| Lindenwood Lions men's ice hockey | |
|---|---|
 Current season | |
 | |
| University | Lindenwood University |
| Conference | Independent |
| First season | 2022–23 |
| Head coach | vacant |
| Arena | Centene Community Ice Center St. Charles, Missouri |
| Colors | Black and gold [1] |
| ACHA Tournament championships | |
| 2009, 2010, 2016, 2022 | |
The Lindenwood Lions men's ice hockey team represents the Lindenwood University in NCAA Division I ice hockey. The program had won four club National Championships prior to its promotion to varsity status. [2]
Lindenwood founded its men's program as a club team in 2003. From its inception, the Lions performed well on the ice, winning 25 out of 29 games in its first year. As the team's schedule increased in difficult, head coach Derek Schaub was able to keep the program in good standing and got the Lions to post a 30-win season 2008. That season saw the team reach the championship game but it was only the beginning for the Lions. The following year Lindenwood was a juggernaut, going 42–4 and winning their first championship while outscoring opponents 313 to 77. After a second dominating championship in 2010, Schaub stepped down and turned the team over to assistant coach and former NHL player, Rick Zombo. [3]
Under Zombo's leadership the Lions continued to be a national contender, reaching the championship in his first season and eventually winning their third title in 2016. [4] While the men's team was achieving those heights, they were overshadowed by the women's team, which had won three consecutive American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA) championships and been promoted to Division I in 2011. In 2021 the school announced its plan to have the men's team finally follow the Lady Lions into the varsity ranks and the program began to transition in that direction.
While the school did not officially state that the team would be a Division I program in 2022, multiple news reports indicate the program was on track to secure the needed funding. [5] [6] Critically, the COVID-19 pandemic did not appear to have hampered plans for the program's promotion. Furthering the potential viability of the team is its current home, the Centene Community Ice Center. With a seating capacity of 2,500, the building is comparable to other Division I programs, particularly for a school that only boasts a student body of approximately 7,500. [7]
In the 2021 offseason, the team also began seeing its first transfers into the program from Division I programs (Kyle Jeffers), demonstrating the confidence that some have in Lindenwood's progress. [8] Lindenwood's promotion made the Lions the first Division I program in the St. Louis area since Saint Louis University discontinued their program in 1979. [9]
On March 23, 2022, Lindenwood officially announced that its men's ice hockey team would join Division I in the fall. [10] The team finished its final club season with a 22–3 record and won their fourth ACHA National Championship.
Lindenwood will be eligible for postseason participation in 2026–27, its first full season of D-I membership. [11]
Rick Zombo was retained as the team's head coach when it transitioned to Division I status in 2022. [13] After two seasons, it was announced that he would not return. [14]
As of the completion of 2023–24 season
| Tenure | Coach | Years | Record | Pct. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022–2024 | Rick Zombo | 2 | 13–40–5 | .267 |
| Totals | 2 coach | 2 seasons | 13–40–5 | .267 |
As of September 20, 2023. [15]
| No. | S/P/C | Player | Class | Pos | Height | Weight | DoB | Hometown | Previous team | NHL rights |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  | Trent Burnham | Junior | G | 6' 0" (1.83 m) | 160 lb (73 kg) | 2000-03-27 | Eagle River, Alaska | Sioux Falls ( USHL ) | — |
| 2 |  | Cole Teleki | Freshman | D | 6' 2" (1.88 m) | 194 lb (88 kg) | 2000-03-27 | Dallas, Texas | Oklahoma ( NAHL ) | — |
| 3 |  | Kieran Ruscheinski | Sophomore | D | 6' 6" (1.98 m) | 210 lb (95 kg) | 2001-03-05 | Calgary, Alberta | Salmon Arm ( BCHL ) | MTL , 206th overall 2019 |
| 5 | | Aiden Yakimchuk ( C ) | Junior | D | 6' 4" (1.93 m) | 200 lb (91 kg) | 2000-05-14 | St. Albert, Alberta | Drumheller ( AJHL ) | — |
| 6 |  | Cade DeStefani | Sophomore | F | 6' 2" (1.88 m) | 185 lb (84 kg) | 2001-06-21 | Bedford, New Hampshire | Janesville ( NAHL ) | — |
| 8 |  | Kyle Jeffers | Junior | F | 5' 10" (1.78 m) | 165 lb (75 kg) | 1999-01-06 | Oviedo, Florida | American International ( AHA ) | — |
| 9 | | Drew Kuzma | Sophomore | F | 6' 6" (1.98 m) | 210 lb (95 kg) | 2002-11-13 | St. Albert, Alberta | Flin Flon ( SJHL ) | — |
| 10 |  | Mitch Allard ( C ) | Junior | F | 6' 1" (1.85 m) | 205 lb (93 kg) | 2000-01-27 | Shelby Township, Michigan | Minnesota Wilderness ( NAHL ) | — |
| 11 |  | Jaeden Mercier | Freshman | F | 5' 11" (1.8 m) | 170 lb (77 kg) | 2002-02-12 | Saskatoon, Saskatchewan | Flin Flon ( SJHL ) | — |
| 12 | | Ethan Zielke | Freshman | D | 5' 10" (1.78 m) | 180 lb (82 kg) | 2003-08-03 | Calgary, Alberta | Humboldt ( SJHL ) | — |
| 13 | | Zach Aughe | Senior | F | 6' 3" (1.91 m) | 205 lb (93 kg) | 2000-02-18 | Clarkston, Michigan | Maine ( HEA ) | — |
| 14 |  | Coltan Wilkie | Sophomore | D | 5' 8" (1.73 m) | 180 lb (82 kg) | 2000-04-03 | Gretna, Nebraska | Okotoks ( AJHL ) | — |
| 15 |  | Joe Prouty ( C ) | Sophomore | D | 6' 0" (1.83 m) | 180 lb (82 kg) | 2001-11-29 | Burnsville, Minnesota | New Mexico ( NAHL ) | — |
| 16 | | Caleb Price | Junior | D | 5' 10" (1.78 m) | 170 lb (77 kg) | 2000-03-31 | Hooksett, New Hampshire | New Jersey ( NAHL ) | — |
| 17 |  | Patrick Schmiedlin | Freshman | F | 6' 1" (1.85 m) | 185 lb (84 kg) | 2002-03-20 | Culver, Indiana | Maine ([NAHL) | — |
| 18 |  | Jack Anderson | Sophomore | D | 6' 6" (1.98 m) | 225 lb (102 kg) | 2002-11-14 | St. Louis, Missouri | El Paso ( NAHL ) | — |
| 19 |  | Caige Sterzer | Junior | F | 6' 5" (1.96 m) | 215 lb (98 kg) | 2000-08-08 | Kimberley, British Columbia | Lone Star ( NAHL ) | — |
| 21 | | Jake Southgate | Freshman | F | 5' 11" (1.8 m) | 185 lb (84 kg) | 2002-11-04 | North Battleford, Saskatchewan | Battlefords ( SJHL ) | — |
| 22 | | Brenden Rons | Graduate | D | 6' 6" (1.98 m) | 226 lb (103 kg) | 1998-03-03 | Farmington Hills, Michigan | Ferris State ( CCHA ) | — |
| 23 | | Shane LaVelle | Sophomore | F | 6' 1" (1.85 m) | 185 lb (84 kg) | 2001-08-16 | Chaska, Minnesota | Cowichan Valley ( BCHL ) | — |
| 24 | | Adam Conquest | Graduate | F | 6' 0" (1.83 m) | 190 lb (86 kg) | 2000-05-10 | Brighton, Michigan | Bowling Green ( CCHA ) | — |
| 25 | | Austin Fraser | Freshman | F | 6' 2" (1.88 m) | 205 lb (93 kg) | 2000-08-24 | West Vancouver, British Columbia | Prince George ( BCHL ) | — |
| 27 |  | David Gagnon | Junior | F | 6' 1" (1.85 m) | 190 lb (86 kg) | 2000-04-19 | Halifax, Nova Scotia | Truro ( MHL ) | — |
| 28 | | Kabore Dunn | Sophomore | D | 6' 2" (1.88 m) | 185 lb (84 kg) | 2001-11-10 | Mill Bay, British Columbia | Trail ( BCHL ) | — |
| 29 | | Ethan Barwick | Freshman | G | 6' 3" (1.91 m) | 187 lb (85 kg) | 2002-05-17 | St. Albert, Alberta | Brooks ( AJHL ) | — |
| 30 |  | Adam Johnson | Freshman | G | 6' 3" (1.91 m) | 185 lb (84 kg) | 2002-10-15 | Chicago, Illinois | Johnstown ( NAHL ) | — |
| Player | Years | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| David Gagnon | 2022–Present | 30 | 13 | 17 | 30 | 16 |
| Hunter Johannes | 2022–2023 | 28 | 13 | 16 | 29 | 87 |
| Andy Willis | 2022–2023 | 26 | 8 | 15 | 23 | 12 |
| Kyle Jeffers | 2022–Present | 28 | 7 | 13 | 20 | 26 |
| Ryan Finnegan | 2022–2023 | 29 | 6 | 14 | 20 | 6 |
| Cade DeStefani | 2022–Present | 26 | 7 | 8 | 15 | 42 |
| Aiden Yakimchuk | 2022–Present | 30 | 2 | 10 | 12 | 8 |
| Adam Conquest | 2022–Present | 22 | 6 | 6 | 12 | 6 |
| Caige Sterzer | 2022–Present | 26 | 6 | 5 | 11 | 48 |
| Joe Prouty | 2022–Present | 30 | 2 | 9 | 11 | 36 |
GP = Games played; Min = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; GA = Goals against; SO = Shutouts; SV% = Save percentage; GAA = Goals against average
minimum 900 minutes played
| Player | Years | GP | Min | W | L | T | GA | SO | SV% | GAA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trent Burnham | 2022–Present | 16 | 946 | 5 | 10 | 1 | 67 | 0 | .901 | 4.25 |
Statistics current through the end of the 2022-23 season.
NCAA Division I independent schools are four-year institutions that compete in college athletics at the NCAA Division I level, but do not belong to an established athletic conference for a particular sport. These schools may however still compete as members of an athletic conference in other sports. A school may also be fully independent, and not belong to any athletic conference for any sport at all. The reason for independent status varies among institutions, but it is frequently because the school's primary athletic conference does not sponsor a particular sport.
Richard James Zombo is an American former professional ice hockey defenseman who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for 12 seasons between 1984 and 1996. He was the men's ice hockey head coach at Lindenwood University for 14 years.
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