1. New Era
   • In what will be the team’s social media phrase all season long, the “New Era” of Butler hockey is the start of its first season without its long-time leadership group. With the founders of the organization graduating as seniors last season, the team now goes into next season with only Chad O’Connell as its only senior with a number of Juniors and Sophomores vying for leadership positions on the team. The majority of the leading scorers the last few season have graduated so new players must step up to keep the team trending in the right direction.
   • The team also welcomes an entire new coaching staff with Landon Meyers taking over as head coach after former coach Jeff Gazior took his coaching staff to a local Indiana high school. Former captain Eric Gentry will join his staff as an assistant where he will focus on the defensive side of the puck. The team also added a Strength and Conditioning coach Jacqueline Sobotka who will help train the team off the ice.

2. First Time Opponents
   • As the usual ICHC conference opponents Purdue and IPFW have watched their teams fold, they have been replaced by newcomers, the Miami RedHawks and the Trine Thunder. While Butler played at Miami last year, the two home games with Trine will be the first games ever between the two schools.
   • Butler will also travel to play Illinois and Wright State for the first time in the program’s history. The Fighting Illini went 12-13-4 last season at the Division 3 level. The teams will meet on October 19^th and 20^th. Wright State out of Dayton, Ohio struggled last season with a record of 1-22 but played against some strong teams at the D2 level. The teams will meet on February 1^st and 2^nd.

3. Continuing an Exciting Game Atmosphere
   • As the team moves into its fourth year back on Butler’s campus, the team’s relationship has become strengthened with the university and the community around Indianapolis. The team has been working on a number of things to improve its on-campus reputation. Following the massive financial success of the Kappa Kappa Gamma Foundation game against Indiana last year, the team will continue to look for ways to raise money and support Butler sororities and their philanthropies.
   • The team has also been diligently working on buying equipment and planning for radio and video broadcasts that will hopefully be streamed on Facebook Live starting this season. The team will also begin to start selling Butler hockey merchandise due to the large desire from fans from all over the country to represent the team.

All in all, Butler hockey is here to stay wants to thank all of its supporters for all they have done to help us become successful.

The Butler hockey team is proud to announce the addition of two new coaches for the upcoming 2018-2019 season.

Eric Gentry will join the coaching staff as an assistant after playing for Butler the last three years, including serving as captain last year as a senior. Gentry will be running the defense this season in his first ever coaching position. He has grown up in Indianapolis and last played for the Indianapolis Jr. Ice AAA before the Bulldogs.

Jacqueline Sobotka is also joining as the team’s first ever Strength and Conditioning coach. 

Sobotka brings a variety of performance training skills and eight years of industry experience covering personal training, public speaking, strength and conditioning sports performance, life coaching, nutrition consulting, and a variety other areas of fitness, sports and business. She is also an Optimum Nutrition Sponsored Athlete and has been for the last 8 years.

As the Strength and Conditioning coach for Butler Hockey, Jacqueline has designed and implemented sports performance training systems for the Student Athletes for use during the summer months and will continue throughout the school year. As a leader in the Indianapolis Community, she’s involved in numerous developmental initiatives integrating fitness, nutrition, wellness and sports training. She is currently the founder of Lady Leader Lifestyle, a fitness nutrition coaching company focusing on the developing and supporting women leaders.

Sobotka received her bachelor’s degree in Health and Science from Ball State University in 2010. Sobotka plans on furthering her education to stay up to date on the latest research.

Both coaches will be instrumental in helping the Bulldogs continue in the right direction in the upcoming season.