Union Garnet Chargers men's ice hockey


The Union Garnet Chargers ice hockey team is a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I men's college ice hockey program that represents Union College. The Garnet Chargers are a member of ECAC Hockey. They play at the new M&T Bank Center by the Mohawk River in Schenectady, New York. The Garnet Chargers won the 2014 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey tournament by defeating the Minnesota Golden Gophers 7–4.
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Program history

The hockey team was founded in 1904 making it the 7th oldest college program playing in NCAA Division I and provides the school with a long and colorful history in the sport. Men at Union have played hockey in four distinct periods: club hockey from 1904 to 1911, varsity hockey from 1919 to 1949, NCAA Division III hockey from 1975 to 1990 and NCAA Division I hockey from 1991–present.

Early history 1904–1911

Union's first game, played on February 3, 1904, was a victory over the Union Classical Institute. Three other games were played that inaugural season including a 1–4 loss to rival Rensselaer. Lacking a rink of its own during that inaugural season, all games were played on the opponent's home ice. The first attempt at creating an on-campus outdoor rink was made by students in 1905 when a plow and scaper was hired to form a level area with earthen banks near what is now Memorial Chapel. The club team's record in known games during those early years was 6–7–1. No collegiate games were played in the 1910 or 1911 seasons because Union's players couldn't afford the costs of travel and opponent game guarantee fees. The club team subsequently disbanded bringing a close to the earliest era of hockey at Union.

Division I era 1991–present

In 2012, the team made the school's first NCAA men's ice hockey championship Frozen Four appearance, losing to Ferris State University.
In the 2013–2014 season, the team won the 2014 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey tournament, the first in school history. The team had an overall 32-6-4 record with 12 consecutive wins leading up to the national title win. Junior Shayne Gostisbehere won the Most Outstanding Player of the 2014 Frozen Four, and signed his NHL entry level contract with the Philadelphia Flyers 3 days after the championship.
In 2017, senior Mike Vecchione was named as a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award. Vecchione finished his collegiate career with a school record of 175 points, along with the leading number of all-time assists at 104. He led the D1 league with 21 multiple point games, 17 goals, 4 short handed goals, 4 game winning goals, and a 60.4% faceoff win percentage.
In 2023, the college changed the school's athletic nickname from "Dutchmen" and "Dutchwomen" to "Garnet Chargers" as part of a branding update. Garnet has been the school's official color for 150 years, and the name "chargers" is a reference to "Schenectady's legacy as a leader in electrical technologies."
In the 2023-24 season, the team had the second-best penalty kill in college hockey, at 87.9%.

Championships

ECAC Hockey Tournament championships (Whitelaw Cup)

Runners-up in 2010

ECAC Hockey Regular season Championships (Cleary Cup)

† Shared with Harvard

Players

Current roster

As of August 10, 2025.

Awards & honors

As of April 2017
Hobey Baker Memorial Award
Spencer Penrose Award - AHCA Coach of the Year
USCHO Coach of the Year
College Hockey News Coach of the Year
NCAA Frozen Four Most Outstanding Player
NCAA Frozen Four All-Tournament Team
NCAA East Regional Most Outstanding Player
Tim Taylor Award - ECAC Hockey Coach of the Year
ECAC Hockey Player of the Year
Ken Dryden Award - ECAC Hockey Goaltender of the Year
ECAC Hockey Best Defensive Defenseman
ECAC Hockey Best Defensive Forward
ECAC Hockey Student Athlete of the Year
  • Oliver Bouchard: 2007
  • Matt Cook: 2009
  • Stephane Boileau: 2011
  • Josh Kosack: 2022
ECAC Hockey Tournament Most Outstanding Player
ECAC Hockey All-Tournament Team
AHCA First Team All-Americans - East
AHCA Second Team All-Americans - East
AHCA Second Team All-Americans - East
  • 1985-86: Wayne McDougall, G
  • 1999-89: Ron Kinghorn, G
  • 1989-90: Terry Campbell, F
Academic All-American Second Team
  • 2009-10: Stephane Boileau
  • 2013-14: Cole Ikkala
Academic All-American Third Team
Union College Athletics Hall of Fame
  • Wayne McDougall, G: 2005
  • Steve Baker, G: 2007
  • Gil Egan, F: 2008
  • Craig Ferrero, F: 2009
  • Tod Fobare, F: 2010
  • Terry Campbell, F: 2015
  • Charlie Morrison, Head Coach: 2015
  • 1983-84 Men's Hockey Team: 2015
  • Dalton Menhall: 2017
  • Jack Rankin: 2019

Historic records

Records vs. Current ECAC Hockey Teams

As of the completion of the 2023–24 season

In-season tournaments

As of April 2017
Event nameHost citySeasonAll-Time Record
Badger ShowdownMadison, WI2003–040–2
Capital District Mayor's CupAlbany, NY2012–13, 2013–14, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2016–173–2
Brice Alaska Goal RushFairbanks, AK2010–111–1
Catamount CupBurlington, VT2012–131–1
Concordia InvitationalMontreal, QE1993–942–0
Dodge Holiday ClassicProvidence, RI2005–061–1
Dunkin Donuts Coffee PotProvidence, RI2004–050–1–1
Frozen Holiday ClassicBridgeport, CT2014–151–1
Governor's CupAlbany, NY2008–09, 2007–08, 2006–071–4–1
Ice Breaker CupDenver, CO1999–000–2
Icebreaker InvitationalColorado Springs, CO2005–061–1
J.C. Penney ClassicOrono, ME1996–97, 1998–992–2
Ledyard Bank ClassicHanover, NH2015–162–0
Mariucci ClassicMinneapolis, MN2000–01, 2005–06, 2010–112–3–1
Omaha StampedeOmaha, NE2008–091–1
Pete Kelly CupFredericton, NB2007–081–1
Rensselaer InvitationalTroy, NY1991–92, 1998–99, 1999–00, 2009–102–6
Shillelagh tournamentNotre Dame, IN2008–09, 2014–152–2
Sheraton/TD Banknorth TournamentBurlington, VT2006–071–1
UConn ClassicStorrs, CT2009–101–1

Program records

Individual – career

  • Most goals in a career: Gil Egan, 83,
  • Most points in a career: Mike Vecchione, 176,
  • Most assists in a career: Terry Campbell, 119,
  • Most power play goals in a career: Daniel Carr, 34,
  • Most game winning goals in a career: Wayne Simpson, 16,
  • Most shots in a career: Wayne Simpson, 447,
  • Most wins in a career: Kris Mayotte, 46,
  • Best goals-against-average in a career: Troy Grosenick, 1.89,
  • Most saves in a career: Brandon Snee, 3,085,
  • Best save percentage in a career: Troy Grosenick,.930,

Individual – season

Team – game

  • Most goals in a game: 11 vs. Clarkson
  • Most goals allowed in a game: 10 vs. Penn State
  • Most goals combined in a game: 15 vs. Clarkson & Merrimack
  • Most shots taken in a game: 75 vs. Quinnipiac
  • Most shots allowed in a game: 63 vs. Bemidji State
  • Fewest shots taken in a game: 13 last time vs. Cornell
  • Fewest shots allowed in a game: 9 vs. Cornell
  • Most penalties in a game: 27 vs. Cornell
  • Most penalty minutes in a game: 116 vs. Cornell
  • Longest game: 150:22 in 5 OTs lasting 5 hrs., 56 minutes vs. Quinnipiac

Team – season

  • Most wins in a season: 32
  • Most conference wins in a season: 18 ECAC Hockey
  • Most consecutive wins in a season: 12
  • Longest unbeaten streak in a season: 17

Head coaches

All-time coaching records

As of completion of the 2023–24 season
† Bob Driscoll coached the final 13 games of the 1977–78 season after Ned Harkness resigned.
‡ Rick Bennett was suspended on January 19, 2022 and John Ronan coached the final 17 games of the season.

Garnet Chargers in the NHL

As of July 1, 2025.