Connect with us

College Sports

'The Path to Gold'

A new sports documentary titled Zlatá cesta (The Path to Gold), directed by Petr Větrovský, opened in Czech cinemas on Thursday, offering fans an intimate behind-the-scenes look at the Czech national hockey team’s surprise gold medal victory at the 2024 IIHF World Championships. The film traces the team’s journey from a shaky pre-tournament buildup to […]

Published

on

'The Path to Gold'

A new sports documentary titled Zlatá cesta (The Path to Gold), directed by Petr Větrovský, opened in Czech cinemas on Thursday, offering fans an intimate behind-the-scenes look at the Czech national hockey team’s surprise gold medal victory at the 2024 IIHF World Championships.

The film traces the team’s journey from a shaky pre-tournament buildup to its dramatic win on home ice in Prague. Despite low expectations from fans and commentators, head coach Radim Rulík’s squad defied the odds to capture gold—Czechia’s first world title since 2010, and the first won at home since 1985.

“The things that didn’t come together for the golden generation in 2004, or again in 2015, somehow clicked for this underestimated group,” a voiceover in the film notes.

Structured around exclusive interviews and raw footage, Zlatá cesta features insights from key figures including Rulík, veteran captain Roman Červenka, and top goalie Lukáš Dostál. The film shows the emotional and physical toll of the tournament, highlighting not just athletic performance, but also the behind-the-scenes strain—jetlag, injuries, public pressure, and internal doubts.

Rulík’s unconventional strategy of testing a wide roster of players in the run-up to the championship, despite repeated pre-tournament losses, is framed as a methodical process aimed at clarity and fairness. “I wanted to be sure why each player deserved their spot,” he reflects in the film.

Yet the coach also admits he underestimated the emotional toll. “I thought I’d announce the lineup and that would be it. I wasn’t ready for the backlash,” he says, referencing the media scrutiny he faced.

Červenka adds a voice of calm in the storm, emphasizing the team’s need to shut out external noise and focus internally. Together, he and Rulík guide viewers through what Větrovský presents as both a sports triumph and a cultural moment. “Hockey in this country is something unique. For a brief moment, it unites the nation,” the director said in a statement.

The documentary also covers the physical limits pushed by players, including NHL stars like David Pastrňák, who arrived to the tournament visibly fatigued days after playing in the NHL playoffs. Rulík notes how even minor time differences affect “already exhausted bodies.”

Větrovský, known for documentaries on athletes Jan Koller and Gabriela Soukalová, once again blends action with emotion in the 101-minute film. Zlatá cesta is now screening in Czech cinemas courtesy distributor Bontonfilm ahead of this year’s IIHF World Championship, which begins May 9 in Sweden and Denmark. An English-subtitled version is not currently available.

College Sports

Bentley Places 27 on Atlantic Hockey All-Academic Team

Story Links WALTHAM, Mass. – 27 members of the Bentley hockey team earned a place on the Atlantic Hockey All-Academic Team for 2024-25. A.J. Hodges, a 2025 graduate, and Oskar Bakkevig, a rising sophomore, received a Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award for having a 4.0 GPA in both the fall and […]

Published

on


WALTHAM, Mass. – 27 members of the Bentley hockey team earned a place on the Atlantic Hockey All-Academic Team for 2024-25.

A.J. Hodges, a 2025 graduate, and Oskar Bakkevig, a rising sophomore, received a Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award for having a 4.0 GPA in both the fall and spring semesters.

The criteria for an All-Academic team selection is a 3.0 GPA or better in both the fall and spring semesters.

As a team, the Falcons posted a 3.604 GPA for the 2024-25 academic year, which is the third highest among Bentley’s 22 teams.

The full list of Bentley’s All-Academic team selections are below

Bentley on the 2024-25 AHA All-Academic Team

 

Kolby Amici

Oskar Bakkevig

Seth Bernard-Docker

Nicholas Bevilacqua

Jake Black

Nick Bochen

Artem Buzoverya

Colton Cameron

Stephen Castagna

Chase Davis

Jimmy Doyle

Sam Duerr

Connor Hasley

David Helledy

Kellan Hjartarson

A.J. Hodges

Tucker Hodgson

Garrett Horsager

Peter Kramer

Pat Lawn

Ethan Leyh

Tanner Main

Ryan Mansfield

Arlo Merritt

Ryan Nause

Oliver  Salo

Ryan Upson

 

Print Friendly Version



Link

Continue Reading

College Sports

Due to recent Frozen Fours, will college hockey recruiting change?

BU before playing Western Michigan in the national championship this spring. (Tyler Schank/Getty Images) When Western Michigan took care of business against Boston University, 6-2, in this season’s Division 1 men’s college hockey national championship, a narrative that had been in the works for a long time began to bubble. Young, high-end teams can’t win. […]

Published

on


BU before playing Western Michigan in the national championship this spring. (Tyler Schank/Getty Images)

When Western Michigan took care of business against Boston University, 6-2, in this season’s Division 1 men’s college hockey national championship, a narrative that had been in the works for a long time began to bubble.

Young, high-end teams can’t win.

The Terriers had just lost. Boston College, the No. 1 team throughout most of the season, lost to Denver again — this time before the Frozen Four. Last season, BC, boasting some of the best freshmen in college hockey history, fell to Denver in the national championship. In 2023, a Minnesota team featuring freshmen such as Logan Cooley, Jimmy Snuggerud and sophomore Matthew Knies lost to Quinnipiac in the national championship.

College hockey has had an influx of top prospects choose the NCAA. BU’s Macklin Celebrini did so in 2023 and won the Hobey Baker. The year before, Adam Fantilli took the college hockey world by storm at Michigan, winning the Hobey Baker. Both were one-and-dones.

Hockey is a copycat sport. When a strategy works for one team, others try and use it to their advantage, too.

That can be true in recruiting, an ever-changing landscape.

So, are the young, high-end teams at a disadvantage? And will recruiting change due to this perception?



Link

Continue Reading

College Sports

All Twenty-Four Make AHA All-Academic Team

BOSTON – All 24 student-athletes on the Syracuse University women’s ice hockey team earned their way onto the Atlantic Hockey America (AHA) All-Academic Team. The League office announced its annual All-Academic Team Wednesday afternoon. The AHA All-Academic Team honors those student-athletes who posted a GPA of 3.0 or above for both semesters of the 2024-25 […]

Published

on


BOSTON – All 24 student-athletes on the Syracuse University women’s ice hockey team earned their way onto the Atlantic Hockey America (AHA) All-Academic Team. The League office announced its annual All-Academic Team Wednesday afternoon.

The AHA All-Academic Team honors those student-athletes who posted a GPA of 3.0 or above for both semesters of the 2024-25 academic year.



Syracuse had the second-most student-athletes on the AHA All-Academic Team, trailing only Robert Morris (25). Lindenwood also had 24 while Mercyhurst (23), RIT (17) and Penn State (16) accounted for the remainder of the team.

Additionally, four Orange student-athletes earned mention as Student-Athletes of the Year, completing the academic year with a perfect 4.0 grade point average: Klára Jandušíková, Allie Kelley, Nea Tervonen, and Tatum White.

Name / School / Pos. / Class / Hometown / Major

Peyton Armstrong / Syracuse / F / Fr. / Bancroft, Ont. / Sport Management

Jessica Cheung / Syracuse / D / Fr. / Ottawa, Ont. / Health and Exercise Science

Stella Costabile / Syracuse / F / Fr. / Belmar, N.J. / Finance and Applied Data Analytics

Maya D’Arcy / Syracuse / D / Jr. / Cambridge, Ont. / Selected Studies in Education

Jocelyn Fiala / Syracuse / D / So. / Clavet, Sask. / Social Work

Sami Gendron / Syracuse / D / Jr. / Rockland, Ont. / Psychology

Bella Gould / Syracuse / G / So. / Haymarket, Va. / Psychology

Charlotte Hallett / Syracuse / D / Jr. / Markham, Ont. / Psychology and Forensic Science

Klára Jandušíková / Syracuse / D / Gr. / Brno, Czechia / CAS – Intercollegiate Athletic Advising & Support

Allie Kelley / Syracuse / G / Gr. / East Berne, N.Y. / Master of Exercise Science

Charli Kettyle / Syracuse / D / Gr. / Perth, Ont. / Conflict and Collaboration

Jackson Kinsler / Syracuse / F / So. / Madison, Wisc. / Policy Studies

Heidi Knoll / Syracuse / F / Jr. / Ottawa, Ont. / Sport Management

Laura Leitner / Syracuse / D / Fr. / Krumpendorf, Austria / Undeclared

Rylee McLeod / Syracuse / F / Fr. / Grand Prairie, Alb. / Health and Exercise Science

Mia Ng / Syracuse / F / Fr. / Braintree, Mass. / Finance

Maïka Paquin / Syracuse / G / Jr. / Sherbrooke, QC / Chemistry (Medicinal)

Bryn Saarela / Syracuse / F / Gr. / Denver, Colo. / CAS – Conflict and Collaboration

Carly Sardine / Syracuse / F / Fr. / Hagersville, Ont. / Applied Data Analytics

Nea Tervonen / Syracuse / So. / Tempere, Finland / Sport Management

Mik Todd / Syracuse / F / R-So. / Oshawa, Ont. / Human Development and Family Science

Haley Trudeau / Syracuse / F / So. / Sherwood Park, AB / Mechanical Engineering

Tatum White / Syracuse / F / Gr. / Kingston, Ont. / CAS – Conflict and Collaboration

Celia Wiegand / Syracuse / D / Fr. / Jeffersonville, Vermont / Undeclared



Link

Continue Reading

College Sports

A Dozen Mules Named to the CSC At-Large Academic All-District Teams

Story Links The 2024-25 Academic All-District® At-Large Teams have been announced yesterday by College Sport Communicators (CSC). This award recognize the nation’s top student-athletes for their combined performances in competition and in the classroom. 12 Mules were recognized on the list composing of six men and six women. The six women […]

Published

on


The 2024-25 Academic All-District® At-Large Teams have been announced yesterday by College Sport Communicators (CSC). This award recognize the nation’s top student-athletes for their combined performances in competition and in the classroom.

12 Mules were recognized on the list composing of six men and six women. The six women consist of three Colby Women’s Lacrosse players, Ainsley Dion*, Julia Jardina*, and Kat Munter*, as well as Carissa Cassidy* and Hannah Soria of the Colby Alpine Skiing team and Casey Winslow of Colby Field Hockey. The six men consist of two Colby Men’s Ice Hockey athletes, Nick Stapleton and Max O’Brien, two Colby Men’s Lacrosse players, Bennett Goller and Gavin Rothenberg as well as two Colby Nordic Skiers, Benjamin Lewis and Jack Young*. 

Outstanding student-athletes are nominated for Academic All-District® recognition by current CSC members and must meet high academic and athletic standards. To qualify, student-athletes must be at least a sophomore academically and athletically, have a minimum 3.50 cumulative GPA and must be above the minimum requirement of games played or events attended in their sport.

Student-athletes selected as CSC Academic All-America® finalists are denoted with an asterisk and will advance to the national ballot to be voted on by CSC members. First-, second- and third-team Academic All-America® honorees will be announced July 8th (women) and 9th (men). 

CLICK HERE for the full article on the CSC website 6/17

 



Link

Continue Reading

College Sports

Women’s Hockey Garners 24 AHA All-Academic Honorees

Story Links On Wednesday, Atlantic Hockey America announced the 129 members of the 2024-25 Women’s League All-Academic Team.  The AHA All-Academic Team honors those student-athletes who posted a GPA of 3.0 or above for both semesters of the 2023-24 academic year. Lindenwood was second in the conference with 24 recipients, while 10 […]

Published

on


On Wednesday, Atlantic Hockey America announced the 129 members of the 2024-25 Women’s League All-Academic Team.  The AHA All-Academic Team honors those student-athletes who posted a GPA of 3.0 or above for both semesters of the 2023-24 academic year.

Lindenwood was second in the conference with 24 recipients, while 10 athletes were named Student-Athletes of the Year for earning a 4.0 during the academic year.

2024-25 Student-Athletes of the Year (10)

Madison Bowtell, Paige Cline, Kaitlin Finnegan, Olivia Grabianowski, Molly Henderson, Anna LaRose, Quinn McLaren, Ellie Muscedere, Brooke Pioske, Gigi Pora

2024-25 AHA All-Academic Team (24)

Madison Bowtell, Paige Cline, Chloe Corbin, Maegan Cronan, Hannah Dods, Josey Dunn, Kaitlin Finnegan, Olivia Grabianowski, Silje Gundersen, Molly Henderson, Catherine Hodgins, Sidney Jackel, Thea Jorgensen, Anna LaRose, Quinn McLaren, Ellie Muscedere, Morgan Neitzke, Zsofia Pazmandi, Brooke Pioske, Gigi Pora, Lucie Quarto, Sydney Rarick, Sena Takenaka, Elina Zilliox

 



Link

Continue Reading

College Sports

Marcus Spears Jr. backs up top-five status in gym filled with young talent

ST. LOUIS, Mo. – For the last 25-plus years, the Nike Elite 100 has served as an important step in the career of many elite prospects. From Amar’e Stoudemire to DeMarcus Cousins to Jayson Tatum to Paolo Banchero and countless other NBA stars, the Elite 100 has served as a stage where emerging prospects get their […]

Published

on


ST. LOUIS, Mo. – For the last 25-plus years, the Nike Elite 100 has served as an important step in the career of many elite prospects. From Amar’e Stoudemire to DeMarcus Cousins to Jayson Tatum to Paolo Banchero and countless other NBA stars, the Elite 100 has served as a stage where emerging prospects get their first real chance to shine in front of media and scouts in a setting where the focus is strictly on underclass talent.

Once again, Nike has assembled the top underclassmen from their Elite Youth Basketball League and on the opening night, there was no shortage of players making their mark in the Simon Recreation Center on the campus of Saint Louis University

MARCUS SPEARS JR.’S MOTOR AND GAME MATCH HIS IMPRESSIVE BLOODLINES

Marcus Spears Jr. (Photo: Eric Bossi, 247Sports)

Already ranked No. 4 in the class of 2027, 6-foot-8 forward Marcus Spears Jr. is about as well-known as a rising high school junior can be. Given his family, it’s no surprise that he’s emerging as a big-time prospect. His father Marcus Spears, was an All-American football player at LSU before being taken in the first round of the NFL Draft, while his mother Aiysha Smith was an All-SEC basketball player before being selected No. 7 overall in the 2003 WNBA Draft.

RELATED (VIP): USA Basketball U19: Tyran Stokes, Brandon McCoy lead high school prospects to make first cut | Mikel Brown Jr., Malachi Moreno, Koa Peat impress

If that wasn’t enough, his sister Macaria Spears was selected by MaxPreps as the 2025 National Player of the Year in volleyball and is signed to play at Texas.

Fresh off a standout performance for USA Basketball’s gold medal-winning 16U squad less than two weeks ago, Spears lived up to his family legacy at the Elite 100.

Through the years, we’ve literally seen thousands of players compete at the Elite 100, and Spears is among the hardest-playing prospects we’ve ever seen. At 6-foot-8, he’s still on the lean side, but he doesn’t lack for toughness, was flying all over the court, and had the gym buzzing thanks to his seemingly endless and infectious energy.



Link

Continue Reading

Most Viewed Posts

Trending