I spoke with Harris and his team on a conference call with Alumni shortly after he took office. I pointed him at research by Christianson at HBS, suggesting that unsustainable business models would cause 50% of all 4-year colleges to be out of business (or merged with other schools) by 2030. I also tried to emphasize the importance of the hockey program and hoped that he would focus on strategy and our survival. Are the school's assumptions about itself correct? Arrogance builds barriers. Does our board recruit heavyweight new members outside of the Union Family that can help us? Union also has a "Governance Problem," which is going to prevent a strong strategic leader from ever being hired or ever being allowed to prevent it from going off a cliff. I look at RPI's new president and board of directors with great envy.I've been inside and have tickets to the RPI-Union tilt... which were not hard to come by BTW (for those critical of the size of the joint.)
You don't seem to realize what a miracle Union having a new rink really is. Celebrate it !! Schools like Union are an endangered species in the northeast....the very existence of the institution as a whole is not a given -- with declining enrollment and demographic headwinds. The T/U article discreetly details the challenges Union is facing for its future. Including a hiring freeze, slashed retirement contributions, etc.
"...This year’s admissions results provide an even greater sense of urgency around the need to accelerate the difficult, change-making work needed to secure a strong future for Union,” Harris wrote.
Union College falls short on enrollment with big loss of international students
Union College has fallen short in filling its freshman class for two years, and is now pulling millions of dollars from its endowment to balance its budget, college President David Harris said.www.timesunion.com
The hockey programs have been, and thanks to the new barn, will continue to be a stellar promotional tool for the school.
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Union College hockey 2025-26 thread
- Thread starter ecachawkeyfan
- Start date
Thomas Kaine
New member
Dutchman and I sometimes disagree on things, but on this I couldn’t agree with this more. Harris lacked anything resembling a vision, and the board is no better. The faculty is worse - ossified, short-sighted, and self-interested. I am hoping market forces will ultimately give Union no choice but to adapt and evolve; I think at least the new president understands that the status quo is simply not an option, but it remains to be seen whether she can get the board and faculty to do anything other than the college governance equivalent of smelling their own farts.
ecachawkeyfan
Member
If anyone made it on Saturday, any impressions of the new facility on an actual men's hockey gamenight?
ecachawkeyfan
Member
I never understood why Union dedicated a larger section to students at the new rink, when student support was often spotty at best at Messa. Students turned out for the first game against Army, but their section was almost embarrassingly empty tonight.
It was not exams. The Fall semester runs from August 19 to December 12, 2025. Going forward, it will be interesting to see what attendance looks like.I never understood why Union dedicated a larger section to students at the new rink, when student support was often spotty at best at Messa. Students turned out for the first game against Army, but their section was almost embarrassingly empty tonight.
Watching this evening's game it looks like the new building is a nice facility. However, I've rarely seen a new rink that has such an awkward camera position. The main play-by-play cam is at center ice but absurdly high for such a small facility. Is it mounted on top of the press box? When play is along the near boards the downward angle is almost uncomfortable.
As for the student section it again appears embarrassingly empty. However, the opponent is Niagara. I expect they will turn out in better numbers for RPI, Cornell, Q, etc.
Thomas Kaine
New member
The students generally don’t show up for October out of conference games, even when the team is expected to be very good. Student attendance only picks up in the winter when the team is winning. And it’s never a ton - the student body is now under 2000. In any event, I think it made sense giving the students the entire end - the situations where the building sells out are the same situations where the students will be there; it’s not like those seats are going to empty for games where people can’t otherwise get a ticket.
Wicked Slappaahs
I miss Tie Domi
You are quite correct. It is a long term trend.... In no particular order these factors weigh heavily:
- Shrinking northeast population: Sustained outward migration from northeastern states....taking their family wealth with them.
- The families that remain in the northeast are having fewer children.
- Of that smaller pool of potential applicants, only a fraction of those students are interested in staying in the NE. (There's a reason the southern /southwestern / western schools are booming -- kids want to go to warmer climates, or proximity to vibrant regions, cities , big time athletics, etc. etc. )
- Uncontrolled tuition increases: Something like a 65% increase in higher ed tuition in the last decade alone. Families are simply priced out of many institutions.
Schools attempt to cover declining enrollment with tuition increases only hastening their financial struggles, as students stay away.
- Unwilling or unable to cut programs or personnel, reluctance to innovate with new degree programs, it's a death spiral for many small independents.
- With many family incomes not keeping pace, they are simply priced out of many institutions.
Here are the key findings and context surrounding the mergers and closures in higher education:
- At least 84 public or nonprofit colleges have closed, merged, or announced closures or mergers between March 2020 and September 2025.
- Over 40 of these institutions have outright closed or announced plans to close.
- Data from the U.S. Department of Education indicates that 73 institutions closed, and 17 merged between 2022 and 2024.
- A 2025 Deloitte report noted that between January and April 2025, an average of 1 college per week announced plans to close or merge.
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This weekend should be interesting. We really have not played any tough competition. All the teams are AHA teams, and their combined record is 6-11. RPI has played a much tougher schedule. I believe that whatever does not kill you only makes you stronger. If I am right, RPI should get its first win this weekend.
Wicked Slappaahs
I miss Tie Domi
Good insights on both counts. If the Board had any "stones" they would've asked Harris be the grim reaper and make cuts before his departure... that is often how the hard news is presented. Make the gal or guy leaving the helm be the hatchet person on the way out,....hat way the replacement has that hard news delivered in advance.
I know it's early in the season, but my predictions for a final top 4 in the ECAC and a trip to Lake Placid would be
Qpac
Harvard
Dartmouth
Cornell
Not necessarily in that order.
The next 4 could include
Princeton
Colgate
Clarkson
Union
The bottom 4 could include
RPI
St Lawrence
Brown
Yale
Again, way too early
Qpac
Harvard
Dartmouth
Cornell
Not necessarily in that order.
The next 4 could include
Princeton
Colgate
Clarkson
Union
The bottom 4 could include
RPI
St Lawrence
Brown
Yale
Again, way too early
This season's version of Union hockey (men) is mediocre at best. The program's best player for the last three years (Josh Nixon) is gone and there is no replacement. Beating RPI in overtime is nothing to write home about. Yes the team may win a few of the remaining league games but they will be lucky to finish above 9th. The Union players need to practice passing to one another without "muffing". The Union women are even worse. They have no chance in league games. Perhaps the new rink will help the programs in the long run. But not this year.
I had intended on being more active in this thread, so I’ll get it all out of my system now.
I think it’s a bit harsh to assume there is no higher level talent on this team. There are plenty of guys who have talent, they just can’t get their full potential. I think every problem stems from one thing at this point: coaching. The team makes no adjustments, the lines are different every night, the team hasn’t been able to execute back to back clean zone entries since December. I’ve never seen a team have so many lazy offsides and icings as Union the last month. That is, in my opinion, the result of a coach not holding his players accountable. I have no doubt that Hague can recruit, but it’s just not there behind the bench. If mediocrity is what you’re looking for, then keep going with him because it’s not going to get any better.
The best line all season has been Pelton-Buss-Benz/Sutton on the 4th line. Not in terms of points, but they do their job every shift. So what does he do? Move Pelton around the lineup and bring the others in and out. Why not reward that line with more ice time instead of breaking them up?
This season has come down to one man since December and that’s Brayden Gillespie. He is far and away the best option and has kept them in every game when they struggle to score. You can only ride a goalie for so long though before you just have to start scoring goals.
Speaking of goals, let’s take a look at the senior class and see another reason why the team is struggling. Just focusing on the 6 senior forwards, they have only put up 0.66 points per game so far this season. That’s simply unacceptable. Not to mention a lot of those points came against inferior opponents early in the season.
My final point here is about the rink being this great recruiting tool. I urge Union fans to compare the Union 26/27 class again the RPI class. It’s not even close. RPI has difference makers coming in next season that, with a good transfer class, could go from a bottom 4 team to a top 4 team.
Look at that, I didn’t even talk about how bad the rink has been for me as a fan
ecachawkeyfan
Member
I had intended on being more active in this thread, so I’ll get it all out of my system now.
I think it’s a bit harsh to assume there is no higher level talent on this team. There are plenty of guys who have talent, they just can’t get their full potential. I think every problem stems from one thing at this point: coaching. The team makes no adjustments, the lines are different every night, the team hasn’t been able to execute back to back clean zone entries since December. I’ve never seen a team have so many lazy offsides and icings as Union the last month. That is, in my opinion, the result of a coach not holding his players accountable. I have no doubt that Hague can recruit, but it’s just not there behind the bench. If mediocrity is what you’re looking for, then keep going with him because it’s not going to get any better.
The best line all season has been Pelton-Buss-Benz/Sutton on the 4th line. Not in terms of points, but they do their job every shift. So what does he do? Move Pelton around the lineup and bring the others in and out. Why not reward that line with more ice time instead of breaking them up?
This season has come down to one man since December and that’s Brayden Gillespie. He is far and away the best option and has kept them in every game when they struggle to score. You can only ride a goalie for so long though before you just have to start scoring goals.
Speaking of goals, let’s take a look at the senior class and see another reason why the team is struggling. Just focusing on the 6 senior forwards, they have only put up 0.66 points per game so far this season. That’s simply unacceptable. Not to mention a lot of those points came against inferior opponents early in the season.
My final point here is about the rink being this great recruiting tool. I urge Union fans to compare the Union 26/27 class again the RPI class. It’s not even close. RPI has difference makers coming in next season that, with a good transfer class, could go from a bottom 4 team to a top 4 team.
Look at that, I didn’t even talk about how bad the rink has been for me as a fan
Before the season, Hauge said it would be a disappointment if Union finished in 5th in the league, as they were predicted to in preseason polls. After all, Union finished fourth last year and brought back a big chunk that team, and then brought in an impact transfer (Dunbar) and (imo) have better/deeper goaltending than last year.
Yet, Union is tied for 8th in the league, and some teams ahead of them have a game in hand. If 5th would be a disappointment, what's tied for 8th? Granted, a lot could change in the final month or so of the season, but this is not a good spot for Union to be in right now.
Union is going to probably lose more after this year than they did last year. I bet Dunbar signs a pro deal, Buhr, Lindauer, MacArthur, and Hanley will also graduate.... it's been a somewhat disappointing season for Hanley especially, stat-wise. Other than Muthersbaugh and perhaps Gillespie (need more data on him), the freshman and sophomore classes lack much in the way of difference making talent. Some nice players, but no real upper-level in the league types. I think next year has a chance to be rougher than this year has been for Union, depending how the incoming class/transfer situation looks.
Union's 15-8 record looks good, but it's mostly the product of a weak schedule, and the league record is meh.
Hauge is under contract through 2028-29, but with the help of athletic scholarships and now a new rink, I expected the program to be in a better position than it seems to be after four years with him. I'm not saying they need to white Whitelaw Cups every year and win another national title, but consistently being in the top 4 of the league and challenging for an NCAA Tournament spot would be reasonable goals each year. Union hasn't made the NCAA Tournament since 2017 (and that was a disastrous appearance) and I can't see much hope for that happening again anytime soon. The program hasn't gotten past the second round of the league playoffs since 2018, either.
After Bennett's time ended, Union needed another Nate Leaman home run type hire. I'm not sure they got it.
I had intended on being more active in this thread, so I’ll get it all out of my system now.
I think it’s a bit harsh to assume there is no higher level talent on this team. There are plenty of guys who have talent, they just can’t get their full potential. I think every problem stems from one thing at this point: coaching. The team makes no adjustments, the lines are different every night, the team hasn’t been able to execute back to back clean zone entries since December. I’ve never seen a team have so many lazy offsides and icings as Union the last month. That is, in my opinion, the result of a coach not holding his players accountable. I have no doubt that Hague can recruit, but it’s just not there behind the bench. If mediocrity is what you’re looking for, then keep going with him because it’s not going to get any better.
The best line all season has been Pelton-Buss-Benz/Sutton on the 4th line. Not in terms of points, but they do their job every shift. So what does he do? Move Pelton around the lineup and bring the others in and out. Why not reward that line with more ice time instead of breaking them up?
This season has come down to one man since December and that’s Brayden Gillespie. He is far and away the best option and has kept them in every game when they struggle to score. You can only ride a goalie for so long though before you just have to start scoring goals.
Speaking of goals, let’s take a look at the senior class and see another reason why the team is struggling. Just focusing on the 6 senior forwards, they have only put up 0.66 points per game so far this season. That’s simply unacceptable. Not to mention a lot of those points came against inferior opponents early in the season.
My final point here is about the rink being this great recruiting tool. I urge Union fans to compare the Union 26/27 class again the RPI class. It’s not even close. RPI has difference makers coming in next season that, with a good transfer class, could go from a bottom 4 team to a top 4 team.
Look at that, I didn’t even talk about how bad the rink has been for me as a fan
I hope the new rink facility helps the program over a period of years. Most of the seats in the " M&T" center are too low for fans to enjoy the game. Messa rink was a much better place to watch college hockey. The parking at M&T is lousy. Messa had no parking to speak of but it was much easier to park there than at the new rink. Union teams should be called "Dutchmen" (or "Dutchwomen") NOT "Garnet Chargers." That was the stupidest change I ever heard of. Why are the teams wearing black now instead of maroon?? What a waste of money.