Dracut, Massachusetts – It was a beautiful day at Four Oaks Country Club in Dracut, Massachusetts on Friday, July 19th, as University of Massachusetts Lowell Ice Hockey alumni, coaches, players, staff and friends of the program gathered for the 24th Annual River Hawk Hockey Golf Tournament, presented by UKG.
“It went really well,” said alumnus Craig Brown, who played on the team from 1996 to 2000. “I can't imagine it could have been a better day. It was a great experience from start to finish and a lot of fun.”
The tournament began with 18 holes of scramble play and a shotgun start, followed by a luncheon and silent auction hosted by assistant coach Dylan Zink and opening remarks from the head coach. Noam Bazin Inside a packed Grand Oaks Ballroom.
“It's an easy program to support because everyone from the administration to the operations to the players are such great personalities,” said former Riverhawk captain Dave Gatti, who played from 1988 to 1992. “When you can immerse yourself in that kind of culture, it energizes you for the rest of your life and it's a lot of fun.”
Not only does the event showcase great performances, it also provides alumni with an opportunity to reunite with former teammates and coaches, making it a day to mark on the calendar each year.
“Yeah, it was good to get together,” the former captain and Class of 2019 graduate said. Connor Wilson“Especially with hockey and sports, there aren't that many of us from Massachusetts and Boston, so this is a time to meet those guys and find out if they're still playing or if they've taken a different path. So, I actually come out here and reconnect with them and see my friends from college.”
The tournament obviously serves many purposes, bringing alumni back to the area to participate, but most importantly it helps grow a program that they all hold dear to their hearts.
“I think it helps from a lot of different angles and perspectives,” Wilson added. “From my perspective, it's great to come back and have the support. When I was a player, I always saw the alumni and the support. I wish I could go back and understand what it takes to run a program like UMass Lowell hockey, UMass Lowell athletics and the university. So, from this standpoint now, it's my goal to come back and play a role in that, but also, like I said, this is why the alumni association is here. I'll keep coming back and I know a lot of the guys I played with will be back too because I'm close with the team and I want to feel at least some of the pride in Lowell and the hockey team. It means a lot to all of us.”
