Cyclone Hockey has a strong tradition at Iowa State, as they have earned a spot in the national tournament every year since the American Collegiate Hockey Association began in 1991.

After a strong 31-10-2 season last year, the club team is looking to build off of that this year.

In order to do that, however, Cyclone Hockey must first figure out how to replace last year’s six seniors, including starting goalie Trent Baker, who helped spark the club team’s run to the conference tournament championship. They also lost two of their top forwards, Jason Brown and Rob Tauer.

The players are confident they can overcome these departing players, however.

“You always worry about [replacing players] a little bit, but we had such a tremendous year recruiting that we aren’t too worried,” said coach Al Murdoch.

Murdoch is especially excited about promising freshmen James Stenson and Adam Chudnofsky in goal, defensemen Michael Lebler and Guy Thevenot, and forwards Joshua Rahme and Jonathan Bullock.

They won’t just be looking to the freshmen to carry the load.

“A lot of the freshmen that were here last year who are now sophomores need to step it up a notch,” said sophomore defenseman Brent Cornelius. “We got a good junior and senior class, so they will help step it up, too.”

Armed with these talented young players, Cyclone Hockey has set some lofty goals.

“Some of our goals are so obvious that I hardly even think they are worth mentioning, but we would like to have a winning season and we want to finish in the upper half of our league,” Murdoch said.

Murdoch said the team would like to win the Central States Collegiate Hockey League in both the regular season and the tournament. He also said they are looking to end the season in the top four in the nation.

In order to reach these goals, the Cyclones will have to overcome a very difficult early season schedule. After the teams’ first exhibition game against the Minnesota Owls, seven of their first eight opponents were ranked in the top 20 at the end of last year. Three of those teams were in the top 10.

“It is going to be a battle every weekend,” Murdoch said.

The players feel their camaraderie will be key to helping them through the tough early schedule.

“Coming together off ice and on ice everybody has to be on the same page,” said sophomore defenseman Adam Mueller. “A team that hangs out together off the ice will play better on the ice. If you can get along with each other on and off the ice everything else just seems to come together.”

Cyclone Hockey is not intimidated by the teams they are going to have to face.

“I think I see a lot of hard work going on both on and off the ice. We have to be ready to go for 65 minutes all the time. I am also really pleased with the coaching staff,” Murdoch said.