The Citadel Hockey Club is poised for an exciting season with a surge of new interest and leadership. Backed by the guidance of Head Coach Joe McKenzie and Assistant Coach 1st Sgt. Garrett Jolly, USMC (Ret.), along with an experienced captain, the team is pushing beyond the typical expectations of a club sport. Whether it’s the rigorous practices, intensive travel schedule or the electric atmosphere at the Carolina Ice Palace, the Hockey Club continues to capture attention and support, promising a season full of potential.
Cadet Kyle Bomenblit, ’25, serves as captain, a role he’s had since his junior year. Bomenblit has been playing hockey since he was 7 years old and joined the Hockey Club as a freshman. One difference he noted in this season compared to previous years is the overall interest from newcomers.
“This is the first year we’ve had tryouts. I had to talk with Coach McKenzie and Assistant Coach 1st Sgt. Jolly about how to handle who we were keeping, who we weren’t, who would be on the practice squad, who’s going to travel, things like that,” said Bomenblit. “I’ve never had to do that or even had to have that talk, especially being at The Citadel. Because here, our team is mainly a group of cadets from different places who came to school for reasons other than playing ice hockey, but now there’s a lot of interest.”
While hockey at The Citadel is a club sport, the team goes beyond the normal duties of one. They travel like any other NCAA sport and hold practices every week.
“I would say that traveling is the biggest aspect of what sets us apart,” said Bomenblit. “Our fans love coming to the games. It’s one of the sports that everyone seems to love going to.”