In the 191 years since Wake Forest’s founding, athletic success has come on many playing surfaces. This month, a group of student-athletes proved that Wake Forest can win anywhere, even on ice.
Wake Forest Club Hockey swept their first ACCHL Admiral’s Cup Championship, winning the final in overtime against the West Virginia Mountaineers, 2-1.
The tournament-winning score was made possible by defenseman James McGregor together with forwards Adam Custable and Eddie Kane. The three combined a series of sharp passes with a moving-puck shot into the back of the Mountaineers’ net to win the final in overtime.
“It’s not really something you fully practice… that play just kind of developed,” Custable said. “[McGregor] gave me a great pass, and [I] had two on one with the defenders. I gave it to [Kane] backdoor, and he was wide open.”
The tournament-winning goal came after three close games, two of which ended in one or more overtime periods. The Deacon Deacons’ 3-2 victory against the Richmond Spiders in the quarterfinals earned them their semifinal match against the Georgetown Hoyas. Wake Forest defeated them in a triple overtime win, 3-2, securing their spot in the championship final. Even during the tense, uncertain moments in overtime, the Demon Deacon bench remained cool and collected.
“[Forward Jack Cahill], myself and a couple of other players [kept] the energy up, keeping it loose, making sure people are keeping it positive on the bench,” skater Ethan Lillien said. “At the end of the day, you’re playing overtime in the finals. What gets more fun than that?”
“I’ve played on a lot of teams in my life, and I have not yet had a team that is [as much] fun, upbeat and positive [as] this one,” Cahill added. “Even when things aren’t going well, someone is always there to pump the guys up.”
Their comments about the team’s deep sense of community and closeness were not just talk. Before and after the final, multiple team alumni reached out to the players, offering support and well wishes. Another player who was set to dress insisted on giving up his spot in a game when a fellow teammate mentioned that his parents were in town to see the team play.
“That’s the level of sacrifice that these guys have for each other […]. I couldn’t be more humbled to be in the company with these guys,” Head Coach Michael Adams said.
“The whole team really deserves to be honored [for their dedication],” goaltender and tournament MVP John Tolve said.
The program plans to expand with a women’s team that will play in the fall of 2025. Nearer term, the men’s club team has accepted an invitation to the AAU College Hockey Division II Nationals next month.
