Although the team started with two losses to High Point University and Wake Forest University this year, team president and co-captain Joe Baglio, a senior, said he is confident in his team’s skill level and ability to play cohesively to ensure a successful season.
“We have probably a more skilled team than we’ve had in the past two years but we’re just feeling each other out, trying different coaching strategies and trying to deal with the fact that we are growing,” he said. “We have a lot of infrastructure built around us for the first time really since the team’s inception.”
Baglio said this year, the team created its first legal entity, The Carolina Hockey Booster Club, specifically geared toward supporting team finances.
The team rebranded through social media and added a 10-person broadcast team. They also added an equipment manager and a camera person.
Justin Ford, assistant director of sports programs in Campus Recreation, said due to the high costs of the sport and the limited funding from the sports club program, the team is encouraged to look for additional fundraising methods.
“I know they’ve cut back on practices and some of their games just because of the large financial commitment that it does entail. They have been working hard to do some fundraising and seek sponsorships and stuff,” Ford said. “I guess they’re a little bit different from the 48 other clubs that we have because of the significant financial commitment they have overall as a club.”
UNC Ice Hockey alumn Matt Gellatly played on the team for four years and was one of two players inducted into the ACCHL Hall of Fame Class of 2015.
“Being able to be in the ACCHL Hall of Fame is pretty cool, it’s something that I never really thought about I guess until it happened,” he said. “It’s not something I was shooting for or a goal or anything like that. But it was a pleasant surprise.”
