Head Hog Keller Sims has been named coach of the year of MACHA Gold by his peers. Coach Sims led his Razorbacks to a winning record, a MACHA Conference Championship, and a Regional Tournament appearance in their first year of competition at ACHA Division II and in the MACHA Gold.
2024-25 was Coach Sims’ 8th with the program. In his 8 seasons, he has led the Hogs to 3 conference championships, 6 nationals appearance, 2 Frozen Fours, and a National Runner-up finish in 2021.
Recently, five players from the 2024-25 Division II squad were named to the 2025 MACHA Allstar team that will represent the conference in the ACHA Division II Allstar Challenge in Philadelphia in April. Your Razorback representatives will be:
Senior Goaltender- Sam Haynes
Senior Defensemen- Brian Romero
Junior Defensemen- Ethan Rogers
Junior Forward- Brenden Coon
Sophomore Forward- JD Duenwald
In addition to these five players, Head Coach Keller Sims was selected to lead the MACHA Allstars along with assistant coach Kevin Gregory from Maryville University and Mike Hernbrott of Illinois State University.
In their first season competing at the Division II level, your Ice Hogs qualified for the Central Regional Tournament and competed for a chance to qualify for the National Tournament. The Hogs entered the tournament with momentum as the team had gone undefeated in their contests during the spring semester and entered fresh off a dominating performance at the MACHA Tournament, handling Illinois, Iowa, and tournament favorite Maryville easily.
Their first match up saw them square off with #9 Michigan State. The hogs continued their dominance jumping out to an early lead in the first period and never looked back on their way to a 6-1 victory. Senior goaltender Grady Reis continued his stellar play keeping MSU out of the back of the net early, allowing the Hogs to gain momentum. Physical play and penalties dominated the storyline, and Arkansas’ special teams stayed scorching hot in this one to keep Arkansas squarely ahead throughout.
The second round match up saw Arkanas draw a tough opponent in #4 seeded St. Thomas. The veteran team was no stranger to the stage, playing in their 4th regional tournament in a row. Arkansas found itself in penalty trouble early, and never got their feet moving in the first period. They trailed 2-0 after 20 minutes. After another slow start in the 2nd, they began to find their momentum but again trailed at the end of the frame 5-2.
However, full of belief and perseverance, the Razorbacks would not quit. They controlled the pace of play and put St. Thomas on their heels in the 3rd period. They 3 times brought the game to within 1 goal, including 3 goals in the last 4 minutes of the game, and 2 with the goalie pulled in the final 2 minutes. The comeback would fall short with a St. Thomas empty net goal with less than a second to play and their season would end with an 8-6 defeat.
This marked the end of the Razorbacks season as they were eliminated from the tournament. Overall, this was a very successful season for the Hogs as they continued their winning trajectory from Division III by finishing with a winning record, winning their conference tournament, and qualifying for ACHA postseason play in their first season of competition at Division II.
This past weekend your Division II Arkansas Razorbacks won the MACHA Gold Tournament solidifying a bid into the ACHA postseason. This season marked the programs first year of competition in ACHA Division II and first year participating in the Gold Division of the MACHA Conference. “Huge accomplishment for our program. To come in and win our conference in year one is incredible. On top of that, to jump into the postseason tournament in year one, it’s hard to explain how proud I am of this team”, Head Coach Keller Sims had to say when asked about the championship and what it means for Arkansas Hockey.
The team had an up and down first semester, mixed with several winning and losing streaks. The spring semester however had been nothing but success. The team entered the tournament on a 8 game winning streak. Friday saw Arkansas dominate an Illinois squad they had swept earlier in the semester. In a game that could be called sloppy at times, Arkansas did enough to secure a 5-2 victory over Illinois.
Saturday saw a much anticipated matchup with MACHA powerhouse Iowa. The two teams split their early season series in Iowa. Arkansas jumped out to a fast start securing an early three goal lead. Penalty trouble saw the Hawkeyes pull the game back to within one late in the second period, before Freshman Alex Fendler scored off a face off with 3 seconds remaining in the period. Arkansas kept the game our of reach scoring two more in the third to win the game 6-3.
Sunday saw the Hogs take on the #1 seed and host team, Maryville University. Maryville had secured victories in all three games played against the Razorbacks during the regular season. Arkansas scored on their first shift and never looked back. The game was physical and fast with both teams trading penalties and chances. Arkansas kept their foot on the gas and kept putting pucks in the net. Senior Goaltender Grady Reis backstopped the Hogs making huge saves to keep the Maryville Saints frustrated. At the end of 60 minutes, the Hogs would lead 8-3, and secure their first tournament title in their first appearance at MACHA Gold.
Senior goaltender Grady Reis was named MVP of the tournament after securing the win in all 3 games on the weekend. Arkansas is now 2-0 in their first appearance at MACHA Tournaments, as the Division III squad won the tournament in their first year of competition at MACHA Silver in 2022. With the victory, Arkansas moves up to #12 in the Regional Rankings and will take on #9 Michigan State at the Central Regional Tournament in LaCrosse Wisconsin on Friday February 21st at 1:30 PM. All games will be broadcast on Flow Hockey TV. #6 Maryville and #13 Iowa will join Arkansas as participants in the Regional Tournament from the MACHA.
The University of Arkansas DII Club closed out their home schedule in dominant fashion, sweeping a two-game series against Oklahoma State University with a 5-2 win on Friday and an emphatic 9-1 victory on Saturday at the Jones Center. The sweep capped off a record breaking season for the Razorbacks, as they now shift their focus to the upcoming Mid-America Collegiate Hockey Association (MACHA) Tournament this weekend.
The first game on Friday, January 31, remained competitive early, with both teams tied 2-2 after the first period. Arkansas’ David Markovich opened the scoring at 1:56, assisted by Ayden Frolik, before Brenden Coon (9:43) put the Razorbacks back on top. Oklahoma State equalized with a goal from London Magana (15:44), assisted by Coulter Clevenger and Zachary Jones, before Arkansas’ Gibson Duhe (19:54) tied the match. The Razorbacks pulled away in the second and third periods when Alex Fendler (1:08) netted the game-winner, assisted by Frolik and Brayden McDonald, and Frolik and Raf Praysner himself added an insurance goals to secure the win.
Arkansas outshot Oklahoma State 49-15, with goaltender Graden Reis making 13 saves on 15 shots for the win. Jason Thomas stood tall for Oklahoma State, making 44 saves on 49 shots but was overwhelmed by Arkansas’ relentless attack. The Razorbacks committed six penalties for 12 minutes, while Oklahoma State took four infractions for eight minutes, including an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on Michael Gakhutishvili (12:27, 1st period).
On Saturday, February 1, Arkansas left no doubt, delivering a 9-1 blowout to cap off their home schedule in dominant fashion. After Anthony Conti (4:29, 1st period) put Arkansas on the board, Oklahoma State briefly responded with a power-play goal from Brayden Pottala (13:21, assisted by Coulter Clevenger). From that point forward, Arkansas took complete control, scoring eight unanswered goals, including two goals from David Markovich, two from Alex Fendler, and a tally from Ayden Frolik. Brian Romero added two late goals (18:35, 19:45, 3rd period) to put an exclamation mark on the victory.
Arkansas dominated the shot count once again, outshooting Oklahoma State 50-17. Razorbacks’ goaltender Sam Haynes was nearly flawless, stopping 16 of 17 shots, while Oklahoma State’s William Carney faced a barrage of pucks, making 41 saves on 50 shots. The game also featured a combined 40 minutes of penalties, with Arkansas taking 24 minutes on eight infractions, while Oklahoma State recorded 16 minutes on eight infractions, including a 10-minute misconduct on Adam Markovich (end of game).
The Razorbacks now shift their focus to the MACHA Tournament, where they will face off against some of the toughest teams in the division, looking to build on their momentum and make a deep postseason run.
After the game, Arkansas head coach Keller Sims praised his team’s effort, saying, “We played with speed and confidence all weekend. Our guys executed the game plan well, stayed aggressive, and never let up. This is the kind of effort we want to bring every night.”
Forward Ayden Frolik, who recorded three goals and three assists over the series, added, “Everyone was clicking, and we kept the pressure on. We’re playing for each other, and when we’re having fun like this, we’re tough to stop.”
The Razorbacks now set their sights on the MACHA Tournament this weekend, where they look to continue their strong play and compete for a championship. They enter the tournament as the #3 seed and will face off against #6 Illinois in the opening game. The tournament will take place in Chesterfield, MO at the Maryville University Hockey Center. Fridays game time is scheduled for 5:15 PM.
For the first time since returning to two teams, both Razorback Hockey clubs swept their opponents on the same weekend following 4 victories over a pair of Tigers. On Friday, the Division III squad would get the party started on the road against future MACHA South foe East Texas Baptist in Shreveport, LA. On the backs of a three goal performance from senior captain Jason Gifford and another standout performance in net from senior Noah Goodwin, the Hogs would cruise on the road to a 7-3 victory over the Tigers.
Just as DIII was finishing their thrashing of ETBU, the puck would drop at the Jones Center in front of a capacity crowd as the Division II squad took on the Missouri Tigers in their annual Military Appreciation Night. The start did not go as planned for the Hogs as the ended the first frame 2-0. After regrouping during the intermission, the Hogs would score two of their own in the second to enter the deciding third period all tied up. Freshman Miles Watson would score the game winner with 15:11 remaining in the game. Sophomore JD Duenwald would add the insurance on a shorthanded goal and Freshman Ayden Frolik would put the game away with five minutes to play.
On Saturday, the Division III squad would look to finish the sweep of ETBU on the road. Seven different Razorbacks would contribute to the scoring (Wohilitz, Moder, Asher, Kilgore, Verble, Semingson, Witchryk) as the squad would again dominate ETBU on their home ice. Sophomore, Addison Phillips would follow up his stellar 50 save shutout against Missouri State, allowing 1 goal on 39 shots in the 7-1 win. When asked about the weekend Head Coach Greg Betzold had this to say ” It is really great to see the boys playing at this level. We have really come together as a group and bought in to doing the little things right. There were some growing pains early, but its great to see us playing at the level we knew we were capable of all along”.
Back at the Jones Center, Arkansas looked to sweep rival Mizzou at home. Senior, and program shutout record holder, Sam Haynes would get the start. Arkansas again was plagued by a slow start and added penalty trouble. They entered the 3rd frame down 2-1 but never doubted they would be able to overcome the deficit. Newcomer Raf Praysner would tie the game on a shot off of the faceoff early in the period. After a quick answer from Mizzou, Freshman Alex Fendler would find the back of the net to again tie the contest. Freshman Chris Colon would score the game winner on a odd man rush with 6:30 remaining in the game. Junior Brenden Coon sealed the game with a empty netter with 00:02 remaining.
With the result, Division II is 4-1 against Missouri on the season. Following their sweep, Division III is 4-0 against ETBU on the season. The victories locked Division II into the 3rd seed at the upcoming MACHA Tournament in Chesterfield, MO. Looking ahead, Division II will travel to Oklahoma State on Thursday 1/30 before returning home for a two game series against the Cowboys at 7:30pm Friday 1/31 and 3:15pm Saturday 2/1. Arkansas defeated OSU 9-0 in their previous meeting this season. Division III will hit the road again for a 2 game series in Dallas, TX versus Dallas Baptist University. The Patriots and Razorbacks split their series at the Jones Center earlier this season.
Both the Division II and Division III teams have concluded their fall semesters of competition. Division II finishes the semester ranked seventeenth in the latest poll and currently sit 4th in the MACHA Gold conference standings. While Division III had many ups and downs during their first semester as the program expanded to two teams, they look forward to the challenge of getting off to a hot start in the spring semester.
Division II finishes the semester with an 11-9 record. Highlights include a series sweep over Division I Oklahoma to open the season, a convincing 9-1 win over rival Missouri, a series shutout of conference foe Bradley, and a 7-1 record at home. The club also experienced growing pains in their first season at division II on the road facing yearly national contenders #1 Lindenwood and #2 FGCU.
When asked, Coach Sims was please with the growth of his team over the course of the semester: ” I think we got off to a great start, maybe started feeling ourselves a little too much, we had a tough stretch there in October. But we realized we weren’t doing enough, getting away from the little things needed to win. Once we got back to our game I think we really played up to our expectations. I know, this group knows, we have more in the tank, a higher level, and I’m really looking forward to getting back and into our playoff push in the spring.
The teams leading scorers see a few standout freshman join some familiar faces. Freshman Ayden Frolik leads the team in points with 23, followed by fellow freshman Alex Fendler. Senior goaltender set the program record for shutouts in a career in his shutout victory against Bradley. The trio of David Markovich, JD Duenwald, and Brenden Coon, who are often deployed together also find themselves in the top 10 in points.
Division III experienced their own ups and downs. With the team expanding to two teams for the 2024-25 season, the number of new players in the lineup often outweighed the upper classmen. Learning on the fly, Arkansas built each game of the semester, coming together as a group on and off the ice. ” We had to find our identity early, figure out our chemistry. Once we came together and bought into one another, our game really started to find another level” said Head Coach Greg Betzold. With no cupcake schedule, the team fared well in competitions against #8 Missouri State, MACHA runner up Kansas, and MACHA East leader Maryville but were unable to find the win column. Big home wins against DBU and ETBU on pink the rink night highlight the success the team found at home in the first semester.
Division II will start their semester on the road against conference foe Illinois before returning home to host bitter rival Mizzou on January 24th-25th for Military Appreciation Weekend. They will conclude their regular season with a home series against Oklahoma State and host senior night on January 31st and February 1st. Division III will begin their semester with a home contest against bitter rival Missouri State on January 18t before hitting the road against ETBU and DBU. The team will conclude their home season against Kansas on February 7th and 8th for senior night.
All home games are played at the Jones Center for Families in Springdale. General admission tickets are available for $7 and can be purchased in advance or at the door. Follow the teams social media accounts for more information and content!
In a stellar weekend of hockey action at the Jones Center, the University of Arkansas Razorbacks Division 2 team decisively swept the Bradley University Braves, delivering back-to-back shutouts with scores of 8-0 on Friday and 5-0 on Saturday. After a challenging series the previous weekend, the Razorbacks bounced back, thrilling a packed home crowd with a powerful display of teamwork and defensive precision.
On Friday night, the Razorbacks set the tone early, with JD Duenwald scoring just over five minutes into the first period. Raf Praysner added another in the final seconds of the period with an assist from Trevor Borlace, giving Arkansas a 2-0 lead going into the second.
The Razorbacks found their stride in the second period, racking up four goals. Highlights included a shorthanded goal by David Markovich, assisted by Brenden Coon, and a well-executed goal from Connor Chapman, assisted by Ethan Rogers and Christopher Colon. Duenwald netted his second goal at 12:00, assisted again by Borlace, and Anthony Conti closed the period with a goal at 19:15.
In the third, Ayden Frolik scored just minutes in, assisted by Jack Lehman and Conti, and Borlace added the final goal on a power play at 14:25, assisted by Duenwald and Brian Romero. Arkansas goalie Sam Haynes stopped all 21 shots from Bradley for a perfect shutout.
On Saturday, the Razorbacks kept the energy high. Anthony Conti opened the scoring within two minutes, assisted by Cade Venuk and Frolik. Coon scored on a power play at 9:39, assisted by Duenwald and Lehman, and Michael Gakhutishvili tallied his first goal of the weekend shortly after, with an assist from Praysner.
The Razorbacks stayed strong into the second period, where Frolik scored at 7:37, assisted by Duenwald and Lehman. David Markovich capped the scoring at 12:19 in the third period, with assists from Coon and Fendler. Goalie Graden Reis stopped all 22 shots on goal to secure the second shutout of the series.
Head Coach Keller Sims praised the team’s resilience and effort: “This weekend was a testament to our team’s dedication. We came out determined, and our players executed the game plan with precision and discipline.”
Forward Anthony Conti, who contributed goals in both games, added, “Our whole team brought the energy. It was fantastic to have the support of our fans, and it felt amazing to put together two solid games after last weekend.”
Game Highlights:
With these two resounding wins, the Razorbacks aim to carry this momentum forward as they continue their season.
The University of Arkansas D2 Hockey team is set to return to home ice this weekend with two highly anticipated games against Bradley University. After a tough road trip to Maryville last weekend, where the Razorbacks dropped both games, the team is looking to bounce back with a strong performance in front of their home crowd.
Bradley University comes into the weekend after an intense series of their own, having played two overtime games last weekend. Bradley won the first game but narrowly lost the second, making this weekend’s matchup a critical contest for both teams.
Friday’s game will begin at 7:30 PM, followed by a Saturday afternoon game starting at 3:15 PM. Both games will take place at the Jones Center in Springdale, Arkansas, and will be streamed live on the team’s YouTube channel.
Head Coach Keller Sims expressed confidence about the upcoming games, stating, “We’re excited to be back at home and play in front of our fans. Bradley is a tough opponent, but we’ve been working hard in practice this week to make the adjustments we need. Our focus is on executing our game plan and putting ourselves in a position to win.”
Team captain David Markovich echoed Coach Sims’ enthusiasm, adding, “It’s always great to play at home. Last weekend was tough, but we’re coming into this series ready to give it everything. Our goal is to come out strong and show what Razorback hockey is all about.”Fans can access live streaming for both games on the team’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/RazorbackHockey. Photos from all home games will be available on the Baumology site: https://baumology.exposure.co/.
The University of Arkansas D2 Hockey Club is preparing for a crucial weekend as they travel to Chesterfield, Missouri, for the Maryville University Showcase, running from October 10-12, 2024. This event is a central part of the Razorbacks’ 2024-2025 season and will feature matchups against top American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA) teams. Meanwhile, the Razorbacks D3 team will defend home ice at The Jones Center in Springdale, Arkansas, with a pair of games against Drury University.
The Maryville University Showcase is a marquee event on the Razorbacks’ schedule, offering a platform for some of the best collegiate hockey teams in the nation to showcase their talent. Hosted by Maryville University, the showcase will feature highly competitive matchups, with the Razorbacks set to face strong opponents such as Maryville University, University of Missouri, and Lindenwood University.
D2 Head Coach Keller Sims is optimistic about the team’s chances this weekend, stating, “This showcase is an excellent opportunity for us to measure where we stand against some of the top teams in the ACHA. Our guys are prepared and motivated to make a statement.”
Senior forward Trevor Borlace echoed this sentiment, adding, “We’re coming off a hard-fought series with Iowa, and I think that’s made us even hungrier. We know the level of competition we’re going up against, but we’re ready to give it everything.”
The Razorbacks’ D2 matchups for the weekend are as follows:
Game 1: Arkansas vs. Maryville University
Game 2: Arkansas vs. University of Missouri
Game 3: Arkansas vs. Lindenwood University
All D2 games will be streamed live, with updates and streaming details available on Instagram (@razorbackhockeyclub).
The Razorbacks head into the showcase with a boost of confidence after splitting a two-game series against the University of Iowa. The team looks to build on that performance as they face some of the toughest competition in the ACHA this weekend.
While the D2 team is on the road, the D3 Razorbacks will take on Drury University in back-to-back home games at The Jones Center in Springdale, Arkansas. Fans in Northwest Arkansas are encouraged to come out and support the team as they battle Drury.
D3 Head Coach Greg Betzold expressed his excitement about the home games, stating, “Playing at home in front of our fans gives us that extra energy and motivation. We’re expecting two tough games, but I believe our team is up to the challenge.”
D3 Goalie Noah Goodwin also commented on the upcoming series, adding, “Our team has been working hard in practice, and I’m confident in our ability to perform this weekend. Defending home ice is something we take pride in.”
The D3 schedule this weekend is as follows:
Game 1: Arkansas D3 vs. Drury University
Game 2: Arkansas D3 vs. Drury University
Both D3 games will be streamed live on the Razorbacks’ YouTube channel, giving fans a chance to catch the action even if they can’t attend in person.
Whether following the D2 team’s competitive battles in Missouri or cheering on the D3 team at home, Razorback fans are in for an exciting weekend. Don’t miss the live streams or the opportunity to attend the games in person and support Arkansas hockey.
