UK hockey team headed to national championships

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) – One College of Kentucky membership sport is heading to the nationwide championship. But it surely wasn’t with out assembly a hefty financial objective to get there.

The final time UK Hockey made it to a Nationwide Championship was in 2008. Coach Tim Pergram says he’s spent the previous 5 years making an attempt to vary that.

“All of them purchased in. It was belief,” stated Pergram. “They trusted in one another, within the brotherhood. They play for one another. As a coach, I can solely inform them what to do. They must have purchase in. They usually’ve carried out it on the ice.”

And this group had their winningest season but. 29-6. Sufficient to attain them a coveted spot to play towards 16 groups from throughout the nation at this week’s Nationwide Championship in Boston.

“When we’ve video games right here, it’s a sellout throughout the first quarter-hour. It is a 40-year-old program that’s been very, very profitable. Sure, it’s been 15 years since we’ve been at Nationals, however we’re again now. And we don’t plan on leaving for fairly some time,” Pergram stated.

The one factor standing of their manner is the $80,000 they should elevate to get there.

As a membership sport, UK Hockey is self-funded. So after they had been of their greatest pinch but, the group created a Gofundme and began fundraising on February 27.

In simply two weeks, they did it. The group says it’s all because of Large Blue Nation.

“We trusted our followers, the neighborhood, to get behind us, and so they did. We’re very grateful for that,” stated ahead Gary Eastlack.

The group leaves for Boston early Wednesday morning.

The championship is from March 17 by way of March 21

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