TWU to face NCAA D1 powers Wisconsin, Nebraska-Omaha during 2015/16 season

Trinity Western University will get the chance to test itself against two of North America’s upper echelon university hockey programs next year as the Spartans have confirmed they will travel to play NCAA Division I opponents Wisconsin and Nebraska-Omaha on January 1st and 2nd, 2016.

The two-game exhibition weekend will give the Spartans a mid-season opportunity to take on an Omaha side that is currently ranked No. 10 in both the USCHO.com and USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine rankings and a Wisconsin program that is an historical powerhouse, having won six national championships and produced more than 75 NHLers.

The Spartans will play the University of Wisconsin on Jan. 1 and the University of Nebraska-Omaha Jan. 2.

"We are excited to once again play our collegiate partners in the U.S,"said Spartans coach Barret Kropf, whose team played St. Cloud State University and the University of Minnesota, Mankato last October. "We continue to build our program here at TWU and strive towards excellence, while providing our players with leadership opportunities on and off the ice. Games like this help us tremendously to build upon our culture and showcase the level of calibre in the BCIHL."

The Wisconsin Badgers program, which competes in the Big Ten Conference, is one long associated with success in both producing NHLers and earning collegiate success. Wisconsin's current roster has seven players who are NHL draft picks, including defenceman Jack Dougherty, who was selected by Nashville in the second round of the 2014 NHL Entry Draft.

The Badgers also have five players who previously played in the BCHL, including former Langley Rivermen forward Matt Ustaski, who suited up for the Rivermen from 2012 to 2014.

Wisconsin has produced NHLers at a higher rate than nearly any other NCAA program as this season alone, 20 former Badgers have played at least one game in the NHL. Wisconsin’s alumni includes, amongst many others, the likes of former NHLers Chris Chelios, Mike Richter, and Curtis Joseph and, more recently, Ryan Suter, Joe Pavelski, Brian Elliot and Justin Schultz.

By comparison, the Omaha program is relatively young, having started in 1997, but has quickly become a force on the Division I scene. After initially playing in the CCHA (Central Collegiate Hockey Association) and then the WCHA (Western Collegiate Hockey Association), the Mavericks are now part of the National Collegiate Hockey Conference, which began competition in 2013.

The current team has seven players who have been drafted by NHL teams and five players who came out of the BCHL, including former Rivermen goalie Brock Crossthwaite, who played with Langley in 2013-14.

The Omaha program his produced nine NHLers, including Dan Ellis, who was the Mavericks first player to go on to play in the NHL, and Greg Zanon. By the time TWU travels Nebraska-Omaha next January, the Mavericks will be playing in a brand new $81.6 million dollar on-campus arena with a seating capacity of 7,500.

In the Spartans first ever foray into NCAA Division I waters, the team dropped both exhibition tilts, losing 8-0 decision to St. Cloud State , who is No. 18 in the most recent USCHO.com rankings, and 12-1 to Minnesota State-Mankato, who is No. 2 in both Division I rankings.

TWU finished the 2014/15 BCIHL season with a program-best record of 17-5-0-2 to capture the league’s regular season title for the first time ever. The Spartans lost to Simon Fraser in the first round of the playoffs.