8-8 is more than just a .500 record for the UNCW hockey team.

It’s about a legacy, it’s about validation.

For the three remaining founders of the club, it proves that all their hard work was worth it.

“I think we started out our first year with one win out of 16 games,” senior Blake Cute said. “We really have gone through a lot.”

Cute said in the early days of the club it was just guys coming out and knocking the puck around during practice and games. Afterwards, everyone went their own separate ways.

Oh, how things have changed.

“We’ve got a bunch of players that are really good, mostly it’s just teamwork and teamwork,” he said.

The Seahawks have won three games in a row, outscoring opponents 25-8 during the stretch. That run has been spurred by the addition of new coach Walker Coady, who joined the program Jan. 1 after spending 20 years coaching youth hockey in the Washington area, most recently with the Washington Little Capitals under-16 team.

“Coach Coady has added an incredible amount of experience to the team, the team has completely turned around,” Team President Peter Schwarz said.

When the new coach arrived in Wilmington, he saw a game he wasn’t quite familiar with.

“They were undisciplined, running around and playing a game of — not hockey,” he said. “Trying to hit people and show off, they needed to learn the discipline part of the game, they needed to learn to become a band of brothers.”

That discipline was evident Saturday afternoon as the Seahawks beat Radford 8-2 on the strength of six goals in the third period. With an efficient power play, the Seahawks were patient in their attack and made the most of the advantages.

The brotherhood showed too, late in the game, when goalie Brendan Hayes was taken out from behind by a Radford check. It was the type of hit that would get you on Tie Domi’s bad side very quickly during his days with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

UNCW defender Mike Coccia was quick to defend his netminder, quickly avenging his goalie with a quick hit on the offender. Order was restored after a few minutes, but not before 14 minutes in penalties were handed out.

Success breeds success, so they say.As the wins add up, more and more people are looking to jump on board.

“They have now bought into that they want to make this the best program they can, I’m getting e-mails from players everyday at UNCW that didn’t know that we had a hockey team that are coming out.”

Schwarz is nothing but pleased with where things are heading.

“It’s a great feeling, us seniors wanted to make sure the club lasted on campus and it’s great to know he shares the same goals as us.”

Though they may not be around to experience it Cute, Schwarz and Ian Aldrich will all be rememebered in UNCW hockey history.

“I want these kids to look back 20 years from now and say, ‘I was part of that organization, I was part of what made that,'” Coady said.