DeKALB — In the offseason, the hockey team made the jump from the American Collegiate Hockey Association’s division two rank to the newly formed Midwest College Hockey.
MHC is still backed by the ACHA, but it is a division one league. This is the first time in NIU hockey history the team will compete at the division-one level.
The team’s bump in divisions made the Huskies a more attractive destination to a different type of recruit than they’re used to getting, according to General Manager Ian Kalanges.
“From our returning top team, the D2 team last year, I believe there’s five guys that are on our D1 team, and we essentially brought in 18 new players,” Kalanges said.