| Holy Cross Crusaders men's ice hockey | |
|---|---|
 Current season | |
 | |
| University | College of the Holy Cross |
| Conference | AHA |
| Head coach | Bill Riga 5th season, 74–72–11 (.506) |
| Assistant coaches |
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| Arena | Hart Center Worcester, Massachusetts |
| Colors | Royal purple[1] |
| NCAA tournament appearances | |
| 2004,2006 | |
| Conference tournament champions | |
| WCHL: 1967, 1968, 1969 MAAC:1999 AHA:2004,2006 | |
| Conference regular season champions | |
| WCHL: 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970 AHA: 2004, 2006 AHA: 2025 | |
| Current uniform | |
 | |
TheHoly Cross Crusaders men's ice hockey team is aNational Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)Division Icollege ice hockey program that represents theCollege of the Holy Cross. The Crusaders are members ofAtlantic Hockey America (AHA), formed shortly after the 2023–24 season by the merger of their former home of theAtlantic Hockey Association with the women-onlyCollege Hockey America.[2] They play at theHart Center inWorcester, Massachusetts.[3]
Holy Cross men's ice hockey began in 1966 and a year later it joinedECAC 2. The Crusaders played in the second tier of college ice hockey for ten years before they played their first playoff game, but once they made it they didn't go very far. Over a six year period Holy Cross wen 2–5 in the conference postseason and never really got close to an NCAA tournament berth. WhenDivision II ice hockey was abandoned in 1984 Holy Cross dropped down toDivision III and was placed inECAC East when ECAC 2 split. They made the ECAC tournament three out of four years underPeter Van Buskirk but couldn't manage a win. The team went through a down period underBill Bellerose for six seasons but started winning again whenPaul Pearl became head coach in 1994. After recording their best season in fifteen years Holy Cross promoted its program toDivision I and joined theMAAC in1998–99.[4]
In their first year of D–I play Holy Cross won its first Conference Tournament, winning the inauguralMAAC Championship. Unfortunately, because the NCAA did not offer the MAAC an automatic bid at that time the Crusaders did not make the NCAA tournament. The next season Holy Cross dropped to seventh in the conference and lost 24 games over the course of the season (a program worst). After missing out on the conference tournament the next season Holy Cross returned to the playoffs for the final two years of the MAAC's existence before joining with all former MAAC programs in foundingAtlantic Hockey.
Similar to their start with the MAAC, Holy Cross produced a great season, winning 22 games, and were able to win their first conference title. They then swept through the Atlantic Hockey playoffs and captured their second tournament championship, though this time they received a berth into the NCAA tournament for the first time.
Though their national championship experience was brief the Crusaders continued to play well and returned to the Championship in2006 after winning both conference crowns. The met #2 overall seededMinnesota in the first round and pushed the heavily favored Golden Gophers into overtime where Tyler McGregor scored 53 seconds in, winning what is usually noted as the biggest upset in tournament history.[5]
Holy Cross would decline after their miraculous 2006 season, posting losing records for four consecutive years, but the program began to recover in the second decade of the 20th century. Paul Pearl resigned in 2014 and was replaced byDavid Berard who saw middling regular season results.
In the 2022-2023 regular season Holy Cross won their first Atlantic Hockey playoff round since the 2006 season againstAmerican International College. They would later upsetRochester Institute of Technology in the semifinals of the tournament but lose in the championship toCanisius.[6]
Source:[7]
The Crusaders have appeared in theNCAA tournament two times. Their combined record is 1–2.
| Year | Seed | Round | Opponent | Results |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | #4 | West Regional semifinal | #1 North Dakota | L 3-0 |
| 2006 | #4 | West Regional semifinal West Regional Final | #1 Minnesota #2 North Dakota | W 4-3 (OT) L 5-2 |
As of completion of 2024–25 season
| Tenure | Coach | Years | Record | Pct. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1966–1976 | Bill Kane | 10 | 122–104–2 | .539 |
| 1976–1979 | Mike Addesa | 3 | 49–31–1 | .611 |
| 1979–1988, 1996–1997 | Peter Van Buskirk | 10 | 167–146–8 | .533 |
| 1988–1994 | Bill Bellerose | 6 | 61–99–3 | .383 |
| 1994–1996, 1997–2014 | Paul Pearl | 19 | 297–293–69 | .503 |
| 2014–2021 | David Berard | 7 | 84–116–34 | .432 |
| 2021–Present | Bill Riga | 4 | 74–72–11 | .506 |
| Totals | 7 coaches | 59 seasons | 854–861–128 | .498 |
AHCA Second Team All-Americans
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Tournament Most Valuable Player
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| Individual Sportsmanship Award
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Regular Season Goaltending Award
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| Most Valuable Player in Tournament
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First Team All-Atlantic Hockey
Second Team All-Atlantic Hockey
Third Team All-Atlantic Hockey
Atlantic Hockey All-Rookie Team
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First Team All-Atlantic Hockey America
Second Team All-Atlantic Hockey America
Third Team All-Atlantic Hockey America
Atlantic Hockey America All-Rookie Team
Source:[8]
| Player | Years | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joe Lunny | 1982–1986 | 103 | 116 | 219 | ||
| Jerry DeLeo | 1982–1986 | 101 | 117 | 218 | ||
| Larry Murphy | 1966–1970 | 119 | 88 | 207 | ||
| Matt Muniz | 1982–1986 | 87 | 120 | 207 | ||
| Glenn Graves | 1973–1977 | 75 | 122 | 197 | ||
| Gerry Curley | 1977–1981 | 93 | 98 | 191 | ||
| Bill Butler | 1966–1969 | 91 | 89 | 180 | ||
| Bill Bellerose | 1973–1977 | 71 | 81 | 152 | ||
| James Sixsmith | 2003–2007 | 142 | 48 | 104 | 152 | |
| John Powell | 1977–1981 | 147 |
GP = Games played; Min = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; GA = Goals against; SO = Shutouts; SV% =Save percentage; GAA =Goals against average
Minimum 30 games
| Player | Years | GP | Min | W | L | T | GA | SO | SV% | GAA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jason Grande | 2022–2024 | 42 | 2413 | 25 | 13 | 3 | 87 | 2 | .920 | 2.16 |
| Thomas Gale | 2021–2025 | 85 | 4749 | 37 | 35 | 6 | 191 | 5 | .917 | 2.41 |
| Tony Quesada | 2002–2006 | 105 | 6034 | 61 | 33 | 8 | 251 | 7 | .915 | 2.50 |
| Paul Berrafato | 2014–2018 | 114 | 6677 | 46 | 47 | 19 | 281 | 11 | .911 | 2.51 |
| Matt Ginn | 2011–2015 | 129 | 7759 | 59 | 55 | 13 | 324 | 8 | .917 | 2.51 |
| Scott Simpson | 1995–1999 | 38 | 1960 | 21 | 10 | 2 | 82 | 2 | .903 | 2.51 |
Statistics current through the end of the 2024–25 season.
The following is a list of people associated with the Holy Cross men's ice hockey program who were elected into the Holy Cross Varsity Club Hall of Fame (induction date in parentheses).[9]
As of August 11, 2025.[10]
| No. | Nat. | Player | Class | Pos | Height | Weight | DoB | Hometown | Previous team | NHL rights |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  | Louden Hogg | Senior | G | 5' 11" (1.8 m) | 160 lb (73 kg) | 2002-10-18 | Cheyenne, Wyoming | Fargo Force (USHL) | — |
| 2 | | Lachlan Getz | Senior | D | 6' 3" (1.91 m) | 190 lb (86 kg) | 2002-02-01 | Northfield, Illinois | Michigan Tech (CCHA) | — |
| 3 |  | Brody Gagno | Junior | D | 6' 1" (1.85 m) | 190 lb (86 kg) | 2002-07-29 | South Surrey, British Columbia | Surrey Eagles (BCHL) | — |
| 4 | | Anthony Biakabutuka | Freshman | D | 6' 3" (1.91 m) | 194 lb (88 kg) | 2006-06-20 | Longueuil, Quebec | Nanaimo Clippers (BCHL) | — |
| 5 | | Will Troutwine | Junior | D | 6' 3" (1.91 m) | 215 lb (98 kg) | 2002-06-23 | Eveleth, Minnesota | Janesville Jets (NAHL) | — |
| 6 | | Timothy Heinke | Senior | F | 6' 1" (1.85 m) | 194 lb (88 kg) | 2001-10-02 | Kensington, Connecticut | Quinnipiac (ECAC) | — |
| 7 | | Anthony Carone | Freshman (RS) | F | 6' 1" (1.85 m) | 183 lb (83 kg) | 2003-07-30 | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | Victoria Grizzlies (BCHL) | — |
| 8 | | Ryan Buckley | Sophomore | D | 6' 1" (1.85 m) | 179 lb (81 kg) | 2004-01-06 | Warwick, Rhode Island | Alberni Valley Bulldogs (BCHL) | — |
| 10 | | David Hymovitch | Junior | F | 5' 11" (1.8 m) | 181 lb (82 kg) | 2003-08-14 | Phoenix, Arizona | Arizona State (NCHC) | — |
| 11 | | Michael Abgrall | Senior | F | 5' 11" (1.8 m) | 172 lb (78 kg) | 2003-10-25 | Richmond, British Columbia | Omaha (NCHC) | — |
| 12 | | Matt Kursonis | Sophomore | F | 6' 1" (1.85 m) | 187 lb (85 kg) | 2004-03-05 | Worcester, Massachusetts | Alberni Valley Bulldogs (BCHL) | — |
| 13 | | Will Elias | Junior | D | 6' 0" (1.83 m) | 180 lb (82 kg) | 2003-01-28 | Weston, Massachusetts | Cowichan Valley Capitals (BCHL) | — |
| 14 | | Owain Johnston | Sophomore | D | 6' 1" (1.85 m) | 194 lb (88 kg) | 2003-10-19 | Toronto, Ontario | St. Francis Xavier (AUS) | — |
| 15 | | Jarrod Smith | Sophomore | F | 5' 10" (1.78 m) | 165 lb (75 kg) | 2004-01-22 | West Vancouver, British Columbia | Cranbrook Bucks (BCHL) | — |
| 17 | | Matt DeBoer | Senior | F | 6' 0" (1.83 m) | 185 lb (84 kg) | 2002-09-02 | Las Vegas, Nevada | Green Bay Gamblers (USHL) | — |
| 18 | | Ty Gagno | Junior | F | 6' 2" (1.88 m) | 185 lb (84 kg) | 2003-10-01 | Langley, British Columbia | Prince George Spruce Kings (BCHL) | — |
| 19 | | Jack Stockfish | Junior | F | 6' 4" (1.93 m) | 215 lb (98 kg) | 2002-09-30 | North Bay, Ontario | Prince George Spruce Kings (BCHL) | — |
| 20 | | Devin Phillips | Senior | F | 5' 9" (1.75 m) | 170 lb (77 kg) | 2001-07-12 | Raleigh, North Carolina | Brooks Bandits (AJHL) | — |
| 21 | | Owen Kim | Sophomore | F | 5' 8" (1.73 m) | 161 lb (73 kg) | 2004-05-02 | North Vancouver, British Columbia | Vernon Vipers (BCHL) | — |
| 23 | | Ben LeFranc | Sophomore | F | 5' 9" (1.75 m) | 176 lb (80 kg) | 2003-08-14 | Penticton, British Columbia | Prince George Spruce Kings (BCHL) | — |
| 24 | | Dax Williams | Freshman | D | 6' 0" (1.83 m) | 201 lb (91 kg) | 2005-09-28 | Calgary, Alberta | Calgary Hitmen (WHL) | — |
| 26 | | Will Reardon | Freshman | F | 6' 6" (1.98 m) | 216 lb (98 kg) | 2004-03-05 | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | Corpus Christi IceRays (NAHL) | — |
| 27 | | Mack Oliphant | Senior | D | 6' 3" (1.91 m) | 195 lb (88 kg) | 2002-12-28 | Northbrook, Illinois | Johnstown Tomahawks (NAHL) | — |
| 28 | | Jack Seymour | Senior | F | 5' 11" (1.8 m) | 160 lb (73 kg) | 2001-04-06 | Chelsea, Quebec | Chilliwack Chiefs (BCHL) | — |
| 29 | | Conner Welsh | Junior | F | 5' 11" (1.8 m) | 175 lb (79 kg) | 2004-01-02 | Greenwich, Connecticut | Vernon Vipers (BCHL) | — |
| 30 | | Danick Leroux | Freshman | G | 6' 2" (1.88 m) | 201 lb (91 kg) | 2005-09-02 | Candiac, Quebec | Rochester Jr. Americans (NAHL) | — |
| 33 | | Connor MacKenzie | Junior | G | 6' 0" (1.83 m) | 165 lb (75 kg) | 2002-05-10 | Toronto, Ontario | Vermont (HEA) | — |
| 34 | | Joe Solimine | Senior | F | 5' 8" (1.73 m) | 165 lb (75 kg) | 2002-03-03 | Middleton, Massachusetts | Boston Junior Bruins (NCDC) | — |
| 37 | | Quinn McCall | Freshman | D | 5' 11" (1.8 m) | 181 lb (82 kg) | 2005-01-12 | St. John, Indiana | Erie Otters (OHL) | — |
| 38 | | Noah Eyre | Sophomore | F | 5' 11" (1.8 m) | 176 lb (80 kg) | 2004-06-22 | Vienna, Virginia | Quinnipiac (ECAC) | — |
As of July 1, 2024.[11]
| Player | Position | Team(s) | Years | Games | Stanley Cups |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Patrick Rissmiller | Left Wing | SJS,NYR,ATL,FLA | 2003–2011 | 192 | 0 |
| Jim Stewart | Goaltender | BOS | 1979–1980 | 1 | 0 |
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