Duluth, MN (Northland's NewsCenter) --- The UMD Bulldogs men's hockey team did something Friday night that no other team in program history got the chance to do - receive their national championship rings.
Players, coaches, family, and alumni gathered at AMSOIL Arena for the small, intimate ceremony celebrating the first national championship in the 67-year history of UMD men's hockey.
The magnitude of that accomplishment was not lost on any of the 2010-11 Bulldogs, especially assistant coach Brett Larson, who also played for UMD from 1991-95.
"Obviously it's a huge night," Larson said. "We're going to have pretty much the whole team back. I think the whole town has been waiting for this night. It's been 50+ years of UMD hockey, and being close a couple times was nice, but finally getting it and being able to celebrate is a big deal."
"There's been so many people who have backed this program, who care about this program, and who follow this program, it's a big night for them," Larson said. "There's a lot of alumni who were a big part in building this thing. Every year guys came in and added another piece to the puzzle. It just kept building and building, and I think it means a lot for them to see all their hard work pay off, too."
"In addition to the alumni, the town," Larson said. "People have followed this team forever. I grew up in Duluth and to have a national championship and be handing out rings is pretty special."
Posted by Zach Schneider
zschneider@northlandsnewscenter.com
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