Just one week after pulling off the biggest upset in UNC Wilmington club ice hockey history by beating Alabama in the Southeastern regional tournament, the team’s season ended with a 5-2 loss last Friday against The Citadel.

“We could have had a little better mental preparation,” sophomore forward Marty Previtte said. “After we lost to Loyola in regionals, I think a lot of people kind of thought the season was over.”

Despite the tough loss in the Blue Ridge Hockey Conference, the team enjoyed its best year ever, ending the season 20-7-2.

“I’m extremely happy with the season,” head coach Brian Hapeman said. “We set a high goal to reach regionals and we did it.”

The team’s leading scorer, freshman Blair Bigwood said one thing he will remember most about this season is how much support the team got from the student body.

“The fans really make a difference in our game,” Bigwood said. “It really says something when 500 people come off campus to watch a game and I really enjoy being able to step on the ice and give them something to cheer about.”

Bigwood was recently named the BRHC MVP, as well as rookie of the year and first line honors. He expects to play for the Seahawks until he graduates, understanding he will take a different role on the team next season.

“I feel my role as a sophomore will be a mentor to the incoming freshman,” he said. “As a freshman, everything I experienced, on and off the ice, was new to me and it really helped to have some great teammates who didn’t look down on things just because I was a freshman.”

In the offseason, it will be up to the players to do their own skating to stay in shape while the front office works on scheduling and recruiting. The hockey team also allows players to gain real world experience by allowing accounting majors to work on the budget while marketing majors help recruit and gain sponsorships.

With ten to fifteen recruits with competitive hockey backgrounds looking to take the ice for the Seahawks next season, the team is hopeful that although this year was the best to date, the seasons to come will be even better.