Illinois Fighting Illini men's ice hockey

The Illinois Fighting Illini men's ice hockey team is a college ice hockey program that represents the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign. The Illini play on campus at historic[3] 2,000-seat University of Illinois Ice Arena.[4] They are a member of the American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA) at the ACHA Division I level.[5] The team is a member of the Central States Collegiate Hockey League (CSCHL) within the ACHA. The team operates as a registered student organization (RSO) at the University of Illinois. The University does not currently have an NCAA varsity team, and thus the club team is the highest level of hockey offered by the University.[6] A feasibility study published in March 2018, and commissioned by the NHL, NHLPA, and College Hockey, Inc., found a high probability of success for the hockey program to transition to NCAA Division I. [7][8]

Illinois Fighting Illini men's ice hockey
UniversityUniversity of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
ConferenceCSCHL
Head coachNick Fabbrini[1]
6th season, 142–87–9
ArenaUniversity of Illinois Ice Arena
Capacity: 2,000
LocationChampaign, Illinois
ColorsOrange and Blue[2]
         
ACHA Tournament championships
2005, 2008
ACHA Tournament appearances
1993, 1994, 1995, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018
Conference Tournament championships
1986, 1988, 1992, 2003, 2006, 2008
Conference regular season championships
2003, 2008, 2013

History

Organized ice hockey came to Illinois in the 1930s and played its first official season in 1937 as an independent NCAA team.[9] The first head coach was Ray Eliot, who coached the Fightin' Illini from 1937-1939.[9] The team went winless in the 1937–38 season, going 0–4 before winning their first game in the following season.[9] Vic Heyliger, a former All-American at Michigan and professional player with the Chicago Blackhawks, took over as head coach for the 1939-40 season.[10] In this second year as Illini head coach he led the team to a 17-win season, the most successful season of the Illini NCAA ice hockey team. The team recorded a 10-win season in 1941-42 and a 9-win season in 1942–43 that included only a single loss.[9] The program was ended after the 1942–43 season during World War II; that same year in 1943 Heyliger came out of retirement for 1943–44 season to fill in the team's depleted war time roster.[10]

The current Fighting Illini men's ice hockey team formed in the post-war era during the mid-1950s.[11] The team joined the CSCHL in 1975, only 5 years after the league formed, making the Illini the longest on-going CSCHL members.[12]

Facility
Main article: University of Illinois Ice Arena

Notable events
  • Fighting Illini Hockey vs. Lindenwood
    Undefeated season in 2007-2008. Record of 38-0-0.[13]
  • 2 ACHA Division I National Championships. Won in Bensenville, Illinois in 2005. Won in Rochester, New York in 2008.
  • 48 game winning streak spanning from September 28, 2007 to October 25, 2008.

Awards
  • Big Ten Conference Championships; (3)" : 1941, 1942, 1943
  • ACHA National Championships; (2) : 2005, 2008
  • ACHA Final Four Appearances; (10) : 1998, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2018
  • ACHA National Tournament Appearances; (23) : 1993, 1994, 1995, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018
  • CSCHL Regular Season Championships; (2) : 2003, 2008, 2013
  • CSCHL Tournament Championships; (6) : 1986, 1988, 1992, 2003, 2006, 2008

[14]

Notable alumni
  • Lee Archambault - U.S. Air Force colonel and NASA astronaut. Crew member of Mission STS-117 and Commander of Mission STS-119.[15]
  • Chad Cassel - Inducted into the Illinois Hockey Hall of Fame (2007). Winningest coach in Illini Hockey history with a record of 326-104-14.[13]
  • Gene Honda - Public address announcer for the Chicago Blackhawks.

References
  1. "Coaches". Illini Hockey. Retrieved 19 October 2012.
  2. "Illinois Digital Style Guide". July 21, 2016. Retrieved May 14, 2019.
  3. Leetaru, Kalev. "Buildings - Ice Skating Rink/Ice Arena". UIHistories Project: A History of the University of Illinois. Retrieved September 29, 2011.
  4. Zeck, Gregory (August 30, 2010). "Hockey hecklers make noise at Ice Arena". Daily Illini. Archived from the original on September 5, 2010. Retrieved September 29, 2011.
  5. Pauly, Tom (September 15, 2010). "Archived copy". Daily Illini. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved September 29, 2011.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  6. Augustoviz, Roman (September 20, 2010). "Illinois downplays likelihood it will add hockey". Star Tribune. Retrieved September 29, 2011.
  7. "Why Illini Hockey". University of Illinois Athletics. Retrieved March 24, 2018.
  8. "Feasibility study: UI setting just right for hockey". The News-Gazette (Champaign-Urbana). Retrieved March 24, 2018.
  9. "Team History". College Hockey News. Retrieved September 28, 2011.
  10. "Vic Heyliger". Legends of Hockey. Hockey Hall of Fame. Retrieved September 29, 2011.
  11. "Alumni". Illini Ice Hockey. Retrieved September 29, 2011.
  12. "CSCHL History". CSCHL. Retrieved September 29, 2011.
  13. "2007-2008 Men's Division 1 Coach-of-the-Year". CSCHL. March 31, 2008. Retrieved September 29, 2011.
  14. http://mgoblog.com/diaries/history-big-ten-hockey-1922-present
  15. NASA (2007). "NASA Assigns Crew for Final Solar Array Delivery to Station". NASA. Retrieved October 19, 2007.
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