The University of Arkansas men’s hockey team took home the championship of the first-ever American Collegiate Hockey Association Southeast Collegiate Frozen Showcase Sunday, beating Texas A&M 5-3 at the Ford Ice Center in Nashville, Tennessee.
The showcase marked the first time that Southeastern Conference schools with club hockey teams were together for a single event, with Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Georgia, Missouri, Ole Miss, Texas and Texas A&M represented.
The Razorbacks began on Friday with a 9–3 opening-round win over the University of Texas. Captain David Markovich led the offensive surge with a hat trick, supported by two goals from Ayden Frolik and additional scores from Ethan Rogers, Joe Menconi, Cole Helm and Alex Fendler.
Advancing to the semifinals on Saturday, Arkansas defeated rival Missouri 8–5 to advance to the championship game. The offensive effort against Missouri was balanced, featuring two goals from Chris Colon, along with individual goals from Alex Fendler, Ayden Frolik, Anthony Conti, Jack Lehman, Bryson Andregg and Miles Watson.
The weekend culminated with the final against Texas A&M in the championship decider. The Razorbacks’ scoring opened in the first period with goals from Adam Markovich and Frolik. Brenden Coon added a third goal in the second period, followed by a second goal from Frolik in the third. Rogers sealed the championship with an empty-net goal in the final minutes of the game.
“Winning the first-ever Frozen Showcase is an incredible honor for our team and the university,” Markovich said. “We knew every team here would bring their best, especially with the rivalry atmosphere at the Ford Ice Center. This championship shows exactly what Razorback hockey is capable of when we play our game.”
Razorbacks coach Keller Sims said, “This weekend was a testament to the growth of this program and the grit of these players. To come into Bellevue and compete at such a high level in the heart of SEC country was a challenge we were ready for. I couldn’t be prouder of the way this group stayed focused through three tough games to finish the job on Sunday.”
