ACHA Team Spotlight - West Virginia University D1 & D2
ACHA Team Spotlight - West Virginia University D1 & D2
Name of School: West Virginia University
Location: Morgantown, W.V.
Enrollment: 27,000 (21,000 undergraduate)
ACHA Level: Divisions 1 & 2
Conference/League Affiliation:
College Hockey Mid-America (D1) Atlantic Coast Collegiate Hockey League (D2)
Head Coach: Shane Buckley (D1), Tyler Kutek (D2)
Assistant Coaches: Josh Dudley, Mark Brossman, Mike Katona, Brett Anderson, Adam Moodie
Best Way for Players to Reach Out (emails address, phone #, etc.):
Shane Buckley sbuckley@wvuhockey.org (715-661-4378)
Tyler Kutek tkutek@wvuhockey.org (724-562-5540)
Other Support Staff: Todd Gookin (GM), Athletic Training Staff from WVU, Interns for social media, as well as broadcasting home games.
Last Year's Record/Ranking: 9-21-2 (D1) 14-12-1 (D2)
Players Lost/Returning: 15 lost and 41 returning
Roster Size (generally): Anywhere from 50-60 between our two teams
Roster Composition (% of Tier 2 Jr., Tier 3 Jr., AA, AAA, HS, etc.):
2019-20 D1 Roster: 41% Jr A, 41% HS, 18% AAA
2019-20 D2 Roster: 86% HS, 14% Jr A
Region Where Most Players Come From: Pittsburgh, Ohio, DMV
Cost to Player to Play: Approx. $2,500
Equipment or Gear Provided:
-Helmets (Warrior/Bauer)
-Gloves (Bauer)
-Shell (Bauer)
-Two sticks (Warrior)
-Warm-ups (Bauer)
-Hockey bag
-Workout clothes
-Workout bag
Number of Games on Schedule: 30-35 (D1) and 25-30 (D2)
Big-name or Ranked Programs on Schedule: Pitt (D1), Robert Morris University (D1), Niagara (D1), NC State (D2), Virginia Tech (D2), Stevenson (D2)
First Practice Date: Tryouts start 3rd weekend of August
First Game Date: Mid-September
Regular-season End Date: 3rd weekend of February
Conference or League Tournament Approximate Dates: Last weekend of Feb./First weekend of March.
Practices Per Week & General Times of Practices? 3 practices a week around 10pm. Occasional D2 6am practice.
Games Per Week & General Times of Games? 2-3 games. Home game times anywhere from 4pm-11pm on the weekends.
Off-ice Training in & out of Season: 2-3 workouts a week in season. Workout plan provided in offseason (4-5 days a week).
Film Sessions Per Week if Any: 1
Other Team Commitments: We have a weekly study table as a team. Community service opportunities with our youth camp and learn to skate.
Team Locker Room for Equipment Storage?: D1 and D2 both have separate locker rooms where gear can be stored throughout the year.
Locker Room Size & Amenities: D1 has 30 stalls, coaches’ office, TV, projector, showers. D2 also has 30 stalls and uses the rest of the amenities in the D1 locker room.
Number of Home vs. Road Games: About a 50/50 split each year, give or take a couple games.
Number of Overnight Trips Per Season: 2-3 each team.
Travel Accommodation: Coach Bus for almost all trips, Usually Marriott Hotels if available.
What is the School Known for Academically?: Engineering, Business-related programs, Health-related programs.
Typical Test Scores/GPA Needed: 2.5 GPA and 21 ACT/1060 SAT
Campus Location (urban, city, etc.): Suburban
Largest vs. Typical Class Sizes: Class sizes will vary by major and year in school. The Student to Faculty ratio is 18:1, but it is not uncommon to have larger class sizes (300-400 students) for a required freshman level class.
Any Popular Majors Not Offered: N/A
Job Placement Information: 93% success rate 2 years after graduation.
In a few sentences, describe the philosophy of the program, the commitment level required and the level of play of the team and its opponents?
Since the coaching changes happened this past season for both teams, we’ve been working to establish a model that is more competitive with teams in our region. We have been able to increase the amount of practices, off-ice workouts and gear provided while keeping our fees approximately the same. While we work hard, we try to be as efficient as possible with players' time by combining workouts and practices, as well as our study table with film sessions, so players can take in some of the better experiences that WVU has to offer including home football games, on-campus events and other clubs.
What are the team's goals performance-wise on a yearly basis?
Conference championships and Nationals appearances.
How is the team supported on campus by students and fans?
We generally draw pretty well for most home games. Rivalry games will pack the arena, while games during football games will be less-so.
Describe the team's practice and off-ice facilities, locations and transportation provided or required:
Our rink is about 5 minutes away from campus, and we have our young guys carpool with upperclassmen to and from the rink for practices and game days. For road trips, we almost always travel by coach bus. For off-ice workouts, we’ll work out as a team outside earlier in the year when it’s warm, and move inside as the weather starts to turn cold.
What characteristics do you look for in a player?
We look for good people who are committed to both the academic and athletic side of being a part of WVU Hockey. We believe that a positive atmosphere is one of the most critical things needed for a successful program, so we want people who will contribute to that atmosphere.
What is important to know about the program's history and what might lie ahead?
We are entering our 52nd year as a program, and we have made several national tournament appearances, our last being in 2014. Since then, the program has gone through multiple coaching changes and had some down years. What makes us most excited about the future of this program is both D1 and D2 improved their records, D2 made their first playoff appearance in the ACCHL, and the mentality within the players of the program is starting to change. As a coaching staff, we began going out and recruiting at the HS, AAA and Jr. A levels to bring in players who love WVU and want to help push this program in a positive direction. We’re excited to continue our development to yearly success.
Anything else interesting about the program you would like to share (specific scholarships available, academic and other forms of aid, internship or other opportunities, etc.)?
WVU does a fantastic job of providing academic scholarship money. For out of state students, tuition is approximately $25,000, with up to $20,000 of academic scholarship money available upon admission, with additional scholarships also available.
Feel free to add anything else you think sells you program.
Morgantown is a great place to spend four years. We’re dedicated to helping our players both on and off the ice, as well as helping hockey in our area. We are the only college hockey program in the state, and want to do what we can to help grow the game in our own back yard.