By David Soto

Not many students know that for the last 10 years, ACU has had a hockey team in addition to its laundry list of more traditional sports. Because the team is not a university-sponsored organization, but a club team, it does not get as much publicity as other sports, such as football.

“We have a hockey team?” said Zac Watters, finance major from Clayton, N.M. “Wow, never knew that. I probably won’t ever go to a game, but it’s good to know we have a hockey team, I guess.”

The hockey team plays in the Southwest Collegiate Hockey League along with three other schools in the Division II bracket; its competition includes schools such as the University of Texas at Dallas and Stephen F. Austin University. Last season, the team came in third overall, finishing 9-10-1. Philip Greer, ACU alumnus, served as team captain last year, ending the season with 11 goals and five assists.

Although hockey is a less well-known sport in Texas, the team has a loyal following, thanks partially to a few Facebook groups.  Most of the games take place outside the Abilene area, which makes it challenging for fans to watch the team in action. However, a few die-hard hockey fans continue to make the trips to watch the team battle it out on the ice. One such fan, Jesse Goforth, attends several games each season.

“I love hockey; I always have,” said Goforth, an accounting and finance graduate student from Houston. “I found out about the hockey team about two years ago, and since then, I have gone to around six games, and I plan on going to many more.”