Owen Grand – Contributor

After finishing the regular season with a 12-3-1 record, the BU Club Hockey has secured the top spot in the AAU College Hockey National Rankings and will travel to Jacksonville, Florida, over March Break to compete in the national championship tournament.

Image courtesy of Joseph Aubert

The No. 1 ranking marks a significant milestone for the program, which returned to nationals this year following last season’s early exit.

“I think being ranked first does add some pressure,” said senior goaltender Jack MacFarland. “We are the team to beat and are expected to win. However, it confirms our belief that we are the best team in the tournament and can win it all.”

Last year’s tournament loss has remained a point of motivation for the group. “It was definitely a heartbreaker, but a learning opportunity to not underestimate our opponents,” MacFarland said. “A win this year would prove ourselves to those who don’t believe in us and show everyone how great this program is.”

While the team’s on-ice results have placed them at the top of the national rankings, competing as a Canadian club program in an American league presents financial challenges. Unlike varsity teams, the club operates independently and must cover much of its travel and tournament costs. 

To offset those expenses, the team has organized several fundraising initiatives throughout the year. Efforts have included a slip-and-slide ball hockey tournament aimed at increasing student engagement, the sale of a team-branded shampoo dubbed “Purple Jesus” and a collaboration with the Sherbrooke Phoenix that allowed the club to raise funds through ticket sales. “With our fundraisers, we really want to include the Bishop’s community as much as we can,” MacFarland said. “The slip-and-slide tournament was my favourite because it got the community together outside, having fun.”

Beyond this season’s success, MacFarland said the program’s internal growth has been just as important. “Not only has the team gotten stronger over the years, but we’ve become more competitive as a group and expected more from ourselves each time we’re on the ice,” he said. “Returning to nationals as the number one seed shows how far we’ve come and that Bishop’s hockey can compete at the highest level.”

Looking ahead, the program is set to formalize a new sponsorship with The Campus newspaper beginning next season. As part of the agreement, the publication’s logo will appear on the hockey team’s pant shells, marking one of the first visible sponsorship integrations between a student organization and a campus athletic club. The partnership is expected to increase the team’s visibility while strengthening the relationship between student media and athletics.

With nationals approaching, the Gaiters now turn their focus to preparation: aiming to translate a No. 1 ranking into a championship performance.

“Thank you for all your support through the season,” MacFarland said.