After a period of being off the ice, the Auburn Ice Hockey Club is back in action.
With 18 players on the roster and 14 administrative officers, the club is off to an ambitious start.
The team is currently near the end of its first season and is preparing for its first SEC tournament appearance.
"Our season usually starts around the first weekend in October," said Elliott Chenger, president, founder and assistant coach of the Ice Hockey Club. "The regular season ends mid-February."
Chenger, junior in software engineering, said Auburn was the last SEC team to form a hockey club.
Interest in the club has been growing and team members are excited about the future.
With the SEC tournament just around the corner, the Auburn players are making the most of their practices.
"We practice and play in the Columbus Civic Center," Chenger said. "Right now because of funding, we do one on-ice practice a week," Chenger said. "We also have two off-ice practices a week."
Despite the drive to their practice rink, players are thrilled to be skating for Auburn, and everyone on the team has prior hockey experience.
"It's fun because it's a professional rink," said Alex Farrell, senior in aerospace engineering who plays right wing for the team. "We are able to get large crowds to our games playing in that rink."
Andie Woods, junior in aerospace engineering who serves as the scheduling and travel coordinator for the team, said she wanted to help get the team going in their first year.
"My dad started taking me and my brother and sister to NHL games and watching it on TV," Woods said. "It's just something I've liked since I was young."
Woods schedules all of the team's games and practices as well as books their buses and hotels.
"A lot of people have waited a long time for an Auburn hockey team," Woods said. "Knowing that I'm a part of helping get that started and that they have games, it's just nice that people are enjoying it."
Scheduled matches against the College of Charleston were canceled and the team will conclude its 3-11 inaugural season with two matches against Mississippi State University at home Feb. 18 and 19.
"Our door fees are $5 for regular admission and $4 for students," Chenger said.
Following the last home game, the team will travel to the SEC tournament which will be held Feb. 25.
This is the third annual SEC tournament, and it will host eight teams from the SEC (including Florida, Tennessee, South Carolina, Georgia, Ole Miss, Alabama, Auburn and Arkansas) according to the South Eastern Collegiate Hockey Conference website.
Florida has secured the No. 1 spot in the East, while Arkansas will be defending its No. 1 spot in the West. Auburn is ranked No. 4 and will open against Arkansas Feb. 25 at 6 p.m.
"The West teams will be playing in Pelham on Friday and the East teams will be playing in Atlanta," Woods said.
Chenger said the remaining rounds of the tournament will be played at the Columbus Civic Center in Georgia. The championship game is scheduled for 4 p.m. Sunday, Feb 27.
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