From the Volunteer State to the Emerald Isle, Merrimack College’s hockey programs spent the Thanksgiving break showcasing their on-ice skills, immersing themselves into local culture and bringing the Warrior spirit to new audiences.
Both teams competed in mid-season tournaments, with the women playing in the SMASHVILLE Women’s Collegiate Hockey Showcase in Nashville, Tenn., and the men traveling across the Atlantic for the Friendship Four in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
“The whole trip was really well done,” said Scott Borek, head coach of the men’s team. “We have a great group of men and I’m really proud of how they interacted with the community and showed a reverence for the places we visited.”
During the week-long trip, the men’s team engaged with the culture of both Ireland and Northern Ireland, including playing the traditional Irish sports of hurling and Gaelic football and visiting the Belfast Peace Walls and Titanic Museum.
“Everyone was so friendly,” said Josef Mysak M’25, a defenseman. “That’s what made it even better overall. The hospitality was great.”
Fellow defenseman Ivan Zivlak ’25 added how impressed he was at the significance of building the Titanic was for the city back in the early 1900s. Belfast-based company Harland & Wolff built the Titanic over three years with the help of some 3,000 workers before its fateful voyage in 1912.
“There was this sense of accomplishment for the whole city, not just for the shipbuilders,” Zivlak said.
Erin Hamlen, head coach of the women’s team, said participating in a mid-season tournament was a great addition to the schedule.
“It was a very fun experience to be in a tournament and playing for something,” said Hamlen. “You don’t get those usually until the end of the season, and the feedback I got from the players was it felt like they had gone back to their youth hockey days where you are constantly traveling to and playing in tournaments.
The SMASHVILLE Women’s Collegiate Hockey Showcase is held in conjunction with a girls’ hockey tournament that promotes the sport in a city with a young but growing hockey history. Girls who attended Merrimack’s opening game saw the Warriors knock off No. 13 Penn State, 3-1.
“Being able to beat such a high-ranked team solidified that we have something special here,” said Hayley Chang ’25, a defender. “We really got to bond as a team during the trip and that helped us on the ice.”
The team celebrated Thanksgiving together with family and friends who made the trip to Nashville and also had the chance to check out the city’s famed Broadway and listen to live country music.
“It was one of the best hockey trips I have ever been on,” said Madison Cardaci M’25, a forward. “So many people asked us where we were from and about the hockey program. It was great visibility for Merrimack.”
Both Hamlen and Borek said they would like to participate in mid-season tournaments in the future, not only because of the experience but also because of the impact it has on the teams when they return to campus.
“I think it grows your team as a group,” said Borek. “You come back stronger than when you left and with a greater perspective.”
