Playing with his brother early in his college career, collecting program-altering upsets last season and stepping into a leadership role this year were just a few minor highlights in senior forward Mike McKeon’s career as a Clemson club ice hockey player. When prompted, he could think of just one way to accurately describe his experience as a Tiger: special.

“I think that’s what’s special about Clemson,” McKeon told The Tiger. “It feels like every day there’s another thing that you’re going to remember forever.”

And there’s no doubt that the rest of the Tigers will remember their alternate captain as fondly as he will remember them.

“I would want people to remember me as someone who cared about their well-being, and put my best foot forward in whatever it was that I was doing,” McKeon said. “Hopefully, people think of me as a good friend who was always up to do whatever and have a good time. Not afraid to make mistakes, or put my best foot forward and give my whole attention to whatever it was that I was doing.”

The Waccabuc, New York, native kicked off his hockey career at a young age, courtesy of his father, an avid New York Rangers fan who put McKeon and his older brother, and former Tiger, John, into the local youth hockey program. As many younger siblings do, McKeon “always wanted to do whatever (his) brother was doing,” so at 4 years old, he laced up his skates — with help, of course — and never looked back.

“I remember doing the cross-ice mites games,” McKeon said. “I always loved doing that. That’s sort of where I ended up falling in love with the game, I think. I remember going to those … I think they call them jamborees. You go and play a bunch of games during the day. I remember doing that with my dad and my brother and getting started like that.”

From age 4 until he stepped foot on Clemson’s campus for the first time as a student, McKeon played for the same club: the Bedford Bears. Though he considers much of his career a success because of the time spent and memories made with his teammates, the forward saw the most on-ice success in high school.

“The stars kind of aligned when I got to high school,” he said. “We had four years of really good teams.”

As a freshman, McKeon’s high school team won the section championship for the first time since 2013. In his sophomore and junior years, when he “played a lot more,” the team won the section twice and made it to the state semifinal, but ultimately fell short both times. By his senior year, McKeon and his squad went “as far as (they) could go” in an atypical COVID-19 season. To top it all off, he won two state championships with his Bears single-A team within those four years.

“Looking back, that was probably the most fun I’ve had playing hockey,” McKeon said. “It’s all fun for different reasons, but my club team … we literally all grew up playing together, and no one ever really left, so we just had the same team every single year, and we got really good. It was single-A, so it wasn’t crazy, but we had a really good team. A bunch of those kids are playing in college now. We won two state championships, which was a lot of fun.”

Funnily enough, McKeon has run into one of his Bears teammates since playing at Clemson: Rich Mugler, a goaltender for Ole Miss’s club team.

“I didn’t get to play him as a junior because I was injured, but this year, we got to play them in that midnight game,” McKeon said. “He didn’t play the second game, but in the first game, we got to play against each other, and I scored the winning goal. We had a good laugh about it after the game … definitely a full-circle moment.”

After those fun-filled four years, though, McKeon had a decision to make about his future. Ultimately, he decided to follow in his older brother and sister’s footsteps and become a Clemson Tiger.

“I thought in high school I wanted to kind of do my own thing when I got to college,” McKeon said. “I had a bunch of other schools that I was really interested in, but it ended up being between Clemson and one other school. I went to visit that other school, but I just didn’t get the same feeling that I did at Clemson when I visited here, so it was kind of a no-brainer to go here. And it was one of the best schools I got into. I don’t regret it at all, and this place is awesome.”

While the same can be said for much of his hockey career, McKeon discovered Clemson’s club hockey program when his older brother joined the team. However, his own love for the program and his teammates was entirely organic.

“When my sister came here, we did a little bit of research to see if there was a club team,” he said. “But when John got here as a freshman, he knew he wanted to keep playing in some capacity … when he started playing, I thought if I ended up at Clemson one day and he was still on the team, then it would be really cool to play one more year together.”

McKeon mentioned that he used to watch his brother’s games on YouTube, thinking that it would be “fun” to play for the club ice hockey team if he decided to go to Clemson.

“I knew I wanted to keep playing, but when I got to Clemson, I kind of thought maybe I was done,” McKeon added. “I think senior year — the whole Covid situation — and how hockey was up North, I was feeling just a bit tired of it. And then when I met everyone on the team here when I tried out for the team, I was like, ‘Well, I kind of remember why I played,’ and it was more just about being a part of a team and a group. Once I made the team, it was kind of a no-brainer to do that, especially because I was in bridge with everyone else.”

Despite initially feeling uncertain about playing in college, McKeon knows now without a shadow of a doubt that he made the right choice.

“It’s gonna be hard for me to think back about Clemson and not just immediately think about this team,” he said. “I tried out maybe a week into being here, and right away, I knew it was something I was going to be a part of for a while. I’ve met a lot of really great people at Clemson — a lot of people that aren’t on the hockey team — but there’s something special about our team.”

McKeon added that the team has fun together and cares about each other a lot.

“Looking back at my time at Clemson, I have to attribute a lot of the good memories that I’ve had here to playing with this team, and not even on the ice, just off the ice with these guys, hanging out around the house or on the weekends. It’s been a really great group to be a part of and to meet other great people at Clemson,” He told The Tiger.

In addition to the countless memories he and his teammates — now some of his best friends — have made off the ice, he’s also made some of his favorites while playing. Most notably, Clemson’s upset win over the Florida Atlantic Owls in the College Hockey South Division II playoffs last spring.

“I think my favorite Clemson ice hockey memory is probably that Florida Atlantic win,” McKeon said. “That was one of the best games I’ve ever been a part of because we were doubted all year, and we knew that we had the team to beat FAU. It was just a matter of, ‘could we play a full game? Could we all just buy in and play a full game?’ And it was the perfect game.”

He said that each player “did their job” and “showed up,” and that the team’s victory in the game was “big” for the club ice hockey program.

“When I think of our team, I think about that game because we’re all still really competitive, and we love to win, but it was like a whole season’s worth of work and grinding, and we all put it together for 60 minutes and beat the team that we were supposed to get crushed by,” he told The Tiger.

As someone who’s witnessed the club hockey program’s immense development over the last four years, McKeon believes his generation of players made great strides toward its future evolution. He’s excited to see how the team continues to develop in the next few seasons.

“I think the culture that we have here — that we’ve created over the last four to eight years — could be one of the best club hockey teams in the country in a couple of years,” McKeon said.

“But, I think it’s important to kind of remember why it is … why we do love it so much. And part of that is the time you spend with each other off the ice. There’s a lot of speculation on what club teams could potentially jump to ACHA D1 or even NCAA D1 … I think a lot of the reason that we love this program, at least the players, is because it is a club,” McKeon continued.

He noted that each of the players love playing hockey, but it doesn’t define who they are.

“I think it’s important to understand why kids love playing club hockey, and why it is that people are starting to come down here to keep playing: because we get to still play and enjoy the game, but the club aspect of it has opened up so many other opportunities for us to just enjoy life and be a part of Clemson in different aspects … This program is in really good hands to continue to do what it has been made to do,” McKeon told The Tiger.

Upon his graduation, the senior economics major plans to return to New York to work in finance.

NEW HARTFORD, N.Y. – The Hamilton College Continentals were in second place out of eight teams after the first round of the 2025 NESCAC Women’s Golf Championship at breezy and warm Yahnundasis Golf Club on Friday, May 2.
 
Three Hamilton players broke 80 and the 20^th-ranked Continentals posted a four-person team score of 314. Williams College led the way at 306 and three teams are within eight shots of Hamilton.
 
Olivia Strigh ’25 paced the Continentals with a 3-over par 76 for the opening 18 holes. Strigh was tied for third place out of 39 golfers.
 
Aubrey Lee ’28 was tied for seventh place after she carded a 78 that included four birdies. Lee entered the weekend with a team-best scoring average of 78.29 for 14 rounds this season.
 
Keira Joshi ’27 was tied for ninth place with a 79. Joshi birdied the first hole and was just 1-over par through the first 14 holes.
 
Sydney Dweck ’27 was tied for 17^th place after she recorded an 81 that included a 38 on the back nine. Dweck made birdie on the 429-yard, par-five 10^th hole.
 
Angela Liu ’27 made back-to-back birdies on the 12^th and 13^th holes and finished with an 84.
 
The first group opens the second round at 11 a.m. on Saturday, May 3. Hamilton’s first player is on the first tee at 11:50 a.m.
 

The Men’s D1 Hockey team went on a journey at this year’s national tournament, as it faced some of the toughest college hockey teams. 

The team entered the national tournament with high hopes, securing the 17th seed. They faced Midland University in the first round, then were pitted against the number-one seed in the tournament, Minot State University. 

“The number-one seed is there for a reason,” said Cooper Olson, a junior goaltender majoring in Mechanical Engineering. “They were a really good team, and we fought hard, but they capitalized on our mistakes. It was a tough loss, but we learned a lot from it.”

Their playoff run was filled with highs and lows. 

“Playoff hockey is always exciting,” said Coach Carl Trosien, reflecting on the energy of the tournament. “You’re just trying to get your team in the best possible place, and it’s always easy to get fired up for the playoffs.” 

Hayden Masloski, a center and one of the team’s core leaders, is one of the players who got fired up up. 

“I always want to rise to the occasion when the game matters most,” said Masloski, a senior majoring in Finance.  ”Momentum is key in hockey, and if you get hot at the right time, you can be dangerous.” 

Masloski’s leadership was evident, both on and off the ice, as he contributed key assists and maintained his focus on the team’s success. 

“Any time you can help your team win, it feels good,” he said. “But at the end of the day, it’s all about the next game. You can’t take anything for granted.”

Throughout the tournament, the team’s defensive strategy and leadership were crucial. 

“We were really effective with our game plan,” said Trosien, noting the importance of solid defense and offensive zone play. “The leadership from our senior players really showed. We [also] saw some younger guys step up and take on key roles.” 

For Masloski, this playoff run marked the end of his college hockey career. 

“It’s bittersweet,” he said. “I’m at peace with how my career ended. It’s tough, but I’m proud of the friendships and memories I’ve made along the way.” 

As he looks forward to his graduation, Masloski is already thinking about how he can continue to support the team. 

“Just because I’m done playing doesn’t mean I’m done helping the program,” he said. “I want to see this team succeed, and I’ll always be here for them.”

Despite the early exit from the tournament, Trosien was optimistic about the future of PNW Hockey. 

“We’ve got a lot of young talent, and we’re in a good spot moving forward,” he said. “We just need to keep building, keep striving for that next level.

“The goal is to win the conference and make a deeper run at nationals next year,” said Trosien. “We want to put ourselves in a position where anything can happen, and we’ll be ready for it.

By Michael Kelley ’14 and Mick Kowaleski ’14

NHL Lockout…2012? Merely seven years after the 2005 season was lost, the latest edition of pro hockey is in jeopardy as negotiations over the new collective bargaining agreement have stalled, potentially ending hopes of a season.

Kowaleski: For the love for all that is Stanley, enough. With. The. Strikes. First the NFL, then the NBA, and now the NHL. Just get this stuff figured out ahead of time.

That said, Mike, I cannot believe I am siding against the players for once. It goes against my usual habits; I know I am always for the men putting their bodies on the line for the games we love. But as it stands, NHL players raked in 57 percent of the league’s profits in 2011. To compare with other leagues fresh off their own strikes, NFL players made 48 percent last season and NBA players received an even 50 percent. Add in the fact that, unlike their contemporaries, NHL players are guaranteed every cent of their contract, and I believe that they can stand to lose a little cash. I am a huge proponent of incentive-based contracts. Secure? No. But it ensures that the player will earn every cent.

It is a business, after all. And with approximately a third of the NHL’s teams losing money and the elimination of the salary cap floor (currently $16 million), the addition of incentive-based contracts will greatly increase the quality of poorer teams in the league.

Kelley: This summer, I worked for Charles Wang of the New York Islanders, a team that loses millions of dollars each year. And so I find myself siding with him and the owners, not just because he was my boss.

I worked there at a time when the preseason (now canceled) was months away. But the entire organization was doomed with the eventual fate of a lockout. Some full-time workers in sales were let go… Mr. Wang simply did not have the budget to keep them. So how does it make sense for the players to make even more money when the owners keep losing money annually?
The Islanders will face the threat of relocation in 2015 if they don’t receive a new stadium bill. To receive that bill, the taxpayers and the NHL need to know that Mr. Wang is financially secure. How can that happen if he keeps losing money each year?
I know it’s a complicated situation and that both sides simply want play to resume. But in this instance, the owners need to stand ground until they receive their fair deal, which would preserve the long-term stability of the league.

The debate over the status of student-athletes as amateurs reached a new height as NCAA leaders are privately debating the growing use of athlete images in commercial products, with one executive proposing to drop the term “student-athlete” completely.

Kowaleski: Let us be serious. For most major Division I programs, the term “student-athlete” is a joke. I myself have made plenty of jokes about Fab Melo being suspended for failing Advanced Fingerpainting. While some programs, like Stanford and Duke, actually care about the former half of the term, when most people hear “student-athlete,” they really hear “athlete who is in college.” Not an athlete who studies.

But the bigger issue still lingers on whether players should be compensated contributing to the massive monetary haul that their sports bring to the schools. Some people (myself not included) prefer NCAA over the professional game, primarily because “they are not playing for money. They are playing for their school.” I contest that most players who are playing in nationally televised games are trying to get drafted and make money. They would not turn down money if they were offered it. I think compensating them and removing their amateur status would deromanticize the whole “amateur” concept, but it would be much more honest about what these games are: money makers. These student-athletes don’t have to be students.

RGIII would just have his endorsement a year earlier.

Kelley: 1.7 percent of college football players, 1.2 percent of men’s basketball players, and 1.3 percent of men’s ice hockey players play professionally. Starting to see the trend here?
This means a very small group (the 1 percent) makes it the next level and receives the big bucks. The rest (the 99 percent) are at school for degrees and jobs, not to use their university as a platform to dive into the NFL, NBA, and NHL. There is absolutely no reason to do away with the term “student-athlete,” because 99 percent of collegiate athletes are exactly that: students first, athletes second.

As for the players that are marketed nationally, their schools, not them, should be compensated. Through scholarships, star athletes attend universities for free. These universities market their athletes to the professional leagues and provide them a stage to show off their skills to the world. Although these stars rake in millions for their school, they are there to represent their school, and play for the love of the game. That, I believe, is the beauty of college athletics.

HARTFORD, Conn. – Bowdoin College took the lead in the top of the eighth in Game 1 and the Polar Bears swept the Hamilton College Continentals in a NESCAC doubleheader at Trinity’s Softball Field on Friday, May 2. 
 
Season Update

• Hamilton (15-15, 6-10 NESCAC) dropped its fourth straight contest. 
• The Polar Bears (19-17, 6-10) extended their win streak to five. 

Game 1
 
How It Happened

• The doubleheader was originally set for April 12 but was postponed due to rain. When play resumed, the game picked up exactly where it left off—with the Polar Bears leading 2-0 in the top of the second, a runner on first, and no outs.
• After three scoreless innings, Bowdoin jumped ahead with a three-run burst on four hits in the top of the fifth to take a 5-0 lead, but the Continentals responded with a rally of their own, scoring three runs on three hits while taking advantage of two throwing errors. Yael Everett ’28 sparked the offense with a one-out single down the left field line, stole second, advanced to third on a wild pitch, and scored on a single to left by Miranda Mosqueda ’28. With two runners in scoring position, Lydia Mirabito ’26 hit a sharp grounder to third, and an off-line throw to first allowed both Mosqueda and Mayer to cross the plate, cutting Bowdoin’s lead to 5-3.
• The Polar Bears added a run in the sixth with a solo homer over the left field fence, but Hamilton answered with its strongest inning of the game in the bottom half, erupting for four runs on three hits, a walk, and two wild pitches. Ella Heftved ’25 sparked the rally with a leadoff double to left-center, followed by a bunt single from Yael Everett and a walk to Miranda Mosqueda to load the bases. Heftved came home on a wild pitch, and Alexis Mayer ’26 cleared the bases with a booming triple off the left-center wall. Mayer then scored on another wild pitch, giving the Continentals a 7-6 lead heading into the top of the seventh.
• Bowdoin tied the game in the seventh, set down the Continentals in order in the bottom half, and strung together three consecutive hits in the eighth to push across the go-ahead run, sealing the final margin.

Notes

• Everett matched her career game-high with three hits and added two runs scored.  
• Mosqueda had two hits, including her fourth double of the season. She also 
• Heftved ripped her 17th career double. 
• Mayer tied the individual record for most triples in a season with seven. 
• Mirabito notched her 16th hit of the season. 
• The Continentals’ pitching staff combined for seven strikeouts, with Emma Tansky ’24 leading the way with four.
• Reilly Parga paced Bowdoin’s offense with three hits and two RBIs.
• JK Bradley drove in a team-high three runs on two hits.
• Anika Ewert recorded two hits and scored three times, while Kyla Gary added two hits and crossed the plate twice.
• Elisa Siciliano launched a solo home run for the Polar Bears.
• Kathleen Hester earned her sixth win of the season, allowing four runs on three hits, walking one, and striking out three over 3.2 innings of work.  

Game 2
 
How It Happened

• The Polar Bears jumped out to a 4–0 lead, scoring once in the first and adding three more runs in the top of the second.
• Hamilton responded in the bottom of the second, as back-to-back doubles from Alexis Mayer and Charlie Quinn ’25 brought in a run.
• Bowdoin extended its lead to 7–1 with another three-run burst in the third.
• The Continentals chipped away with a run in the bottom half of the inning to make it 7–2.
• After a scoreless fourth, Hamilton continued to close the gap in the fifth, scoring twice on three hits. With one out and runners in scoring position, Quinn drove in a run with a groundout, followed by a hard-hit RBI single to third from Alison Zorn ’26.
• Hamilton threatened again in the sixth and seventh, but Bowdoin stranded three runners in scoring position to hold on and complete the sweep.

Notes

• Mayer led Hamilton at the plate with three hits, including her sixth double of the season.
• Quinn, who also doubled, is now tied for the team lead with six on the year.
• Nikke Dyche ’28 added her fourth double of the season, while Zorn drove in a run with a single.
• Sofia Santana ’26, Mosqueda, and Gaby Guerra ’27 each chipped in with a hit.
• Bowdoin tallied 15 hits, led by Anika Ewert and Reilly Parga with three apiece.
• Siciliano, Rosie Panenka, Penelope Fong-Picariello, Chloe Garcia, Maddie Paschke, and Bradley each contributed a hit to the offensive effort.
• Ellie Sullivan extended her win streak to four games, and Ava Biasotti earned her first save of the season, tossing two scoreless innings while allowing just one hit and two walks, and striking out one. 

Next Game
Hamilton will face Williams College (24-11, 11-5) back at Trinity’s Softball Field in the Continentals’ final regular season NESCAC doubleheader on Saturday, May 3 at 11 a.m.