Kent State Golden Flashes men's ice hockey

Kent State Golden Flashes men's ice hockey
Kent State Golden Flashes athletic logo
UniversityKent State University
ConferenceCCHA
Head coachN/A
ArenaKent State University Ice Arena
Kent, Ohio
ColorsNavy blue and gold[1]
   

The Kent State Golden Flashes Men's Ice Hockey was an NCAA Division I ice hockey team from 1980 to 1994. Kent State hockey was promoted to Division I status by the Board of Trustees on June 12, 1980, following ten years as a club sport.[2] The program joined fellow independent Notre Dame to form the American Collegiate Hockey Association from 1986 to 1989 (not to be confused with the ACHA formed in 1991).

History

After a 19-win campaign in his third season with the club John Wallin left to take over the Sudbury Wolves of the Ontario Hockey League in 1987.[3] After Kent State alum Tom Viggiano headed the program for the 1987–88 season, Bill Switaj was brought in[4] once it was confirmed that the program would continue to exist beyond 1988 despite budgetary concerns.[5] The program's entire season was cancelled that September in response to a hazing incident.[6]

The Golden Flashes would finally debut with Switaj as their coach in 1989. After three seasons they were eventually accepted into the Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) but Kent State's program ended in the spring of 1994 when university president Carol Cartwright made a recommendation to the board of trustees that the program be discontinued.[7]

Season-by-season results

NAIA/NCAA D-I Champions NAIA/NCAA Frozen Four Conference Regular Season Champions Conference Playoff Champions
Season Conference Regular Season[a] Conference Tournament Results National Tournament Results
Conference Overall
GP W L T OTW OTL 3/SW Pts* Finish GP W L T %
Doug Ross (1980 — 1981)
1980–81 Independent - - - - - - - - - 35 17 18 0 .486
Tom Newton (1981 — 1982)
1981–82 Independent - - - - - - - - - 29 12 17 0 .414
Don Lumley (1982 — 1984)
1982–83 Independent - - - - - - - - - 31 6 25 0 .194
1983–84 Independent - - - - - - - - - 27 16 11 0 .593
John Wallin (1984 — 1987)
1984–85 Independent - - - - - - - - - 27 11 14 2 .444
1985–86 Independent - - - - - - - - - 36 21 13 2 .611
1986–87 AHCA 12 7 5 0 - - - 14 2nd 32 19 13 0 .594 Lost AHCA Quarterfinal, 1–6 (Michigan–Dearborn)
Won AHCA Third Place Game, 6–2 (Lake Forest)
Tom Viggiano (1987 — 1988)
1987–88 AHCA 12 0 10 2 - - - 2 4th 46 33 7 6 .783 Lost AHCA Quarterfinal, 2–9 (Michigan–Dearborn)
Lost AHCA Third Place Game, 0–7 (Lake Forest)
Bill Switaj (1988 — 1994)
1988–89 AHCA Season cancelled due to hazing scandal
1989–90 Independent - - - - - - - - - 33 14 16 3 .470
1990–91 Independent - - - - - - - - - 35 10 22 3 .329
1991–92 Independent - - - - - - - - - 31 15 14 2 .516
1992–93 CCHA 30 10 19 1 - - - 21 8th 38 13 22 3 .382 Lost CCHA First Round series, 0–2 (Michigan State)
1993–94 CCHA 30 6 22 2 - - - 14 11th 39 11 26 2 .308 Lost CCHA First Round series, 0–2 (Michigan)
Totals GP W L T % Championships
Regular Season 431 197 211 23 .484
Conference Post-season 8 1 7 0 .125
NCAA Post-season 0 0 0 0 –
Regular Season and Post-season Record 439 198 218 23 .477
  1. ^ Code explanation; GP—Games Played, W—Wins, L—Losses, T—Tied games, OTW—Overtime Wins, OTL—Overtime Loses, 3/SW—Win in 3 on 3 overtime or shootout, Pts—Points*

Golden Flashes in the NHL

See also: Former NCAA players in the National Hockey League
Player Position Team(s) Years Games Stanley Cups
Dean Sylvester Right wing BUF, ATL 1998–2001 96 0

[8]

References

  1. ^ "Our Brand | Kent State University". Retrieved November 7, 2016.
  2. ^ "Varsity Status: Hockey program gets tougher schedule'". Daily Kent Stater. 1980-06-19. Retrieved 2018-11-14.
  3. ^ "Wallin resigns Hockey coach headed for Canadian league". Daily Kent Stater. 1987-06-17. Retrieved 2016-08-29.
  4. ^ "New head hockey coach hired from West Point". Daily Kent Stater. 1988-06-22. Retrieved 2016-08-29.
  5. ^ "Team to retain varsity status". Daily Kent Stater. 1988-04-08. Retrieved 2016-08-29.
  6. ^ "Hockey cancellation 'outrageous, unfair'". Daily Kent Stater. 1988-09-27. Retrieved 2016-08-29.
  7. ^ "At Kent, NCAA hockey is in rear-view mirror but the game still thrives". USCHO.com. 2016-08-28. Retrieved 2016-08-29.
  8. ^ "Alumni report for Kent State University". Internet Hockey Database. Retrieved May 11, 2022.