Help send Kentucky hockey to the National Championships
For the first time since the 2007-08 season, Kentucky men’s hockey has earned a spot in the ACHA National Championships — and they need the Big Blue Nation’s help in getting there.
Kentucky hockey, which is considered a club sport and is not supported by the University, is set to participate in the Divison II Championships as the Southeast Region’s No. 3 seed. But without proper funding, the Wildcats might not be able to make the trip at all, which is scheduled to take place in Boston, MA from March 17-21. The team needs money for travel, hotels, food, and much more.
With that in mind, Kentucky hockey set up a GoFundMe page earlier this week with the goal of raising $80,000 to make the trip happen. As of the time this article was published, the fundraiser has already garnered over $28,000 with donations from nearly 400 different supporters.
“We’re really looking for people to step up, really looking for one or two significant contributors out there that really want to push us over the top,” Ryan Van Daniker, the club’s general manager, told LEX18. “I would hate to have to break that news to the boys. They put in the work, they deserve it.”
You can donate directly to the GoFundMe page by clicking here.
Kentucky hockey holds a 29-6 record this season, the most wins in program history. The Wildcats swept 10 teams throughout, including three wins over the Louisville Cardinals. UK is led by Tim Pergram, who was named the TSCHL (Tri-State Collegiate Hockey League) Coach of the Year. To learn more about the Wildcats’ season, click the link here.
“This will be my first time taking UK to a national tournament. I’ve done this before in triple A, I’ve done this before in prep school hockey in Boston, so I know about getting ready for a national tournament,” Pergram said, according to Kentucky hockey’s Twitter account. “It’s going to be a great experience for the boys and the coaches as well.
“What we’re doing right now is we’ll ease into the postseason and each day will get a little more intense with our training, but right now we’re letting them get a little healed up because it was a physical weekend; it’s been a long season. Mentally we seem to be in a good space right now, getting ahead on the homework and in the classroom, and then we’ll come in ready to go in the next week and a half.”
The clock is running low though. Kentucky hockey only has a limited amount of time to raise enough money. If you can spare a few bucks (or more), make sure to check out the GoFundMe page.
Kentucky’s first match, if they are able to raise enough money, would take place on Friday, March 17 in Boston at 11:00 a.m. EST against the No. 2 seed University of Saint Thomas. The Final Four begins on Monday, March 20.
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