HAMILTON – Colgate men's hockey opens its season on the road against Boston University on Friday for the first meeting between the teams in nine years. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. on Friday night, followed by a 6 p.m. opening faceoff on Saturday.
The Raiders will hope to improve on last year's strong season when they finished with an 18-15-3 overall record, and posted a 13-7-2 mark in the ECAC. The team, boasted by a strong core of returners and newcomers, lost in the conference quarterfinals to eventual champion Cornell.
Colgate University Donald F. Vaughan Head Men's Hockey Coach Mike Harder is entering his third season at the helm. He owns a 34-31-7 career record. In both of his seasons as head coach, his teams have recorded a strong conference record. The Raiders posted 13-7-2 records against the ECAC in both seasons.
"We finished in third place last year and top four in the last two years so we expect to better that," Harder said. "We have a good group, I like us from the net out. We are a great hockey club and we will be well prepared. Our coaching staff has done a tremendous job so far. We have a tough schedule but we are going to embrace it and see where that brings us."
After graduating just six seniors, Colgate will be looking for their young roster to continue developing. The infusion of seven new players onto the roster should only help the process move along faster.
KEY PLAYERS
Sophomore, Max Nagel, Forward
2024-25 Stats: 36 games, 6 goals, 18 assists, 24 points
Nagel is the team's top returning scorer. As a first-year, he finished third on the team in points and assists. He was able to make consistent contributions and will be leaned on as one of Colgate's go-to forces in the offensive zone. If a few more bounces go his way, Nagel could be poised to score even more in 2025-26.
Sophomore, Joshua Niedermayer, Defenseman
2024-25 Stats (with Dubuque Fighting Saints USHL): 56 games, 6 goals, 19 assists, 25 points
Niedermayer joins the Raiders after spending a year away from the NCAA with Dubuque. He spent his first-year season with Arizona State in 2023-24, where he recorded four points in 19 games. He will be tasked with being a key cog in the Colgate defense corps. He certainly has the pedigree: his father, Scott, had an 18-year career in the NHL. He won four Stanley Cup Championships, was a Conn-Smythe Trophy winner, and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2013.
Sophomore, Michael Neumeier, Defenseman
2024-25 Stats: 35 games, 8 goals, 12 assists, 20 points
Neumeier is the top returning defenseman for Colgate. He was named the ECAC Rookie of the Year, and will look to continue his development as one of the best young players in the conference. His accomplishments even earned him an invitation to an NHL development program, joining the Las Vegas Golden Knights for a week over the summer.
Senior, Andrew Takacs, Goalie
2024-25 Stats: 17-12-2, 2.77 GAA, .903 SV%
Takacs was a mainstay in net for the Raiders in 2024-25. He started 31 of the 32 games he appeared in, and was trusted in Colgate's most important games. His best performance came against RPI, when he posted a 31-save shutout. He also made a career-high 39 stops against Penn State. Look for Takacs and first-year goalie Reid Dyck to man the crease for the Raiders this season.
The Raiders will return home to take on Canisius next weekend at Class of 1965 Arena. Puck drop for Friday's home opener is set for 7 p.m.
ECAC PRESEASON POLL
- Quinnipiac
- Clarkson
- Cornell
- Dartmouth
- Union
- Harvard
- Colgate
- Princeton
- St. Lawrence
- Brown
- RPI
- Yale
