UCLA Bruins men's ice hockey explained

Team Name:UCLA Bruins
Team Link:
University:University of California, Los Angeles
Sex:men's
First Year:1926–27
Conference:West Coast Hockey Conference
Conference Short:WCHC
Division:Tier 1
Location:Los Angeles, California
Coach:Griffin McCarty
Coach Year:2021 - Present
Arena:The Cube Ice and Entertainment Center, Santa Clarita, California
Capacity:500
Conference Tournament:2024 WCHC Playoff Runner-ups
Conference Season:2022-2023 WCHC Regular Season Champions
Captains:Jonathan Alterman
John Ilvento
A Captains:Alex Setteducati
Owen Sweeney

The UCLA Bruins men's ice hockey team is a non-varsity, non-NCAA college ice hockey program that represents the University of California, Los Angeles. They are a member of the American Collegiate Hockey Association at the Division II level. The university sponsored varsity ice hockey from 1926 to 1941.

History

Before the school was even called 'UCLA', the ice hockey program was formed, joining several other local teams including USC and Occidental. The team continued for several years despite the Great Depression being in full force. In the late 1930s a new arena was built for the Los Angeles programs but World War II forced all of the pacific coast teams to shutter their programs in the early '40s. When teams were reconstituted afterwards, UCLA was not among the programs to resurface and the new arena, the Tropical Ice Gardens, was demolished in 1949.[1]

UCLA eventually returned to the ice in 1961 but only as a club sport. Until recently, it played against many of its former varsity opponents in the Pac-8.[2]

Currently, UCLA plays in the West Coast Hockey Conference in the Tier 1 division against rivals like Loyola Marymount, Long Beach State, Grand Canyon, Northern Arizona, Arizona State, and others. They've made back to back appearances at the ACHA Men's D2 Western Region playoffs. They are currently coached by former player Griffin McCarty, son of the Detroit Red Wings legend Darren McCarty and Sean Allen, a former Hamilton College men's hockey player.

Historically, UCLA and USC have faced off in an annual 5-game series dubbed "The Crosstown Cup". Up until the COVID-19 pandemic, one of the games took place at the Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles.

Note: UCLA used the same color scheme as the University of California, Berkeley until 1949.[3]

Statistics

Career points leaders

PlayerYears GP G APts PIM
2019-20235249509922
2021-20234642388016
2014-20176642388052
2008-20114337367324
2006-20128831356696
2018-2020343425596
2007-20127229295880
2015-20195831245510
2013-2017812926556
2007-20115625265181

Team

Current Roster

as of November 19, 2023.[4] |}

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: UCLA Men's Ice Hockey History . UCLA Bruins . May 22, 2021.
  2. Web site: Pac-8 Hockey . Pacific 8 Intercollegiate Hockey Conference . May 22, 2021.
  3. News: Rose . Adma . Wear blue, thank you . August 27, 2008 . . https://web.archive.org/web/20080903142043/http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/bruin/2008/08/wear-blue-thank.html . September 3, 2008 . Even if you don't wear the "official" game day shirt (we all know the well-loved, 10-year-old shirt is best anyway), just make sure to wear True Blue ... or Powder Blue, for you traditionalists..
  4. Web site: 2023-2024 Men's Ice Hockey Roster . 2023-11-19 . UCLA Club Sports . en.