This fall for RWU will mark the first NCAA games for the Men’s Ice Hockey program, led by first year head coach Christopher Hall. The first official practices will hit the ice on Oct. 13th. Official games will begin with a non-conference matchup against Albertus Mangus, in New Haven, Connecticut, on Saturday, Oct. 25th at 4:00pm.
The Hawks are estimated to have 27 freshmen and 4 transfers on the team, according to Hall. Hall, who recruited 31 players and scouted at around 350 hockey games in the past year, has high hopes for this young roster.
“I was impressed with our overall competitiveness, our pace of play. Honestly our ability to finish some plays at the net,” said Hall. “I left that first week of practice thinking we are going to be competitive, we are going to be hard to play against, and I think we are going to play a fun brand of hockey.”
The roster for the Hawks is not yet finalized as try outs are still being held for the team currently. Tryouts will run through October 2nd; there are 14 players that will be evaluated before play starts which is mid-way through October.
Hall, who is 16 years into college hockey career, is entering his first year as head coach for RWU, with a chance to start the new program strong.
“When you start a program, you have the opportunity to really put your fingerprints on everything,” said Hall. “The exciting thing is everything is done for the first time. First road game, first home game, first goal, everything is a first.”
Hall worked with Babson College last season as an assistant coach and helped them to a 14-10-2 record according to the RWU athletics website. In previous years, Hall has been around Division I and III teams, working with men’s and women’s ice hockey since 2010.
“That has taught me a couple things, number one, your success as a coach is determined by the support of your school and administration. Number two the opportunity to be a head coach at the start of a new program does not come around very often,” said Hall.
There will be 20 CNE matchups this season for the Hawks, facing off against each conferenced team more than once. Hall believes the CNE conference is not going to be easy to get by.
“Top teams in the league, some of the best in the country. Curry was number one last year, UNE made the national tournament, Endicott missed the national tournament by percentage points,” said Hall.
The Hawks first home game will be a non-conference matchup played at home at Driscoll Arena in Fall River, Massachusetts, against UMass Dartmouth, on October 31st at 7:00pm. Hall notes there are plans to run a fan bus for some home games that will go from RWU’s campus to the Fall River ice rink. Hall mentioned that it would also be honored as an alumni recognition night for RWU’s past varsity and club hockey players.
“Our thing for this team this year is February 25th, 2026. That’s the first round of the CNE playoffs. If we are playing hockey on February 25th, 2026, it’s a good year,” said Hall.
