Atlantic Coast Collegiate Hockey League Official Site

Wake Forest formed a collegiate hockey team and joined the ACC Hockey League shortly thereafter, 12 years ago.  The student-athletes, and the coaches over the past decade, have been on a mission ever since.  That mission has been to organize and compete with the best ACC Hockey has to offer.  After several years of growth, Wake Hockey had earned several bids to the Championship semifinals and one trip to the finals where they lost to a young upstart Charlotte team.  Furthermore, the Demon Deacons also earned a bid to the ACHA Regionals where they fell just short of one game to ACHA Nationals. 

After a first round exit last season, the Demon Deacons found their stride and were determined to make a run.  That commitment brought them to the Championship Tournament as the fifth seed losing the Division to the #1 seed High Point University.  However, the Demon Deacons' spring semester would see the return of  a half dozen key players return from studying abroad.  Still, the team knew they had no easy game on this four day weekend, even though they avoided the first round play-in game.

Their first game bracketed Wake Forest against an up and coming Richmond program who was only participating in their second end of season tournament in history and also had something to prove of their own.  The game was evenly matched, with the Demon Deacons edging the Spiders late, 3-2 in regulation.

That win moved Wake Forest into familiar territory, playing in the semifinal round.  However, for all their success, the Demon Deacons would have to overcome the Hoyas of Georgetown, who have also reached the semi-finals in many recent years.  The Demon Deacons would eventually prevail, but would take a monumental endurance effort by the team and a well placed shot by Forward Will Cahill, to win in triple overtime.  

Playing in their second ACC Championship game would pit the Deacons against the two-time Elite Champions, West Virginia.  Wake Forest maintained the lead throughout the game until the final minute when the Mountaineers sniped top shelf on netminder, John Tolve.  The championship game finished as a 1-1 tie, and Wake would have to skate extra time once more.  The Demon Deacons were more than up to the challenge, Defenseman Will Cahill scoring quicky in OT to win their first ACC Championship in school history and hoist the Admiral's Cup! 

The championship game was viewed by more than 210,000 viewers on RYZ Sports Network.  

Finally, due to the team success and accomplishments, Wake Forest hockey has been approved to move up to compete in the M2 Premier Division next season.

Congratulations to Tournament MVP,  John Tolve (who was in net for all three playoff games), the Wake athlete-students, second year coach, Mike Adams, GM Chris Arnold, the entire WFU staff, and parents/fans of Wake Forest Hockey.  Well deserved!