Ice Hockey Own the Moment
What does the road map to that success look like? How do we get from here to there? How do you keep your core values while forging a new direction?
These are the questions that the AIC men’s hockey program is asking, and we want you to be a part of the answers.
REIMAGINED
REINVIGORATED
RELOCATED
A RENEWED VISION
It all begins with a new head coach.
Eric Lang played AIC hockey from 1994 to 1998, serving as captain for two of those seasons, and returned to the program as a graduate assistant coach from 2006 to 2008. Lang is no stranger to what makes the College an institution like no other. But what he accomplished between those years is what made his hiring as AIC’s new men’s hockey head coach so exciting.
At Manhattanville College, Lang posted a career coaching record of 71-31-6, guiding the Valiants to two ECAC East Championships during his tenure from 2008 to 2012. Lang advanced his career further by joining the Army coaching staff in 2012. While at West Point, he served as the Black Knights’ recruiting coordinator before his responsibilities branched into everything from handling the power play to video analysis and on-ice skill development.
Most importantly, Lang was instrumental in the resurgence of Army hockey. The Black Knights finished last in league play prior to Lang’s arrival at West Point—now the rebuild is complete as Army is coming off back-to-back final four appearances in Atlantic hockey.
IN OTHER WORDS, ERIC LANG KNOWS WHAT IT TAKES TO BUILD A WINNING PROGRAM, AND HAS THE PRIDE THAT ONLY AN AIC ALUMNUS CAN FEEL.
AIC’S GOAL IS TO NOT ONLY BUILD A BETTER PROGRAM, BUT BETTER PLAYERS, BETTER STUDENTS, BETTER MEN, AND A BETTER COMMUNITY.
New Home, Same Passion
When you are competing with the types of high-profile, nationally ranked teams that AIC is now playing, you need a state-of-the-art arena to match. That is why AIC made the MassMutual Center in downtown Springfield, Massachusetts its home ice.
The move increases our crowd capacity from 2,200 to 6,800, and provides a venue with 222 club seats, a new bar and lounge, club room, executive suite, an 18×12-foot, 4-sided center hung LED video board, and an LED lighting system throughout the arena.
Think of the men’s hockey program as a rocket ready to take off and the MassMutual Center as our new launching pad.
Dedication Off the Ice
Anyone who knows the sport knows that hockey players are a different breed.
They play a demanding game that is rooted in respect and highlighted by moments of grace. Hockey is a sport that requires methodical dedication, yet players always find time to give back to their community. The players who put on the Yellow Jackets jersey are no exception.
The team achieved a perfect Academic Progress Rate (a statistic used to track student-athletes’ chances of graduation) of 1000 during the 2014–15 season, and have a four-year average of 993.
In 2017, Coach Lang and his team began supporting AIC’s partnership with Square One, a private, nonprofit organization in Springfield, Massachusetts that provides early education and other services for children and families.
Our administration has made a huge statement that we want to be a major player in the college hockey world. At the end of the day, we’re the only team on campus that can potentially play Michigan, Boston College, and Notre Dame. For us to be on the ice with some of those big boys—we’re looking at it differently than we ever have.
But We Can’t Do it Alone
The cost of running an aggressive NCAA Division I program is constantly increasing and budgets are always stretched.
Your philanthropic support directly increases AIC’s ability to compete with other major hockey schools. That passion, dedication, and commitment are AIC’s hallmarks, and we need them now more than ever.
Your support will help with recruitment efforts, travel expenses, and equipment purchases, but those are just the first pieces. What you are really supporting is the process—having the tools to help the players we recruit complete their demanding school work, graduate, and take their place as 21st century leaders.
Lastly, you’re supporting the opportunity for American International College to raise its profile locally and nationally, and to make an impact both on the ice, on our campus, and in our community.
Boosters, which form the heart of a successful alumni base, and a successful hockey program go hand-inhand—we cannot have one without the other. So let’s get started!
Contact us today at alumni@aic.edu or 413.205.3004 for more information and learn how you can contribute to the future of AIC men’s ice hockey.