’s schedule will be released shortly. All home games are played at The Jones Center for Families in Springdale.

Razorbacks add NCAA transfer Bradley Estrada

The Razorback hockey team is excited to announce that F-Bradley Estrada has committed to the University of Arkansas. The 5’10” 174lbs. left-shooting forward recently completed his freshman season with NCAA DIII Northland College.

Estrada, a native of Chino Hills, CA, comes to Arkansas after one season of NCAA hockey and a notable junior career. Estrada grew up playing in several excellent AAA youth organizations like the LA Selects AAA and Omaha Lancers AAA. He started his junior career playing two seasons with the Helena Bighorns of the NA3HL, before playing Junior A in Canada with the Navan Grads and Dauphin Kings. He played his final season of junior hockey with the Valley Junior Warriors of the EHL before heading to Northland College.

“Ever since I could walk I have been in love with hockey. The sport has not only taught me lessons on the ice but also off the ice. In return it has helped me shape into the man I am today. Three years ago my sister committed to the University of Arkansas for softball… over time, I fell in love with the idea of becoming a Razorback and going to school with my sister for a few years.” Estrada will be majoring in Marketing at Arkansas this fall. “I cannot wait to start a new chapter as an Arkansas Razorback.”

The University of Arkansas Men’s Hockey team plays in the Southeastern Collegiate Hockey Conference. The 2020-21 season will be the team’s fourteenth season as a member of the ACHA competing in Division III. The team’s schedule will be released shortly. All home games are played at The Jones Center for Families in Springdale.

Saying goodbye–a look back at six seniors

Senior Bio: Alex Kueser

Senior center and captain Alex Kueser was born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri. He started playing hockey at three years old and was a member of the Chesterfield Falcons youth hockey organization. After four years with the Razorbacks, Kueser compiled 80 goals and 79 assists for a total of 159 points in 103 games. Kueser was also named a 2020 ACHA Academic All-American. Talking about his time playing for the Hogs, Kueser said, ”Throughout my time on the team, I made a lot of memories from winning SEC’s, to going undefeated at nationals, and all the good times with the boys.” Kueser and fellow senior Razorback Evan Kerr played together all four years and were inseparable for the final two years. Kerr said about Kueser, “He’s a really hard worker who never runs out of energy. He understands the game really well so he knows where he needs to be all the time and can finish a play if he gets the puck.”

Kueser graduated with a degree in Mechanical Engineering with a concentration in Aerospace and a minor in Mathematics. After graduation, Kueser plans to move back to St. Louis and get a job in either aerospace or mechanical engineering and continue playing hockey.

Senior Bio: Chris Stovall

Senior center and assistant captain Chris Stovall. Stovall, who is from Grapevine, Texas, played four years for the Razorbacks, wearing the ‘A’ in both his Junior and Senior years. Over 138 games in a Razorback uniform, Stovall totaled 49 goals and 76 assists for 125 points. Majoring in communications, Stovall hopes to work in sports sales in the future.

Stovall said, “In my experience at Arkansas, I have been extremely fortunate to be a part of this program for 4 years. I have made friendships that will last a lifetime. Throughout that time I learned many life lessons as well. I want to thank the boys and the coaching staff for letting me be a part of it. They have been right by my side throughout it all. Being a part of this program is something that I take tremendous pride in. And at the end of the day I am proud to say I am an Arkansas Razorback.” Growing up together in Grapevine, TX, fellow Razorback and senior Shaun Foster has shared many memories with Stovall. “He always had such a fiery passion for the game at such a young age. Once we became teammates I saw that passion was still alive and well. Being teammates felt surreal and I’m glad that we both had the opportunity to play hockey again. I am extremely grateful and forever thankful to have a brother like him,” Foster said.

Senior Bio: Evan Kerr

Evan Kerr is a senior right winger from Little Rock, AR who started playing hockey when he was 3 years old. Kerr played on various AAA and AA teams in the south. After graduating high school, Kerr came to the University of Arkansas where he was a part of the hockey team for 5 years. In 117 games in a Razorback jersey, Kerr recorded 83 goals and 92 assists for a total of 175 points. Kerr is graduating with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. After graduation, Kerr plans on moving back to Little Rock to find a job in mechanical engineering.

“Since joining the team, I have made many life-long friendships and memories that will stick with me forever.” Alex Kueser spoke about his fellow linemate saying, “He’s easy to play with and has a strong passion for the game. He’s a very selfless player and makes his teammates better on and off the ice. He’s a good leader and will do whatever it takes to win in all circumstances. He’s one of the smartest players I’ve ever played with.”

Senior Bio: Shaun Foster

Shaun Foster is a senior defenseman from Grapevine, Texas.  Foster majored in management and minored in analytics while playing 3 season for the Razorbacks. Through 96 games as a Razorback, Foster scored 10 goals and had 16 assists while being named an assistant captain his Junior and Senior year. Following graduation, Foster plans to remain in Fayetteville.

Speaking about his time as a Razorback, Foster said, “Having the opportunity to restart my hockey career has been a wonderful experience. I am so thankful for being able to complete my education here at the University of Arkansas while playing hockey for an organization that continues to develop individuals preparing them for anything that the world may throw at them. My first two seasons with the Razorbacks were not glamorous but I still appreciated being able to put on a hockey jersey. I really am going to miss this group of guys a lot.”

A longtime friend, Chris Stovall had great things to say about his fellow senior Razorback. “I’ve been fortunate to know Shaun for over 10 years now. Hockey wise, I don’t think he gets enough credit. You know night it and night out that it’s going to be an uphill battle because he’s going to be in your face making you earn everything and if you do, he’ll bury you. Not really known for his offensive prowess, but he is certainly a huge presence on that blue line that will be sorely missed.

Hockey aside, Shaun is a great human being. He treats everyone with respect and includes everyone in anything he does, especially when it comes to the team. He is a tremendous leader and is one of the most caring people I’ve ever been around. Shaun comes from a great family whom I’ve known for most of my life – some of the nicest people I’ve ever met. I had the privilege of playing with his brother Dalton earlier in my career and I’m fortunate I got to play my college years with Shaun.”

Senior Bio: Dominic de la Guardia

Dominic de la Guardia is a senior defenseman from Flower Mound, TX. De la Guardia is graduating with a degree in Supply Chain Management (Logistics and Transportation Concentration) and minoring in Marketing and Enterprise Resource Planning. After graduation, de la Guardia and his dog Bauer will be moving to Chicago where he will be working for Coyote Logistics, a third-party logistics company owned by UPS.

De la Guardia grew up playing for multiple travel hockey organizations in the DFW area, including the Dallas Ice Jets, Texas Attack, and Texas Tornado. He then played 4 years of junior hockey before coming to the University of Arkansas. A strong stay-at-home defenseman in his four seasons as a Razorback, he recorded 4 goals and 13 assists in 103 games. “What I’ll miss the most about playing for the U of A is just being with the boys on and off the ice.” Former Razorback and roommate, Cory Delisle, said about de la Guardia, “He likes to travel and enjoys breweries. Also makes an unreal margarita mix.”

Senior Bio: Alex DeGuire

Alex DeGuire is a senior defenseman from Overland Park, Kansas. He started playing hockey in Little Rock, Arkansas when he was 6 years old. In 2008 he moved to Overland Park, KS where he played for Russell Stover and the Kansas City Jets. After playing one year for the Skipjacks Hockey Club in Baltimore, he came to Arkansas and played four seasons for the Razorbacks. Deguire battled through injuries in his first two seasons, however he managed to record 12 goals and 22 assists in 113 games. A major in Criminology and Sociology, after graduation DeGuire plans on pursuing a career in law enforcement in the Kansas City area.

“I’ve made a lot of good memories and met a lot of amazing people,” DeGuire said about his time in Fayetteville. Former teammate of DeGuire’s, Corey Rees said about him, “I loved playing with Degs, definitely one of the greatest guys I’ve ever played with. He was a band-aid, but when he wasn’t injured, he was fun to watch.”

2020 ACHA National Tournament in Frisco, TX Canceled

We regret to announce that, out of an abundance of caution due to public health concerns regarding the coronavirus (COVID-19), the American Collegiate Hockey Association has decided to cancel the 2020 ACHA National Tournament scheduled for March 19-29. The decision comes after consulting with the city of Frisco and the Dallas Stars, and following the precedent of USAHockey and the NHL. You can read the full ACHA press release here.

After a record-setting season, the Razorbacks finish with a 32-4-0 record and a #1 ranking in the Pacific Region. Please follow our off-season developments, including a highlight web series that features our graduating seniors:

Alex DeGuire
Dom de la Guardia
Shaun Foster
Evan Kerr
Alex Kueser
Chris Stovall

As always, we greatly appreciate your unwavering support and look forward to proudly representing the University of Arkansas in the 2020-21 season.

Arkansas Razorbacks clinch second #1 seed in program history

The #1 Arkansas Razorbacks (32-4-0) clinched their second #1 seed in program history last week in the final ACHA DIII rankings. The Razorbacks held the #1 seed in the Pacific Region for 10 of the 11 rankings periods this year, the most of any team in any region. This #1 seed guarantees the Razorbacks a bye through the Pacific Regionals and an automatic bid to the National Championship Tournament in Frisco, TX March 24-28th.

The National Championship Tournament draw will be finalized after the regionals have been completed March 6-8th. The Hogs will face the #2 University of Tampa (23-7-1), who is the #2 from the South. The regionals will decide the other two round-robin opponents, the higher seed advancing out of the North Regionals(North #3) and the lower seed advancing out of the Atlantic Regionals(Atlantic #4). Everybody will play a 3-game round robin format on March 24th, 25th, and 26th. The round-robin portion of the tournament will take place at the Children’s Health StarCenter in Plano, TX.

On March 24th, the Hogs will face off against the 4th seed out of the Atlantic Region at 7:00PM, followed by the 3rd seed from the North Region on March 25th, at 7:30PM. Arkansas will round-out pool play on March 25th against the University of Tampa Spartans at 4:00PM. The winner from each of the four pools will advance to the semi-finals March 27th at the Comerica StarCenter in Frisco, TX, with a final game on March 28th.

The University of Arkansas Men’s Hockey team plays in the Southeastern Collegiate Hockey Conference. The 2019-20 season will be the team’s thirteenth season as a member of the ACHA competing in Division III. The team’s schedule can be found here. All home games are played at The Jones Center for Families in Springdale.

 

Weekend abruptly cancelled as Alabama declines to make the trip

We regret to announce that this weekend’s home games against Alabama have unfortunately been cancelled. We are saddened for our fans and players, particularly our seniors who we planned to honor on Saturday.

We are hoping to schedule a replacement game in the coming weeks. Please like and follow our social media feeds for updates:

www.facebook.com/razorbackhockey

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