The Miami University RedHawks hockey program is preparing for an exciting 2024-25 season under the guidance of new head coach Anthony Noreen. With the offseason in full swing, anticipation is rising as fans eagerly await the first game of the season, which promises to deliver thrilling hockey action.
The National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC), which includes Miami University, recently announced their schedules for the upcoming season. Excitingly, a new team has been added to the conference, setting the stage for a host of intriguing matchups and gripping narratives throughout the season.
The 2024-25 schedule comprises 34 games, with an impressive 19 fixtures set to take place at the Goggin Ice Center. This marks the highest number of games to be played in Oxford since the 2006-07 season, during which Miami achieved an overall record of 26-9-4, with a remarkable Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) record of 20-6-2.
Throughout the season, the RedHawks will compete against every opponent in the conference, though some teams will only be faced once. They will not host the Colorado College Tigers or the St. Cloud State University Huskies, nor will they visit the University of North Dakota Fighting Hawks or the newly added Arizona State University Sun Devils.
The season will begin with a series of non-conference matchups in October, starting with games against the Ferris State University Bulldogs, followed by home series against the University of Alaska Anchorage and the Robert Morris University Colonials. The following month will see the RedHawks taking on the Lindenwood University Lions and the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Engineers in back-to-back home series.
Upon concluding the non-conference matches, the RedHawks will transition into a schedule filled exclusively with NCHC matchups. Notably, there will be no back-to-back home or away series for the remainder of the season.
As November arrives, the RedHawks will engage in conference play, facing tough opponents such as the St. Cloud State University Huskies, the University of Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs, and the University of Omaha-Nebraska. A particularly challenging match awaits as they go up against the reigning Penrose Cup-winning North Dakota Fighting Hawks.
The 2025 half of the season promises more thrilling encounters, including an away series against the Denver University Pioneers, who were crowned national champions in 2024. The RedHawks will then return home to face Omaha before embarking on their first-ever visit to Western Michigan University.
As the season progresses, Miami will compete in a series of intense matchups against Arizona State, Colorado College, Denver, and Minnesota Duluth. The regular season will draw to a close with a home series against Western Michigan on March 7 and 8.
With Arizona State joining as the ninth team in the conference, the NCHC playoffs will feature a play-in game between the eighth and ninth seeds, followed by the quarterfinal round. The season will culminate in the NCAA Frozen Faceoff, set to take place on March 21-22 in St. Paul, Minnesota.
As the RedHawks prepare to embark on an action-packed and eventful season, excitement is mounting among players, coaches, and fans alike. The 2024-25 schedule promises an incredible lineup of matchups and rivalry showdowns, setting the stage for a thrilling season of collegiate hockey.