Bradley Hockey enduring massive internal change for next season
The Club President, Head Coach and Captain will not be joining the team next year.
The Bradley Hockey Club has been one of the more popular clubs on campus for a while, as evidenced by the rowdy crowd that accompanies any D2 home game at the Owens Center. The players on the ice offer an exciting spectacle: a roster that offers a mix of high-end scoring prowess and physical, gritty, in-your-face style of play will make for an entertaining product on any given night. Not to mention the amount of behind-the-scenes shenanigans that make the machine run thanks to involved club members. Nothing that was just mentioned will be going away, however, many names that were once synonymous with the program will be moving on to a new chapter in their lives.
Most notably, Josh Crandall, defenseman for the past 3 years, is planning on stepping down as President of the Bradley Hockey Club to focus on his graduate studies at Bradley. The role will eventually be occupied by Thomas Zschach (pronounced like “shack”), but the reins will be handed over gradually as Crandall will help Zschach with the transition.
“The presidency has had a lot of challenges, especially in the last couple of years and I would say that the biggest thing is teaching resilience. Knowing how to keep moving forward in the face of adversity is key,” said Crandall.
Zschach sees this as both an opportunity and a challenge and believes that he is ready for it.
“I will end up learning a lot from Crandall, and not only from the more administrative side of our club, but more of life lessons and learning how to balance a lot of things when you’ve got a lot on your plate,” said Zschach.
Brian Hamilton, the former head coach, will also not make a return for next season. Bradley’s D2 squad under Hamilton had a historical season this past year, making it all the way to the conference championship and qualifying for regional playoffs for the first time. He will be replaced by Nate Chasteen, a Peoria native and former player of the Peoria Rivermen. Chasteen will become acclimated to the program with the help of Johan Dahlin, who currently coaches the offense. Many players believed that a new voice was required in the locker room and that it was time to move on.
“I think that the change will positively affect the mood of our organization. The coaches we have and the new people we brought in are very respected by the players,” said Zschach.
“I believe that we will be able to persevere and thrive through the changes we are making, and we are also taking measures to keep our current coaching core solidified for years down the line,” said Crandall.
Cory Kohut, the current captain of the team, will also not be able to start playing with the team until late in the upcoming season. Kohut sustained a serious knee injury during a playoff game against Iowa and is still going to physical therapy. The senior’s presence will surely be missed, and it will require someone to fill the leadership void.
“It has to be someone who is willing to put themselves last and have the team’s success always in their mind. It will certainly be a challenge for both myself and the team, but there are a lot of good leaders in that locker room that is capable of stepping up,” said Kohut.
On top of all these changes, the program will also be working with an equipment company to acquire a new set of jerseys and gear. Brennan Cornell, currently the program’s equipment manager, had this to say:
“I’ve been working avidly with sales representatives trying to find the best product that fits the program’s budget. The team voted on a design that we believe will make us look better on the ice, and we’re close to finalizing our first order of jerseys.”
Bradley Hockey might be undergoing a lot of internal change, but the main goal will remain the same: aim high, develop new players, and bring a conference championship trophy back to Bradley University.
To learn more about the changes coming to Bradley University Hockey, listen here: