BOSTON, Mass. – June 4, 2025 – Atlantic Hockey America has announced the schedule for the 2025-26 season. The full composite schedule can be found HERE. Dates and times are subject to change.

The battle for the AHA regular season title will begin on Oct. 10 with the first slate of conference games. The regular season wraps up on Feb. 28, with the postseason beginning on March 3.

Bentley Aims to Defend Title

After winning the 2025 AHA postseason title, the Bentley Falcons open their 2025-26 season on Oct. 10 at Colorado College. The first AHA conference game for Andy Jones‘ squad will be on Oct. 24 vs Canisius.

Championship Game Rematches

Last season, Bentley and Holy Cross met in the AHA title game on March 22, 2025, with Bentley prevailing in a 6-3 win. The Falcons and Crusaders will meet four times during the 2025-26 regular season: Jan. 2 at Bentley, Jan. 3 at Holy Cross, Feb. 6 at Holy Cross and Feb. 7 at Bentley.

Gotkin Begins Final Season

The 2025-26 season will be head coach Rick Gotkin‘s 38th and final season behind the bench at Mercyhurst. Gotkin is the longest-tenured coach in college hockey, and has racked up 611 career wins. Assistant coach Tom Peffall is slated to take over the program for the 2026-27 season. Peffall has been as assistant on Gotkin’s staff at Mercyhurst since 2022. Gotkin will begin his final season on Oct. 3 at Michigan. His final regular season home game is scheduled for Feb. 28 vs Robert Morris.

Riga and Holy Cross Open at Northeastern and Maine

Defending Atlantic Hockey Coach of the Year Bill Riga will lead Holy Cross into 2025-26 with a road tilt at Northeastern on Oct. 4. The Crusaders will then head to Maine for a weekend series on Oct. 10-11.

Thomas Takes Over at RIT

RIT head coach Matt Thomas enters his first season behind the bench in Rochester. RIT begins its season with a home series vs Sacred Heart on Oct. 10-11. Thomas takes the reins at his alma mater, where he appeared in 102 games from 1994-98, and served as a captain for the Tigers for the 1997-98 season. He totaled 72 points on 25 goals and 47 assists in his playing career with the Tigers.

2026 Atlantic Hockey America Men’s Postseason

The chase for the Jack Riley trophy will include all 10 Atlantic Hockey America teams. The 2026 Atlantic Hockey America Postseason will open with single-game first round matchups on March 3. The No. 7 and No. 8 seeds will host the No. 10 and No. 9 seeds, respectively. 

Best-of-three quarterfinal series will take place March 6-8. The semifinal best-of-three series will take place March 13-15 with the highest-remaining seeded quarterfinal winner hosting the lowest-seeded quarterfinal winner and the second-highest remaining seed hosting the third-highest remaining seed.

The postseason will conclude on March 21 when the two semifinal winners meet at the home of the highest-seeded semifinal winner for one game to determine Atlantic Hockey’s 2026 postseason champion. The winner of the AHA postseason tournament will claim the conference’s automatic qualifier into the NCAA Tournament. 

About Atlantic Hockey America

Atlantic Hockey America (AHA) embarks on its second season in 2025-26 after the merger between the Atlantic Hockey Association and College Hockey America prior to the 2024-25 campaign. The conference fields 10 men’s teams (Bentley University, Canisius University, The College of Holy Cross, Mercyhurst University, Niagara University, Rochester Institute of Technology, Robert Morris University, Sacred Heart University, the United States Air Force Academy, and the United States Military Academy), and seven women’s teams (University of Delaware, Lindenwood University, Mercyhurst University, Penn State University, Rochester Institute of Technology, Robert Morris University, and Syracuse University). For more information, visit atlantichockeyamerica.com.

The Golden Griffins schedule for the upcoming season features an even split of 17 home games and 17 road contests.

Canisius begins its ninth season under the guidance of Large Oct. 3 when it welcomes North Country foe Clarkson to LECOM Harborcenter.

Non-league matchups at home against St. Lawrence (Oct. 5) and LIU (Oct. 10-11) follow the season-opening contest against the Golden Knights before the Griffs take to the road for their AHA debut at Army (Oct. 14). A visit to Colgate (Oct. 17-18) and a trip to defending AHA Tournament champion Bentley (Oct. 24-25) close out the first month of the regular season.

November gets underway with the home half of Canisius’ season series against Army (Nov. 1) and continues with a pair of AHA games at Sacred Heart (Nov. 14-15) before concluding with home league series against longtime rival Mercyhurst (Nov. 21-22) and Air Force (Nov. 28-29). The Griffs close out the fall semester with a home-and-home series against RIT (Dec. 5-6).

Canisius rings in the new year with a trip to Big Ten foe Notre Dame for a pair of games to wrap up the non-conference portion of its schedule (Jan. 2-3) before returning its focus to league play with its second home-and-home weekend against RIT (Jan. 16-17).

A visit to Mercyhurst (Jan. 23-24) and a home-and-home series against Battle of the Bridge rival Niagara (Jan. 30-31) put the finishing touches on the January slate.

The final month of the regular season gets underway for the Griffs with a visit to Robert Morris (Feb. 6-7). Home series against defending AHA Regular Season Champion Holy Cross (Feb. 13-14) and Robert Morris (Feb. 20-21) await Canisius after their visit to the Steel City before concluding the regular season with a home-and-home weekend against Niagara (Feb. 27-28).

The 2026 AHA Postseason will feature all 10 league teams. All rounds of the tournament will be held at on-campus facilities.

 

The top six teams at the end of the regular season will receive a first-round bye, while the other four teams will square off in a pair of single-elimination contests on March 3.

 

The winners of the two first-round matchups will join the top-six seeds for a best-of-three quarterfinal round (March 6-8). A pair of best-of-three semifinal series will be held the following weekend (March 13-15) before a single-elimination championship game will take place at the highest-remaining seed (March. 21). The winner of that contest will receive the league’s automatic berth in the 2026 NCAA Tournament.

 

Season and single-game ticket information for the 2025-26 season will be made available to the public in the coming weeks.

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EASTON, Mass. (June 4, 2025) – Stonehill College Director of Athletics Dean O’Keefe announced the hiring of Tim Williamson as the Skyhawks’ Associate Director of Athletics for Strategic Communications.
 
In his new role, Williamson will be responsible for developing and implementing a comprehensive communications strategy that advances the College’s athletic brand, engages stakeholders, and supports the success of Stonehill’s 23 NCAA Division I athletic programs and over 500 student-athletes.
 
The Associate AD for Strategic Communications will oversee the Athletic Communications team and collaborate with internal and external partners to promote the achievements of student-athletes, coaches, and the College.
 
Before Williamson’s most recent stint as a faculty member at St. Catherine of Siena School in Norwood, Massachusetts, he held the role of Associate Director of Athletics for Athletic Communications at Harvard University from 2013 to 2022. In total, Williamson spent 14 years with the Crimson, promoting the largest Division I intercollegiate athletic department in the country.
 
At Harvard, he handled the direct publicity for several of Harvard’s teams and was responsible for updating GoCrimson.com, writing, designing, and editing publications such as media guides and game programs, creating video highlights for assigned Harvard teams, and working to keep Harvard athletics prominent in the local, regional, and national media. Williamson also oversaw Harvard’s social media efforts, using X, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube to promote Harvard athletics.
 
Williamson also served as the program manager for the men’s and women’s fencing programs and was the assistant program manager for baseball. He was also the assistant program manager for men’s and women’s basketball for two years.
 
In the fall of 2014, Williamson, who worked directly with the Crimson football program from 2013-2022, and the Athletic Communications staff at Harvard hosted ESPN’s College GameDay. The national show was televised live before Harvard’s home game against Yale in the 131st playing of The Game on Nov. 22, 2014. This marked only the second time an Ivy League school has hosted the premier weekly college football show.
 
From 2010-13, Williamson was the primary contact for the men’s basketball team. During the 2011-12 season, Williamson led the public relations effort for the men’s basketball team, as the Crimson advanced to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 1946 and earned the program’s first national ranking. In 2012-13, Harvard won the first NCAA tournament game in team history and advanced to the Round of 32.
 
In May 2008, Williamson served as the press box coordinator, helping oversee 300 media members for the NCAA Men’s Lacrosse Championships held at Gillette Stadium.  He worked in a similar capacity at the 2009 NCAA Men’s Lacrosse Championships and was the media coordinator at the 2010 NCAA Fencing Championships and the 2011 NCAA Men’s Lacrosse Quarterfinals at Gillette Stadium. In May 2012, Williamson also served as the media coordinator for the NCAA Men’s Lacrosse Championships at Gillette Stadium.
 

Before arriving at Harvard, he spent one year as the Assistant Director of Media Relations at Columbia University, where he was the sports information contact for baseball, wrestling, field hockey, cross country, and track & field.
 

A 2004 graduate of Boston College with a B.A. in United States history, Williamson later earned his M.A. in United States history from B.C. in 2005.  Williamson entered the sports information field as an intern at B.C., working as the secondary contact for football and served as the primary contact for softball, cross country, track & field, and golf. 
 
Williamson is on the executive committee of the New England Football Writers’ Association and is the current vice president of Stoughton Youth Baseball.
 
For the latest on Stonehill Athletics, follow the Skyhawks via social media on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
 

LOWELL, Mass. – The UMass Lowell ice hockey team will travel west yet again this upcoming season to host and compete in the second annual Cactus Cup presented by Sonoma County Winegrowers on January 2 and 3, joining Minnesota State, St. Cloud State and Yale. The event will take place at Acrisure Arena in Palm Springs, California, home of the Seattle Kraken’s AHL affiliate, Coachella Valley Firebirds.

The two-day event will showcase four games taking place on Friday, January 2 and Saturday, January 3, 2026. The River Hawks will kick off the tournament against Minnesota State University, Mankato at 3:30 p.m. PT, before St. Cloud State takes on Yale at 7:00 p.m. PT. The next day, the two losers of Friday’s matchups will face off at 3:30 p.m. PT, while the championship game will take place at 7:00 p.m. PT.

“We are excited to announce this event for a second year,” said Head Coach Norm Bazin. “All the teams really enjoyed their experience last year and the tournament was huge success. The location is very attractive for fans and supporters alike. We are anxious to welcome teams from four different conferences to form an excellent college hockey showcase.”

Tickets go on sale to the general public starting Friday, June 6, at 10:00 a.m. PT on Ticketmaster, the official ticketing provider of Acrisure Arena. Tickets for the 2026 Cactus Cup provide access to both games scheduled for each day, allowing fans to enjoy two full days of exciting NCAA Men’s College Hockey action. Purchase tickets for Friday, January 2, HERE and Saturday, January 3, HERE. Two-day passes can be purchased HERE.

Groups of 10 or more save when booking through the Acrisure Arena Group Sales team. Groups receive reduced ticket prices and processing fees, opportunity to reserve seats and pay later, and group seating options. Learn more HERE.

For more information about the 2026 Cactus Cup at Acrisure Arena, visit acrisurearena.com or follow Acrisure Arena on all social media platforms @AcrisureArena.

 

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CLARK, NJ — On Wednesday, May 14, various staff members and administration at Arthur L. Johnson High School participated in a signing day ceremony to honor multiple student athletes for their years of service to Crusader Athletics and commemorate their moving on to continue their athletic and academic careers as NCAA Collegiate Athletes.

The following student athletes were honored:

Xavier Arthur – cross country / track and field – Stockton University, Ospreys, Galloway – D3

Arthur will be continuing his running career in Galloway, where he will be competing in the New Jersey Athletic Conference for the Ospreys of Stockton University. Arthur is a two-time Randolph Relay medalist and a five-time UCC Valley Division Conference medalist. For his outstanding efforts, Arthur earned 1st Team All-Conference Valley Division.

“Xavier’s work ethic and passion for the sport has set the tone for our distance team. He’s shown what it means to commit fully – on the xc course, on the track and in the classroom. I have no doubt he’ll thrive at the next level and I’m excited to see him bring that same grit and heart to the collegiate stage,” said head coach Cindy Tarello.

Zachary Belverio – wrestling – University of Buffalo, Victor E. Bull, Buffalo, New York – D1

Belverio will be continuing his grappling career in Buffalo, New York, where he will be competing in the Mid-American Conference for the Division 1 Bulls of the University of Buffalo. Belverio has an outstanding 4.18 grade-point average, ranked No. 38 in his graduating class. Belverio is a member of the Math, Science and Italian National Honor Society and Student Council. He is also a peer leader. He was a captain and four-year gold letter winner for the Crusader Wrestling Program. Some notable career statistics: two-time Dover Tournament Champion, Union County Champion and two-time district champion. Finished his season with a stellar record of 37-03 and a career record of 113-39. Belverio was a regional champion this past season – only the ninth wrestler in ALJ school history to do this – and finished in sixth place in NJSIAA State Tournament – only the eighth wrestler in ALJ school history to place at the NJSIAA state tournament. For his efforts, he was named 2024-2025 Team MVP.

“This young man has put in the time and deserves every bit of the credit and recognition he is receiving. When coaches say, ‘Go earn it,’ he took that to heart and did just that. Through relentless dedication, hard work and a passion for the sport, he transformed himself into one of the most decorated wrestlers to ever walk the halls of ALJ. Though he fell short of his ultimate goal of becoming a state champion, his accomplishments speak for themselves. In just four years, he proved that it’s never too late to start wrestling,” said head coach Ricky Ortega.

Isabella Ciccotelli – basketball – Delaware Valley University, Rams, Doylestown, Pennsylvania – D3

Ciccotelli will be continuing her basketball career in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, where she will be competing in the Middle Atlantic Conference for the Rams of Delaware Valley University. Ciccotelli has a 3.92 G.P.A. and is ranked No. 69 in her graduating class. Ciccotelli is a member of the Spanish National Honor Society and Heroes & Cool Kids. She is a four-year gold letter winner in basketball.

“Bella Ciccotelli was a four-year letter winner whose energy and positivity were a consistent presence in the Johnson Basketball program. She brought spirit and support to her teammates throughout her time with the team, and her commitment to the team was invaluable,” said head coach Joe Marino.

Robert Gallagher, football  – United States Merchant Marine Academy, Mariners, Kings Point, New York – D3

Gallagher will be continuing his football career in Kings Point, New York, where he will be competing in the New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference for the Mariners of the United States Merchant Marine Academy. Gallagher has a 4.24 G.P.A. and is ranked No. 33 in his graduating class and is a member of the National Honor Society. He is also a member of the Italian Honor Society, Key Club, Heroes & Cool Kids and is a peer leader. Gallagher was a senior captain and three-year letter winner in both football and baseball. He is a four-year gold letter winner in winter track and field as well. Career Statistics: From his quarterback position, he had more than 1,900 rushing yards and 22 rushing touchdowns, 1,578 passing yards and 17 passing TDs and contributed defensively as the starting cornerback. In baseball, he has 43 runs scored, 44 hits and 19 RBI, as he gets ready to knock off Governor Livingston this afternoon in the UCIAC quarterfinals. His post-season accolades include 1st Team All Patriot Silver Division, and 1st Team All-Union County and he was the MVP of the football team this past fall season.

“Passion, compete level, and overall will to win is something that you just cannot teach … it must be instilled from within. Robert Gallagher epitomizes all of that. In addition, how he has grown off of the field is even more impressive. He is a positive role model, a leader and someone that has excelled in the classroom. We look forward to seeing what the future holds at the United States Merchant Marine Academy,” said head coach Anthony Delconte.

Ryan George – football – Hartwick College, Hawks, Oneonta, New York – D3

George will be continuing his football career in Oneonta, New York, where he will be competing in the Empire 8 Athletic Conference for the Hawks of Hartwick College. George was a three-year letter winner and was captain of the ALJ football team this past fall. This past season, he finished with 1,027 rushing yards and 16 TDs, and on defense, George had 45 tackles, one forced fumble and three sacks. His career totals are outstanding with a whopping 2,600 rushing yards and 33 TDs. George’s post-season accolades include 1st Team All Division, 1st Team All-Union County, and second team Central Jersey All Group 2. He also received the Don Lapenna Memorial Leadership Award. He is also a member of the winter and spring track and field teams throughout his four years as a Crusader, lettering three times.

“Ryan George has come a long way from his freshman year, and turned himself into a dominant player for the Crusaders on both sides of the ball. He has an extremely bright collegiate future and Hartwick College is lucky to have him. We look forward to following his collegiate career over the next four years,” said head coach Anthony DelConte.

Abigail Marcazo – field hockey – Kean University, Cougars, Union – D3

Marcazo will be continuing her field hockey career in Union, where she will be competing in the New Jersey Athletic Conference for the Cougars of Kean University. Marcazo has a 4.15 G.P.A. and is ranked No. 45 in her graduating class. Marcazo is a member of the National Honor Society, the Science National Honor Society and the ASL Honor Society. She is a three-year letter winner for the field hockey program and captained the team this past fall season. Marcazo was selected 1st Team All Division and 1st Team All Union County. She finished the season with two assists and a team-high four goal line saves. Marcazo was the recipient of this year’s Brian Piccolo Award, given out by Clark UNICO.

“Abby was the driving force behind our defensive unit this past fall season. Her excellent technical skills kept her in each and every play, rarely, if ever, letting an opponent past her. She does not back down from a challenge but instead enjoys stepping up to them. She takes motivating the team seriously and you can always count on her to bring energy,” said head coach Gina DeLauro.

Sarah Ponik – ice hockey – Curry College, Colonials, Milton, Massachusetts – D3

Ponik will be continuing her ice hockey career in Milton, Massachusetts, where she will be competing in the Conference of New England for the Colonials of Curry College. Ponik played her travel youth hockey with the Union Thunder as a member of both boys and girls teams competing in the NJYHL and Mid Atlantic Woman’s Hockey Association, where she helped teams win several tournaments and one league championship. Ponik then spent five years with IronBound Elite Tier 1 Hockey Program, traveling throughout North America and competing against the best teams in her age group. As a core member, Ponik enjoyed individual success as well as helping her team win numerous tournaments and two league championships. Ponik is a four-year gold letter winner on the boys ice hockey team. As a rugged defensive minded defenseman, Ponik was never out of position on the ice. She also contributed offensively, chipping in with one goal and 14 assists. Ponik was a 2024-2025 team captain for the Crusaders, and was named Honorable Mention All McMullen Division. She was also a two-year letter winner in the sport of girls’ lacrosse. Ponik was recruited by Curry College and is committed to play NCAA Division III Hockey. She will begin her collegiate athletic career wearing No. 20 for the Colonels.

“Sarah is a wonderful young lady who has had a fantastic career for the Crusaders. She is an extremely hard worker who has been a huge part of the Johnson Ice Hockey program the past four years. She is a hard-hitting stay at home defenseman who was one of the smartest players that I have ever coached. We are excited to see Sarah continue her athletic career for the Colonials next year,” said head coach Christopher Enrico.

Mackenzie Thompson – track and field – University of Vermont, Catamounts, Burlington, Vermont – D1

Thompson will be continuing her track and field career in Burlington, Vermont, where she will be competing in the American East Conference for the Division 1 Catamounts of Vermont University. Thompson has a 4.27 G.P.A. and is ranked 31st in her class. Thompson is a member of the Key Club, Heroes & Cool Kids, S.M.A.C. and multiple National Honor Societies – NHS, Math and Italian. Some of her athletic accolades include: varsity soccer – four-year gold letter winner and captain. Thompson’s post-season accolades included being named 1st Team All-Union County and 1st Team All-Mountain Division. She was named team MVP both junior and senior years for soccer. In basketball, Thompson is a four-year letter winner and was team captain, leading the Crusaders to the quarterfinals this past winter season. Not to be outdone, in her junior year, Thompson was named the girls track and field MVP as well. Thompson took first place in the Union County Valley Division Championship Meet in the 4×400 and long jump.

This past spring, Thompson led the girls track and field team to the 2025 Conference Championship. Thompson also represented ALJ at the NJSIAA National Girls and Women in Sport Day as its outstanding female athlete. Thompson earned an amazing 12 varsity letters – including three gold letters – throughout her career while being a captain for all of her sports her senior year.

“Johnson track and field boasts a true standout in Mackenzie Thompson. Her consistent drive and fierce competitive spirit have made her a force on and off the track. Mackenzie played a key role in the girls varsity team’s Union County Valley Conference Championship victory this year. The University of Vermont is gaining an exceptional talent; Mackenzie is poised to make a significant impact as she enters the next chapter of her track and field career,” said head girls soccer coach Brittany Casares.

Joshua Maltez-Torres – football – Eastern University, Eagles, St. Davids, Pennsylvania – D3

Maltez-Torres will be continuing his football career in St. David’s, Pennsylvania, where he will be competing in the Middle Atlantic Conference for the Eagles of Eastern University. Maltez-Torres was captain of the football team this past fall while starting on both sides of the ball. His leadership and commitment to the sport earned him three varsity letters throughout his high school career. His career statistics include: 723 rushing yards and six rushing TDs, 288 receiving yards and three receiving TDs. Maltez-Torres was awarded 1st Team All Patriot Silver Division for his work on the field as a Crusader this past fall season. In addition to football, Maltez-Torres showcased his athletic versatility by competing in track and field as well, running the 100m, 200m and 4x100m and 4x200m relay events, where he proudly secured six medals. Maltez-Torres has committed to Eastern University, where he plans to pursue a degree in business management while continuing his football career.

“Josh is an all around amazing athlete who always put 110% into everything that he did. Dedicated, loyal, hardworking, and passionate about everything he does, Josh is a true team leader and role model for our younger athletes. I cannot thank him enough for all of his hard work and dedication to this football program. I know that Eastern is not only getting a great football player, but an even more amazing young man,” said head coach Anthony DelConte.

As one can see, the student athletes made the school, and community, extremely proud and have all had wonderful athletic careers as Crusaders.

“All of these student athletes have been an integral part of the success of our athletic programs while competing at Arthur L. Johnson High School the past four years. More importantly, they have been model student athletes that did things the right way both on the fields, in the classroom, and throughout our community. Although it will be sad to see them leave, the Crusader’s loss is their respective college’s gain, and we look forward to following their successful collegiate athletic careers over the next four years,” said Gus Kalikas, athletic director at Arthur L. Johnson High School.

Crusader Athletics would like to wish the best of luck to all of the student athletes moving on to participate in NCAA Collegiate Athletics.