Athletics

HOCKEY SEASON OPENS AT NCHC POD IN OMAHA

Following an especially unusual month of November for the Colorado College hockey team, the Tigers finally opened their 2020-21 season at the National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) pod in Omaha, Nebraska, on Dec. 8.

On Nov. 9, nearly two months after the NCHC delayed the start of the 2020-21 season, the league announced a conference-only slate, opening with 10 games at Baxter Arena at the University of Nebraska Omaha, as part of the NCHC pod beginning on Dec. 1.

However, Colorado College announced on Nov. 17 that one student-athlete received a positive COVID-19 test and the entire hockey team immediately began a two-week quarantine, which ended on Dec. 1.

Therefore, the NCHC announced changes to the schedule, which had CC playing eight games in 13 days, beginning with a contest against Western Michigan University on Dec. 8.

“The health and safety of our student-athletes and community remained our top priority as we prepared for Omaha,” Vice President and Director of Athletics Lesley Irvine says. “It was a challenging time for the team. I was excited to see them back out there competing and doing what they love. We’re also very grateful to the NCHC members and Commissioner Josh Fenton for their understanding and support.”

The Tigers emerged from Omaha with a 2-4-2 record, including a convincing 4-1 victory over No. 3-ranked and two-time defending national champion University of Minnesota Duluth on Dec. 13. Two days later, CC defeated Miami University by the same score, and also won both shootouts at the pod.

Six of the team’s eight games were televised around the country by AT&T SportsNet. The NCHC partnered with Midco Sports Network to produce and broadcast every game in the pod. For the 2020-21 season, the NCHC is divided into two divisions based on geography: East and West. The East Division consists of Miami University, Minnesota Duluth, St. Cloud State University, and Western Michigan. The West Division consists of Colorado College, University of Denver, University of North Dakota, and Omaha.

The second portion of the season opened on Jan. 1 with an exciting 4-3 victory over the University of Denver at the Broadmoor World Arena, taking an early advantage in the Battle for the Gold Pan. The Tigers will face DU a total of six times in the second half of the campaign, in addition to North Dakota and Omaha four times apiece.

Due to the delay in getting to the pod, the Tigers played St. Cloud State and Minnesota Duluth only once during their time in Omaha, with the other two games against those teams postponed to the second portion of the season.

Once again, every game during the 2020-21 season will be broadcast live on KRDO NewsRadio 105.5 FM, 1240 AM and 92.5 FM, as well as on cctigers.com.

Colorado College hockey game day preparation. Photo by Joshua Birndorf ’20

Ted Castaneda Announces Retirement

The longest-tenured coach at Colorado College has called it a career. Head cross country and track and field coach Ted Castaneda announced his retirement, effective Dec. 15, 2020.

Castaneda, who became head coach of the men’s cross country team in 1981, assumed head coaching duties for women’s cross country in 1993 and track and field in 1994.

“This has been a dream job for me, but it must come to an end sometime,” Castaneda says. “My tenure at CC has been a wonderful opportunity full of ups and downs, personal growth, challenges, sports growth, and exciting improvements that I have observed for our programs.”

During his tenure, the men’s cross country team captured seven Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference championships, while his women’s teams won four.

During the fall of 2019, Castaneda led both teams to the SCAC title at the conference meet in Widefield, Colorado. For his efforts, he was named the SCAC Coach of the Year for both the men’s and women’s

PHOTO COURTESY CC ATHLETICS

cross country seasons, his seventh time earning the men’s honor and fourth as women’s.

He has coached athletes to a total of 40 outdoor track men’s and women’s school records during his tenure. In indoor track, his female athletes reset all 26 records and the men broke 15 before winter competition was discontinued in 2002. In addition, 23 cross country and track athletes have earned AllAmerica honors, including 1998 NCAA heptathlete champion Heather O’Brien ’99, five-time recipient Julian Boggs ’08 (three times in cross country and twice in track and field), and standout Jackson Brainerd ’12, who led CC to its third consecutive SCAC cross country team championship in 2011.

“It is hard to capture Ted’s impact and legacy here at Colorado College,” CC Vice President and Director of Athletics Lesley Irvine says. “He is a true ambassador for the sports he has coached for so long. We thank Ted for his dedication and leadership over the years and wish him the best in his wellearned retirement. To see both teams win conference championships last season on our home course was a special moment for us all to share with him.”

Castaneda’s Tigers also excelled academically, with regular academic accolades each year as individuals and teams, including both cross country teams earning Academic All-America status numerous times.

Assistant coach Alex Nichols ’08 has been named interim head coach for cross country and track and field through the remainder of the academic year. Nichols, who earned All-America honors in cross country as a senior under Castaneda’s tutelage at CC, returned to his alma mater as assistant coach for both sports in 2012.

Rick Greene, senior project manager of Colorado College's Facilities Services, stands amid the ongoing construction at the Ed Robson Arena. On Aug. 28, one of the final steel beams was put into place and construction has continued steadily ever since. The arena has a projected opening date of October 2021, at which time it will be a multi-purpose state-ofthe-art, sustainable sporting event venue, benefiting both the college and the City of Colorado Springs. Photos by Jennifer Coombes