New York, NY -- The ice hockey team has some high expectations for the upcoming season, which begins Friday.
Having finished second in the nation in Division II of the American Collegiate Association and first in the Northeast last season, the Violets rocketed from just another club sport into one of the school's most popular teams, attracting noticeably bigger crowds than in past years.
And even though the team lost two of its best players to graduation this year, the returning players on the team aren't dismayed.
"We've got the best team we've head in my four years," CAS senior and assistant captain John Giardino said.
Giardino's positive outlook is rooted in the team's strong recruitment during the off-season, he said. The team's 12 new players include graduate student Mike Moen, who played for the prestigious University of Minnesota at Duluth NCAA hockey team.
"We needed to fill the spots," Giardino said. "And instead we got more than we needed."
The focus isn't just on new recruits, though. With a third of the team new, team veterans will have a larger leadership role than in previous years. But players like star goaltender Brian Kenney are ready to accept that responsibility.
"When you return, you're more confident," Kenney said. "You know everyone. It's easier to lead when you're not fighting for a spot."
Many of the returning players have become good friends, the players said. About 10 of the players room together at Palladium residence hall, Giardino said. In fact, junior forward Artem Agafonov is an RA at the building, albeit on a separate floor from his teammates.
With its camaraderie solidified, the team is now focused on its upcoming season, practicing at Chelsea Piers about three times a week for the past three weeks, Kenney said.
The Violets are preparing for an upcoming schedule that features both regular opponents and new teams, including Princeton University. But the key is still defeating Oakland University, the team that took the No. 1 slot in the nationals last year, Giardino said.
"We're prepping for Oakland," he said. "They won nationals last year, but this year they're also hosting them, and it's time to take it back."
Kenney couldn't agree more.
"We just can't wait to get started," he said. "We look really strong. If anything, our goal is to simply win the nationals.