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The Kennesaw State University Owls are probably the best kept secret in local hockey. Frankly, ACHA hockey - the club teams that consist of schools such as Life University, the University of Georgia, and Georgia Tech - might very well be getting a ton more attention and fans this season than they have in the past, with the loss of the Atlanta Thrashers. Hockey fans in the metro area are looking for new teams to support, and for those who the trek to Duluth to see the Gladiators might be a bit much, the Owls are right here on the north side of the city at the Kennesaw Ice Forum.
Sure, it's not professional ice hockey in an arena like the Gladiators might be, but college sports are the lifeblood of the South. There's nothing different from any other college sport in supporting a college hockey team. Tailgating is a must (or an extended dinner at Taco Mac), the crowds are rowdy, and the sports are intense. Also, oil drums are used as noisemakers on occasion. What's there not to like?
The Fighting Owls are back to rebound from a season that was sub-par from a former national champion's standards. 2010-2011 all-stars #11 Dylan Morrison (who is also the team's captain) and #2 Kevin Body (an assistant captain) are both back this season, as is the team's all-time leading point scorer Jerry Holden (#27), who is back for grad school hoping to add a few more tallies like this one to his total. Adding to the mix this year are eight newcomers to the squad: Travis Holden, Michael Bellino, Mat Weidenfelder, Patrick Provencher, Larry Adegoke, Ollie Evans, Pat Cormack, and Roman Mangini.
The team can be found at KSUicehockey.com or their facebook page. Their official site has a full schedule of games for both the D2 and division three teams. Home games are located at the Kennesaw Ice Forum, and notable upcoming dates are:
- Sept 16 - ECU (Home Opener)
- Sept 23 - UGA
- Oct 11 - GT (Vets Day - Camo Jerseys)
- Oct 12 - Life University
- Feb 4 - Life University (2nd Annual Pink out the Rink - Pink Jerseys w/ all proceeds going to American Cancer Society)
Admission is $5 for non-students and $3 for students, and are sold at the door. If you'd like to get a bit of a taste of what fans are in store for this season, here's the season's promo video. There're more body checks at a KSU game than there were at any Thrashers game last season.
Please check back to SB Nation Atlanta throughout the season for updates on Kennesaw State's record. It promises to be an exciting season - why not come out to catch KSU put the University of Georgia and Georgia Tech to shame?