February 5, 2025 • 23 mins
Augustana men's hockey head coach Garrett Raboin joins hosts Jim Connelly (@jimmyconnelly) and Ed Trefzger (@EdTrefzger) discussing challenges and successes of starting a Division I college hockey program from scratch and into its second year.
Raboin discusses the unique journey of assembling a team, the benefits brought by the transfer portal, and the impact of a strong goaltender. He also reflects on his coaching influences and experiences, including his role in two gold medal-winning World Junior teams. The conversation touches on building a program culture, the strategic fit within the CCHA, and the advantages of a smaller yet vibrant home arena. Raboin emphasizes the importance of regional and international recruitment and looks ahead to the team's ongoing development and upcoming pivotal games.
This episode is sponsored by the NCAA Men's Division I Frozen Four, April 10 and 12 in St. Louis. Get your tickets now at ncaa.com/frozenfour
Raboin discusses the unique journey of assembling a team, the benefits brought by the transfer portal, and the impact of a strong goaltender. He also reflects on his coaching influences and experiences, including his role in two gold medal-winning World Junior teams. The conversation touches on building a program culture, the strategic fit within the CCHA, and the advantages of a smaller yet vibrant home arena. Raboin emphasizes the importance of regional and international recruitment and looks ahead to the team's ongoing development and upcoming pivotal games.
This episode is sponsored by the NCAA Men's Division I Frozen Four, April 10 and 12 in St. Louis. Get your tickets now at ncaa.com/frozenfour
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:03):
USCCHO dot com.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
Welcome to us CHO Spotlight for Wednesday, February fifth, twenty
twenty five. This episode is sponsored by the NCAA Men's
Division one Frozen four April tenth and twelfth in Saint Louis, Missouri.
Get your tickets now at NCAA dot com slash Frozen four.
I met Trevska alongside Jim Connolly. One of the great
(00:35):
stories of college hockey's newer programs has been going on
in South Dakota.
Speaker 3 (00:40):
And joining us now in UCCHO Spotlight. One of the
great stories of this college hockey season. Augustana Vikings out
in South Dakota in just their second year, they are
making some waves in the CCHA and we're joined now
by their head coach, garrettra Borna.
Speaker 4 (00:57):
Congratulations on Moham what you've started.
Speaker 3 (00:59):
I think people understand starting programs to scratch not the
easiest things to do and coming.
Speaker 4 (01:05):
In at the Division one level right away.
Speaker 3 (01:07):
But take us through what it's been like just starting
to build this program and having some early success.
Speaker 5 (01:14):
Well, it's.
Speaker 6 (01:16):
It's truly just a unique build and an opportunity for
a young coach like myself to arrive on campus three
years ago. And have a whole year to try to
put twenty seven guys on a whiteboard to compete. A
year later, there was no rink on campus, so to
have a hand and helping a great group design what
(01:36):
that might look like, to watch it build from really
the ground up. And then last year, to watch those
twenty seven athletes who committed to come here and took
a chance on us arrive on campus, be all new,
all new to the school, watch them interact with their
fellow classmates. Watch a community that was familiar with hockey
(01:58):
at the junior midget high school level, but nothing at
the college level, you know, walking to a beautiful, brand
new building in January and and get to learn our sport.
Speaker 5 (02:09):
I think.
Speaker 6 (02:12):
It's a community that hockey is definitely growing in. There's
eight hundred youth kids and now they have a chance
to watch our group, and there's dreams for the future
that maybe one day kid from so Fall, South Dakota
can compete with our team.
Speaker 3 (02:27):
What's it like trying to sell a program that really
doesn't exist as you're trying to be the salesman. I mean,
I guess it a lot of it has to be
what you just said, The ability to build a program
from the ground up. But I assume with that you're
probably also getting a certain type of individual who maybe
is a little bit of a risk taker and you know,
and wants to be part of something special.
Speaker 6 (02:49):
Yeah, and I think it works to our advantage in
a sense. All the guys we have on our team
have come with a shared vision, and within them is
a is a dreamer and a risk taker and someone
who's pretty comfortable being uncomfortable. And it's it's been really
(03:12):
fun to watch what can happen when you have enough
guys committed to each other, all very similar although from
all over the world, take the ice and play the
game of hockey and and get rewarded.
Speaker 3 (03:27):
How much did the has the portal helped speed this process?
I look at a guy like I'll loop lobly leading
your team and goals right now. You know, played three
seasons at Clarkson. Now he's he's finishing up his career
out in Augustana. You know, is this something that would
have been a lot more difficult had it not been
for the portal.
Speaker 5 (03:48):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (03:48):
I think in terms of just getting guys to campus,
there was a point before the portal opened where we
had a roster that was about half full, and you're
wondering if the ever a day where you're going to
make it happen, and the portal opened in. Certainly heard
a lot of no'se through that process, but we're really fortunate,
(04:11):
especially with where we're located, guys that maybe wanted to
come a little closer to home. We're excited about an opportunity.
Really good students. They hold the academic side in high regard.
We're drawn to our campus and you know, actually it
was pretty well documented our our year one team, we
had six grads that helped make us one of the
(04:35):
older teams in the country. But if you dug deeper,
the games played for those athletes wasn't all that wasn't
all that large. So we were although we were one
of the we'll say the top ten oldest team, we
were about forty six in terms of games played experience.
(04:59):
But we did we put a you know, it was
paramount that we brought really good students. The value in
bringing those guys in was that they had lived the
day to day individual and athletics. They'd seen what it
looked like, they'd been a part of teams that were
highly competitive and they were able to teach the younger
group how you handle yourself, how you respect other athletes
(05:22):
and other students on your campus, and it really become
part of a community. And that's what they did a
tremendous job helping the lay A Foundation, and this year's
groups done a great job building on that.
Speaker 3 (05:34):
Obviously, when you're building a program, it doesn't hurt to
start with a good goaltender. I know Jack Parker at
the legendary Boston University coaches to say that the game
should be called goaliae, not hockey because it was so important.
But Josh Kotai right now, I'll read off. His number
is a fourteen to five and three record of one
point six three goals against average and a ninety seven
(05:55):
save percentage.
Speaker 4 (05:57):
Those are resnent numbers in the NHL. What is he?
What does he meant to this team? Forret you?
Speaker 6 (06:02):
Thus far, he's been one of those great surprises. And
we spread our goalie games UH in opportunity UH pretty
evenly through three guys. Last year we were led by
zat Eckros who transferred in and and he was he
was really the leader of the goalie room and he
had two young goalies.
Speaker 5 (06:22):
To menator underneath him. Josh was given opportunity.
Speaker 6 (06:26):
I think at the end of the year uh coming
battle for Saskatchewan and one of the top goalies in
all Canadian junior hockey.
Speaker 5 (06:36):
Uh.
Speaker 6 (06:38):
You know, he got his first taste to college hockey,
ended up two nine and two. Uh probably realized how
significant the step was. But he had a whole summer
to to really dial it in and and he he
took full advantage of it. And he he came to
campus to start our season this year really locked in.
Speaker 5 (06:58):
And he had a demeanor about.
Speaker 6 (06:59):
Him that he's carried with really up until this point.
Just a cool, calmness, very very steady, always competes what
he's he has. Right from the start of the season,
he was the guy that said he wanted the net
through his play and he's rolled that out all on.
Speaker 5 (07:20):
Gary.
Speaker 2 (07:20):
You had the opportunity to work on some pretty good
staffs along the way, certainly working with Bob Motskow, both
as a head coach with you as an assistant and
as a player. What kind of things have you learned
from him along the way that's helped you develop as
head coach?
Speaker 6 (07:38):
All of it, uh, With with coach Moscow comes a
whole group of friends that are happy to share a mentor.
And I I lucked into my first college job at
Saint Claude State.
Speaker 5 (07:49):
I didn't even have a resume fresh off of plan.
Speaker 6 (07:52):
I joined a team that made a frozen four guys
on the team I had played with, We had Drew
Leablau and the Hoby Baker sure enough that he brought
me with them to Minnesota in a in a renovation project.
The team in a good spot, but watch how he
he threw his own spin on on that program and
to see.
Speaker 5 (08:11):
Where they're at.
Speaker 3 (08:12):
Uh.
Speaker 6 (08:13):
I felt comfortable because I could draw off of those
experiences riding shot done with him and in the building
of a new program. And it's all I know. It
really it is. And you know, through recruiting, that's the
biggest thing. And you get asked all the time when
you start a program, well, what how you're going to
(08:35):
build a culture, how you're gonna what's your style of
play going to be?
Speaker 5 (08:38):
How you're going to get there?
Speaker 6 (08:39):
And and that's one thing I've taken from Coach Moscow
is really it's the people you bring into your program,
you recruit your culture, you recruit a play style. These
kids aren't coming to Augustana or the University of Minnesota
to to change who they are. You're hoping to to
enhance some of those great things they already possess.
Speaker 1 (08:58):
Uh.
Speaker 6 (08:59):
And you're going to work to make corrections on areas
where they need to grow more.
Speaker 2 (09:04):
With Garrett Reboyne in a moment. This episode is sponsored
by the NCAA Men's d one Frozen four April tenth
and twelfth in Saint Louis.
Speaker 4 (09:18):
The NCAA Men's Frozen four, the pinnacle of men's collegiate
ice hawk Any.
Speaker 1 (09:24):
Question, Professor, NCAA Men's Hockey is back.
Speaker 6 (09:28):
Are we ready?
Speaker 4 (09:29):
You prepared to hype your squad for all three periods?
Speaker 1 (09:32):
Bring glory home to your campus?
Speaker 4 (09:36):
Oh? You're ready. It's Frozen four times.
Speaker 3 (09:39):
The NCAAA Men's Frozen four April tenth and twelfth, twenty
twenty five and Saint Louis.
Speaker 4 (09:43):
Buy your seas today at NCAAA dot com. That's Frozen.
Speaker 2 (09:46):
Fool back with august Stanah head coach Garrett Reboyne. On
top of building a new program, you are also part
of building a couple of world Junior Golden medal teams
and coaching that all that work on top of building
things at August Dana, what has that whole World Juniors
(10:08):
experience been Like, It's truly incredible.
Speaker 6 (10:12):
It's humbling to represent your country and to be a
part of a tremendous staff. I mean, what a learning
opportunity for me. You walk away from that tournament and
you say, yeah, I like some things I'm doing, but wow,
I can be a lot better, Like how did I
not ever think of that? And you look at all
the members of the staff and highly successful not just
(10:35):
right now but over a long period of time, and
John van Bisbrook, David Carl.
Speaker 5 (10:42):
All throughout the list awesome, just really awesome.
Speaker 6 (10:45):
And then you then obviously the players, and that is
that is where I was most fortunate to watch those
guys play the game in big moments, come together two
different teams, but to achieve the same result. And you know,
the end of the tournament, it's long, and it's it's hard,
(11:06):
your away from your family, but you find yourself standing
on the blue line, once in Ottawa, once in Gothenburg, Sweden,
singing the anthem with the gold medal.
Speaker 5 (11:15):
Something you'll carry with you forever.
Speaker 2 (11:17):
Now that you've got a program established, are you starting
to shift things less from looking at the portal and
looking at players a few years down the road, And
how's that process evolved.
Speaker 6 (11:29):
I think we're we're becoming closer to being established. We
still got a lot of girl to do, but you
want to narrow the scope. I still think a school
our size where we're located. I think we can draw
from a lot of players regionally, but we're gonna have
to supplement with players from Europe and in Canada and
(11:51):
in all over. I know when we went to the
University of Minnesota, they were predominantly Minnesota born players. Just
the way the lane landscape it shifted in different things.
We had to even extend there. And I think we
liked the Matthew Nys and Logan Cooley and Ryan Johnson's
(12:11):
those editions were really big ads. And it's important to
understand that hockey guys, no matter where they're at in
the world, once you get in the locker room, a
lot of the same and we're open do something similar here.
Speaker 2 (12:25):
How about August stan is fit in the CCHA. It
seems like geographically and institutionally it makes a lot of sense.
Speaker 6 (12:34):
It does, and that was part of the original plan
and way before I ever was even considered to help
start this, there was a group that felt like it
made sense and some lover of the CCHA shortly after
I hopped on board, they felt we could add some value.
It makes with you when you look at the NSI
C and the regional rivalries that already exists throughout the
(12:56):
other sports, those are already in place. Our fan base
was excited for us to play Saint Thomas and man
Cato and but Midge. Those are familiar folds for our group,
and it's we thought it would make sense and as
we move forward here, it's it's proving, right are you?
Speaker 3 (13:20):
Referenced to Garrett earlier, The mid Co Arena a little
over three thousand seats and I was at TD Garden
on Monday for the bean Pod and it was a
discussion point about some veterans, people that have been around
this industry for way too long, and that the trend
of new arenas is to go a little bit smaller,
(13:40):
that six thousand and seven thousand Seed Arena is not
as popular as it once was. Yukon they just opened
a building about the size of yours. How do you
find that size building, it does feel like it would
make a great atmosphere, and sometimes these six seven thousand
and seat buildings that are half empty aired lacking that atmosphere.
Speaker 6 (14:04):
Yeah, it's it was it was genius by the folks
that decided that was the right size.
Speaker 5 (14:09):
Thirty one hundred seats.
Speaker 6 (14:11):
We're only a school of about twenty four hundred students
and it's right on campus. It's been it's been full
since we opened the doors. And it's that it's that
college hockey energy that it makes it so much fun
for the players, but the fans to watch see the
(14:33):
game up close, no bad seats, you're all together in it.
Speaker 5 (14:40):
I I've been so impressed.
Speaker 6 (14:41):
And you go to different ranks all over the college
hockey and you experience it.
Speaker 5 (14:46):
It is it's a you know, to have a an eight.
Speaker 6 (14:49):
Thousand seed arena with four thousand fans, it there's less
of an energy there's it loses a little bit of
that buzz.
Speaker 5 (14:58):
And the smaller ranks that are just jamm impact.
Speaker 4 (15:02):
Wow.
Speaker 6 (15:02):
It just whether you're a road team or home team,
it's certainly fun for the players to be a part of.
Speaker 3 (15:09):
Well, that's one of the great things about the CCHA
two is the great atmospheres in the building, and it
will be a fantastic atmosphere in man Cato this weekend
when you're Augustana Vikings travel up to man Cato, Minnesota
for that game. That people outside of the CCHA may
not understand that this season because the schedule was already
(15:34):
put together. It's I don't want to say that it
was almost pigeonhole to get Augustan in.
Speaker 4 (15:38):
But you're not playing the full complement of games.
Speaker 3 (15:40):
Thus, the regular season champion determined off of percentage of
win points one. Your team currently in the league. The
team that is chasing you is man Cato. Right there,
this becomes an even bigger weekend. How exciting is it
for your staff, your players to be able to to
get involved with this, this.
Speaker 4 (16:02):
Rivalry that will kind of build over the years.
Speaker 5 (16:05):
Yeah, it's great.
Speaker 6 (16:06):
I mean it's it's ideal for a program that's young
and growing. You want to live in moments like this.
That's the only way you learn and grow is through
living it. And we get another chance. The points percentage
is a one year deal, truly unique. I didn't make
the rules, just happy to have a chance at postseason
(16:26):
play and it can work to your advantage or the opposite.
So it's another big series. But when you're only playing
each team in the league twice, every game is a
big game. Once are times too for us, and so
it's another big game. And our guys are are becoming
(16:48):
more familiar with playing in these environments and really excited
to see how our group responds because we've only been
around these players, most of them for two years, so
we're still well, we're still learning about our guys. How
do you respond? And it's another great opportunity for us.
Speaker 4 (17:07):
Yea, I take it.
Speaker 3 (17:08):
There's been a lot of learning this year, but there's
going to be a lot of learning down in the
next three four weeks for your team with.
Speaker 6 (17:14):
All adult and and and that's just it where our
focus with our group is great, where we're very much
living in the moment. We watch our games together, we
have conversations, and it's all with with the short vision
of just trying to to to play that style hockey
(17:36):
that we think and believe can win, not different from
a lot of other teams. As we clean up mistakes,
but we're very much looking inward. We will prepare for
our opponent each week, but we spend a lot of.
Speaker 5 (17:49):
Time just trying to better ourselves.
Speaker 3 (17:52):
I say it right off the jump. One of the
better stories of the college hockey season Augustana this year,
and it's going to continue to be written over the
next few weekends. So Garrett Boyne, we appreciate your time,
wish you the best of luck. This is it's a
fun story to follow from AFAR. Two guys from the
eastern side of college hockey. We love the western story
(18:12):
right now that is Augustantus. So thanks for your time today.
Speaker 5 (18:15):
No, thanks you guys for having me. Jim R.
Speaker 2 (18:22):
Thanks to Augustana head coach Garrett Raboyne. It's one talking
to a young coach, especially one with a young program,
and hearing how things develop and how they put together
the philosophy of themselves as a coach and their program
in general.
Speaker 5 (18:38):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (18:38):
I mean it's sincerely when I say that this is
a story that I really am enjoying.
Speaker 4 (18:43):
Following from AFAR.
Speaker 3 (18:45):
Young coach is thirty nine years old, but a wealth
of experience and now the chance to go in and
build something from scratch. It doesn't feel like there's a
lot of preconceived notions of what a successful coach will be.
I feel like Garrett or Born really, he feels like
(19:06):
somebody who has a lot of flexibility to his style.
He understands that there isn't one right way to do
it all, and he is it feels like somebody that
has taken a lot of great advantage of learning from
some of the best. That is one of those things
that really I think when you think of how much
(19:27):
he got to be around Bob Motsko over the years
and learn from him, it's gone so far the distance
you can see it in who he is as a
person today. Garrett or Boryn, he has grown from that experience,
and those are the most successful coaches, the ones that
can You don't go in with this preconceived notion that
(19:50):
you know everything. You have to go in and be
willing to learn. And that's something that Garrett Or Born
has done in space and it's proving right away here too.
Speaker 4 (20:00):
Having such success out of the gate.
Speaker 2 (20:03):
August Stana has to be a terrific example for smaller
schools looking to add hockey programs. I know when we've
talked with our friends at College Hockey, Inc. They've really
been high. Sean Hogan when we talked to him about
bringing in programs that are mid size or smaller schools
(20:23):
in smaller markets that can attract a fan base. And
it sounds like they've done things very much the right
way at Augustana, including a jewel of an ice arena.
Speaker 3 (20:33):
They've done it right. They didn't try to do this
low budget cut corners. They built a beautiful facility in
the right size. As I was highlighting there at the end,
this isn't a ten thousand seed arena. Eight thousand seat
six three thousand seats just feels like the most ideal
sized building you could build these days. I was at
(20:56):
the Benley Arena last night. That's under two thousand. That's
a good size arena. It was midweek game, less than
half full, and you still felt like you had some atmosphere.
Speaker 4 (21:05):
That's what these small buildings gave you.
Speaker 3 (21:07):
But I just feel like, going back to your question, though,
I do feel like as an administrative arm, Augustana has
done things correctly.
Speaker 4 (21:16):
They not cutting.
Speaker 3 (21:18):
I think that's the number one thing is you can't
try to become a Division one program on a budget.
You have to find the resources and know that you
have them before you just jump in full two feet, because.
Speaker 4 (21:32):
There really is.
Speaker 3 (21:33):
If anybody looks at programs that are trying to elevate
right now or have elevated recently, you can't look at
any of them and say, hey, they went in, they
didn't do it right. You look at the Arizona States,
the Penn States, now Augustana. These programs are going full force.
They're finding conferences. It took Arizona State a long time
(21:55):
to find their home, but now that they have it
there on the right path. Penn State, we've seen some
success out out of them, and now obviously Augustana. You
do it right, you can have success.
Speaker 2 (22:05):
And you got to have the right coaches in that position.
Start looking at Bill mccult at Lindenwood or Brett Riley
at lu Is. A younger coach is looking for head
coaching positions who are maybe an experienced guy like David
Barrard at stone Hill having the right guy behind the bench,
(22:26):
and certainly it looks like that situation with Garrett at
august Stana. Having the right guy behind the bench is
key to having that program get off to a great start.
Speaker 3 (22:36):
Every one of those programs you just mentioned, you can
throw that in with Arizona State, Penn State.
Speaker 4 (22:41):
Every one of those programs can.
Speaker 3 (22:43):
Already in their early days tell stories, whether it's stone
Hill with the win over a nashally ranked team and
UMass Lowell more than I don't even want to talk
about a multiplier because they had one Division one a
year ago. I lived right now that day've done some
great things. Brett Riley in his first year immediately having
(23:04):
some impact. They did it during COVID. You talk about
linden Wood every weekend. You can look at the scoreboard
and say, oh, another good one for Lindenwood.
Speaker 4 (23:13):
Hey, that's a pretty good win. That's a good effort.
Speaker 3 (23:16):
I feel like all of these schools have some early
success stories to tell, and that's what you want as
you try to watch Division one hockey expand nationally.
Speaker 2 (23:26):
We'll look forward to seeing the progress of Augustan and
going forward. This episode has been sponsored by the NCAA
Men's Division one Frozen four April tenth and twelfth in
Saint Louis, Missouri. Get your tickets now at NCAA dot
com slash Frozen four. For Jim Connolly, I'm Ed Trevsker
and this has been US Echo Spotlight
USCCHO dot com.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
Welcome to us CHO Spotlight for Wednesday, February fifth, twenty
twenty five. This episode is sponsored by the NCAA Men's
Division one Frozen four April tenth and twelfth in Saint Louis, Missouri.
Get your tickets now at NCAA dot com slash Frozen four.
I met Trevska alongside Jim Connolly. One of the great
(00:35):
stories of college hockey's newer programs has been going on
in South Dakota.
Speaker 3 (00:40):
And joining us now in UCCHO Spotlight. One of the
great stories of this college hockey season. Augustana Vikings out
in South Dakota in just their second year, they are
making some waves in the CCHA and we're joined now
by their head coach, garrettra Borna.
Speaker 4 (00:57):
Congratulations on Moham what you've started.
Speaker 3 (00:59):
I think people understand starting programs to scratch not the
easiest things to do and coming.
Speaker 4 (01:05):
In at the Division one level right away.
Speaker 3 (01:07):
But take us through what it's been like just starting
to build this program and having some early success.
Speaker 5 (01:14):
Well, it's.
Speaker 6 (01:16):
It's truly just a unique build and an opportunity for
a young coach like myself to arrive on campus three
years ago. And have a whole year to try to
put twenty seven guys on a whiteboard to compete. A
year later, there was no rink on campus, so to
have a hand and helping a great group design what
(01:36):
that might look like, to watch it build from really
the ground up. And then last year, to watch those
twenty seven athletes who committed to come here and took
a chance on us arrive on campus, be all new,
all new to the school, watch them interact with their
fellow classmates. Watch a community that was familiar with hockey
(01:58):
at the junior midget high school level, but nothing at
the college level, you know, walking to a beautiful, brand
new building in January and and get to learn our sport.
Speaker 5 (02:09):
I think.
Speaker 6 (02:12):
It's a community that hockey is definitely growing in. There's
eight hundred youth kids and now they have a chance
to watch our group, and there's dreams for the future
that maybe one day kid from so Fall, South Dakota
can compete with our team.
Speaker 3 (02:27):
What's it like trying to sell a program that really
doesn't exist as you're trying to be the salesman. I mean,
I guess it a lot of it has to be
what you just said, The ability to build a program
from the ground up. But I assume with that you're
probably also getting a certain type of individual who maybe
is a little bit of a risk taker and you know,
and wants to be part of something special.
Speaker 6 (02:49):
Yeah, and I think it works to our advantage in
a sense. All the guys we have on our team
have come with a shared vision, and within them is
a is a dreamer and a risk taker and someone
who's pretty comfortable being uncomfortable. And it's it's been really
(03:12):
fun to watch what can happen when you have enough
guys committed to each other, all very similar although from
all over the world, take the ice and play the
game of hockey and and get rewarded.
Speaker 3 (03:27):
How much did the has the portal helped speed this process?
I look at a guy like I'll loop lobly leading
your team and goals right now. You know, played three
seasons at Clarkson. Now he's he's finishing up his career
out in Augustana. You know, is this something that would
have been a lot more difficult had it not been
for the portal.
Speaker 5 (03:48):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (03:48):
I think in terms of just getting guys to campus,
there was a point before the portal opened where we
had a roster that was about half full, and you're
wondering if the ever a day where you're going to
make it happen, and the portal opened in. Certainly heard
a lot of no'se through that process, but we're really fortunate,
(04:11):
especially with where we're located, guys that maybe wanted to
come a little closer to home. We're excited about an opportunity.
Really good students. They hold the academic side in high regard.
We're drawn to our campus and you know, actually it
was pretty well documented our our year one team, we
had six grads that helped make us one of the
(04:35):
older teams in the country. But if you dug deeper,
the games played for those athletes wasn't all that wasn't
all that large. So we were although we were one
of the we'll say the top ten oldest team, we
were about forty six in terms of games played experience.
(04:59):
But we did we put a you know, it was
paramount that we brought really good students. The value in
bringing those guys in was that they had lived the
day to day individual and athletics. They'd seen what it
looked like, they'd been a part of teams that were
highly competitive and they were able to teach the younger
group how you handle yourself, how you respect other athletes
(05:22):
and other students on your campus, and it really become
part of a community. And that's what they did a
tremendous job helping the lay A Foundation, and this year's
groups done a great job building on that.
Speaker 3 (05:34):
Obviously, when you're building a program, it doesn't hurt to
start with a good goaltender. I know Jack Parker at
the legendary Boston University coaches to say that the game
should be called goaliae, not hockey because it was so important.
But Josh Kotai right now, I'll read off. His number
is a fourteen to five and three record of one
point six three goals against average and a ninety seven
(05:55):
save percentage.
Speaker 4 (05:57):
Those are resnent numbers in the NHL. What is he?
What does he meant to this team? Forret you?
Speaker 6 (06:02):
Thus far, he's been one of those great surprises. And
we spread our goalie games UH in opportunity UH pretty
evenly through three guys. Last year we were led by
zat Eckros who transferred in and and he was he
was really the leader of the goalie room and he
had two young goalies.
Speaker 5 (06:22):
To menator underneath him. Josh was given opportunity.
Speaker 6 (06:26):
I think at the end of the year uh coming
battle for Saskatchewan and one of the top goalies in
all Canadian junior hockey.
Speaker 5 (06:36):
Uh.
Speaker 6 (06:38):
You know, he got his first taste to college hockey,
ended up two nine and two. Uh probably realized how
significant the step was. But he had a whole summer
to to really dial it in and and he he
took full advantage of it. And he he came to
campus to start our season this year really locked in.
Speaker 5 (06:58):
And he had a demeanor about.
Speaker 6 (06:59):
Him that he's carried with really up until this point.
Just a cool, calmness, very very steady, always competes what
he's he has. Right from the start of the season,
he was the guy that said he wanted the net
through his play and he's rolled that out all on.
Speaker 5 (07:20):
Gary.
Speaker 2 (07:20):
You had the opportunity to work on some pretty good
staffs along the way, certainly working with Bob Motskow, both
as a head coach with you as an assistant and
as a player. What kind of things have you learned
from him along the way that's helped you develop as
head coach?
Speaker 6 (07:38):
All of it, uh, With with coach Moscow comes a
whole group of friends that are happy to share a mentor.
And I I lucked into my first college job at
Saint Claude State.
Speaker 5 (07:49):
I didn't even have a resume fresh off of plan.
Speaker 6 (07:52):
I joined a team that made a frozen four guys
on the team I had played with, We had Drew
Leablau and the Hoby Baker sure enough that he brought
me with them to Minnesota in a in a renovation project.
The team in a good spot, but watch how he
he threw his own spin on on that program and
to see.
Speaker 5 (08:11):
Where they're at.
Speaker 3 (08:12):
Uh.
Speaker 6 (08:13):
I felt comfortable because I could draw off of those
experiences riding shot done with him and in the building
of a new program. And it's all I know. It
really it is. And you know, through recruiting, that's the
biggest thing. And you get asked all the time when
you start a program, well, what how you're going to
(08:35):
build a culture, how you're gonna what's your style of
play going to be?
Speaker 5 (08:38):
How you're going to get there?
Speaker 6 (08:39):
And and that's one thing I've taken from Coach Moscow
is really it's the people you bring into your program,
you recruit your culture, you recruit a play style. These
kids aren't coming to Augustana or the University of Minnesota
to to change who they are. You're hoping to to
enhance some of those great things they already possess.
Speaker 1 (08:58):
Uh.
Speaker 6 (08:59):
And you're going to work to make corrections on areas
where they need to grow more.
Speaker 2 (09:04):
With Garrett Reboyne in a moment. This episode is sponsored
by the NCAA Men's d one Frozen four April tenth
and twelfth in Saint Louis.
Speaker 4 (09:18):
The NCAA Men's Frozen four, the pinnacle of men's collegiate
ice hawk Any.
Speaker 1 (09:24):
Question, Professor, NCAA Men's Hockey is back.
Speaker 6 (09:28):
Are we ready?
Speaker 4 (09:29):
You prepared to hype your squad for all three periods?
Speaker 1 (09:32):
Bring glory home to your campus?
Speaker 4 (09:36):
Oh? You're ready. It's Frozen four times.
Speaker 3 (09:39):
The NCAAA Men's Frozen four April tenth and twelfth, twenty
twenty five and Saint Louis.
Speaker 4 (09:43):
Buy your seas today at NCAAA dot com. That's Frozen.
Speaker 2 (09:46):
Fool back with august Stanah head coach Garrett Reboyne. On
top of building a new program, you are also part
of building a couple of world Junior Golden medal teams
and coaching that all that work on top of building
things at August Dana, what has that whole World Juniors
(10:08):
experience been Like, It's truly incredible.
Speaker 6 (10:12):
It's humbling to represent your country and to be a
part of a tremendous staff. I mean, what a learning
opportunity for me. You walk away from that tournament and
you say, yeah, I like some things I'm doing, but wow,
I can be a lot better, Like how did I
not ever think of that? And you look at all
the members of the staff and highly successful not just
(10:35):
right now but over a long period of time, and
John van Bisbrook, David Carl.
Speaker 5 (10:42):
All throughout the list awesome, just really awesome.
Speaker 6 (10:45):
And then you then obviously the players, and that is
that is where I was most fortunate to watch those
guys play the game in big moments, come together two
different teams, but to achieve the same result. And you know,
the end of the tournament, it's long, and it's it's hard,
(11:06):
your away from your family, but you find yourself standing
on the blue line, once in Ottawa, once in Gothenburg, Sweden,
singing the anthem with the gold medal.
Speaker 5 (11:15):
Something you'll carry with you forever.
Speaker 2 (11:17):
Now that you've got a program established, are you starting
to shift things less from looking at the portal and
looking at players a few years down the road, And
how's that process evolved.
Speaker 6 (11:29):
I think we're we're becoming closer to being established. We
still got a lot of girl to do, but you
want to narrow the scope. I still think a school
our size where we're located. I think we can draw
from a lot of players regionally, but we're gonna have
to supplement with players from Europe and in Canada and
(11:51):
in all over. I know when we went to the
University of Minnesota, they were predominantly Minnesota born players. Just
the way the lane landscape it shifted in different things.
We had to even extend there. And I think we
liked the Matthew Nys and Logan Cooley and Ryan Johnson's
(12:11):
those editions were really big ads. And it's important to
understand that hockey guys, no matter where they're at in
the world, once you get in the locker room, a
lot of the same and we're open do something similar here.
Speaker 2 (12:25):
How about August stan is fit in the CCHA. It
seems like geographically and institutionally it makes a lot of sense.
Speaker 6 (12:34):
It does, and that was part of the original plan
and way before I ever was even considered to help
start this, there was a group that felt like it
made sense and some lover of the CCHA shortly after
I hopped on board, they felt we could add some value.
It makes with you when you look at the NSI
C and the regional rivalries that already exists throughout the
(12:56):
other sports, those are already in place. Our fan base
was excited for us to play Saint Thomas and man
Cato and but Midge. Those are familiar folds for our group,
and it's we thought it would make sense and as
we move forward here, it's it's proving, right are you?
Speaker 3 (13:20):
Referenced to Garrett earlier, The mid Co Arena a little
over three thousand seats and I was at TD Garden
on Monday for the bean Pod and it was a
discussion point about some veterans, people that have been around
this industry for way too long, and that the trend
of new arenas is to go a little bit smaller,
(13:40):
that six thousand and seven thousand Seed Arena is not
as popular as it once was. Yukon they just opened
a building about the size of yours. How do you
find that size building, it does feel like it would
make a great atmosphere, and sometimes these six seven thousand
and seat buildings that are half empty aired lacking that atmosphere.
Speaker 6 (14:04):
Yeah, it's it was it was genius by the folks
that decided that was the right size.
Speaker 5 (14:09):
Thirty one hundred seats.
Speaker 6 (14:11):
We're only a school of about twenty four hundred students
and it's right on campus. It's been it's been full
since we opened the doors. And it's that it's that
college hockey energy that it makes it so much fun
for the players, but the fans to watch see the
(14:33):
game up close, no bad seats, you're all together in it.
Speaker 5 (14:40):
I I've been so impressed.
Speaker 6 (14:41):
And you go to different ranks all over the college
hockey and you experience it.
Speaker 5 (14:46):
It is it's a you know, to have a an eight.
Speaker 6 (14:49):
Thousand seed arena with four thousand fans, it there's less
of an energy there's it loses a little bit of
that buzz.
Speaker 5 (14:58):
And the smaller ranks that are just jamm impact.
Speaker 4 (15:02):
Wow.
Speaker 6 (15:02):
It just whether you're a road team or home team,
it's certainly fun for the players to be a part of.
Speaker 3 (15:09):
Well, that's one of the great things about the CCHA
two is the great atmospheres in the building, and it
will be a fantastic atmosphere in man Cato this weekend
when you're Augustana Vikings travel up to man Cato, Minnesota
for that game. That people outside of the CCHA may
not understand that this season because the schedule was already
(15:34):
put together. It's I don't want to say that it
was almost pigeonhole to get Augustan in.
Speaker 4 (15:38):
But you're not playing the full complement of games.
Speaker 3 (15:40):
Thus, the regular season champion determined off of percentage of
win points one. Your team currently in the league. The
team that is chasing you is man Cato. Right there,
this becomes an even bigger weekend. How exciting is it
for your staff, your players to be able to to
get involved with this, this.
Speaker 4 (16:02):
Rivalry that will kind of build over the years.
Speaker 5 (16:05):
Yeah, it's great.
Speaker 6 (16:06):
I mean it's it's ideal for a program that's young
and growing. You want to live in moments like this.
That's the only way you learn and grow is through
living it. And we get another chance. The points percentage
is a one year deal, truly unique. I didn't make
the rules, just happy to have a chance at postseason
(16:26):
play and it can work to your advantage or the opposite.
So it's another big series. But when you're only playing
each team in the league twice, every game is a
big game. Once are times too for us, and so
it's another big game. And our guys are are becoming
(16:48):
more familiar with playing in these environments and really excited
to see how our group responds because we've only been
around these players, most of them for two years, so
we're still well, we're still learning about our guys. How
do you respond? And it's another great opportunity for us.
Speaker 4 (17:07):
Yea, I take it.
Speaker 3 (17:08):
There's been a lot of learning this year, but there's
going to be a lot of learning down in the
next three four weeks for your team with.
Speaker 6 (17:14):
All adult and and and that's just it where our
focus with our group is great, where we're very much
living in the moment. We watch our games together, we
have conversations, and it's all with with the short vision
of just trying to to to play that style hockey
(17:36):
that we think and believe can win, not different from
a lot of other teams. As we clean up mistakes,
but we're very much looking inward. We will prepare for
our opponent each week, but we spend a lot of.
Speaker 5 (17:49):
Time just trying to better ourselves.
Speaker 3 (17:52):
I say it right off the jump. One of the
better stories of the college hockey season Augustana this year,
and it's going to continue to be written over the
next few weekends. So Garrett Boyne, we appreciate your time,
wish you the best of luck. This is it's a
fun story to follow from AFAR. Two guys from the
eastern side of college hockey. We love the western story
(18:12):
right now that is Augustantus. So thanks for your time today.
Speaker 5 (18:15):
No, thanks you guys for having me. Jim R.
Speaker 2 (18:22):
Thanks to Augustana head coach Garrett Raboyne. It's one talking
to a young coach, especially one with a young program,
and hearing how things develop and how they put together
the philosophy of themselves as a coach and their program
in general.
Speaker 5 (18:38):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (18:38):
I mean it's sincerely when I say that this is
a story that I really am enjoying.
Speaker 4 (18:43):
Following from AFAR.
Speaker 3 (18:45):
Young coach is thirty nine years old, but a wealth
of experience and now the chance to go in and
build something from scratch. It doesn't feel like there's a
lot of preconceived notions of what a successful coach will be.
I feel like Garrett or Born really, he feels like
(19:06):
somebody who has a lot of flexibility to his style.
He understands that there isn't one right way to do
it all, and he is it feels like somebody that
has taken a lot of great advantage of learning from
some of the best. That is one of those things
that really I think when you think of how much
(19:27):
he got to be around Bob Motsko over the years
and learn from him, it's gone so far the distance
you can see it in who he is as a
person today. Garrett or Boryn, he has grown from that experience,
and those are the most successful coaches, the ones that
can You don't go in with this preconceived notion that
(19:50):
you know everything. You have to go in and be
willing to learn. And that's something that Garrett Or Born
has done in space and it's proving right away here too.
Speaker 4 (20:00):
Having such success out of the gate.
Speaker 2 (20:03):
August Stana has to be a terrific example for smaller
schools looking to add hockey programs. I know when we've
talked with our friends at College Hockey, Inc. They've really
been high. Sean Hogan when we talked to him about
bringing in programs that are mid size or smaller schools
(20:23):
in smaller markets that can attract a fan base. And
it sounds like they've done things very much the right
way at Augustana, including a jewel of an ice arena.
Speaker 3 (20:33):
They've done it right. They didn't try to do this
low budget cut corners. They built a beautiful facility in
the right size. As I was highlighting there at the end,
this isn't a ten thousand seed arena. Eight thousand seat
six three thousand seats just feels like the most ideal
sized building you could build these days. I was at
(20:56):
the Benley Arena last night. That's under two thousand. That's
a good size arena. It was midweek game, less than
half full, and you still felt like you had some atmosphere.
Speaker 4 (21:05):
That's what these small buildings gave you.
Speaker 3 (21:07):
But I just feel like, going back to your question, though,
I do feel like as an administrative arm, Augustana has
done things correctly.
Speaker 4 (21:16):
They not cutting.
Speaker 3 (21:18):
I think that's the number one thing is you can't
try to become a Division one program on a budget.
You have to find the resources and know that you
have them before you just jump in full two feet, because.
Speaker 4 (21:32):
There really is.
Speaker 3 (21:33):
If anybody looks at programs that are trying to elevate
right now or have elevated recently, you can't look at
any of them and say, hey, they went in, they
didn't do it right. You look at the Arizona States,
the Penn States, now Augustana. These programs are going full force.
They're finding conferences. It took Arizona State a long time
(21:55):
to find their home, but now that they have it
there on the right path. Penn State, we've seen some
success out out of them, and now obviously Augustana. You
do it right, you can have success.
Speaker 2 (22:05):
And you got to have the right coaches in that position.
Start looking at Bill mccult at Lindenwood or Brett Riley
at lu Is. A younger coach is looking for head
coaching positions who are maybe an experienced guy like David
Barrard at stone Hill having the right guy behind the bench,
(22:26):
and certainly it looks like that situation with Garrett at
august Stana. Having the right guy behind the bench is
key to having that program get off to a great start.
Speaker 3 (22:36):
Every one of those programs you just mentioned, you can
throw that in with Arizona State, Penn State.
Speaker 4 (22:41):
Every one of those programs can.
Speaker 3 (22:43):
Already in their early days tell stories, whether it's stone
Hill with the win over a nashally ranked team and
UMass Lowell more than I don't even want to talk
about a multiplier because they had one Division one a
year ago. I lived right now that day've done some
great things. Brett Riley in his first year immediately having
(23:04):
some impact. They did it during COVID. You talk about
linden Wood every weekend. You can look at the scoreboard
and say, oh, another good one for Lindenwood.
Speaker 4 (23:13):
Hey, that's a pretty good win. That's a good effort.
Speaker 3 (23:16):
I feel like all of these schools have some early
success stories to tell, and that's what you want as
you try to watch Division one hockey expand nationally.
Speaker 2 (23:26):
We'll look forward to seeing the progress of Augustan and
going forward. This episode has been sponsored by the NCAA
Men's Division one Frozen four April tenth and twelfth in
Saint Louis, Missouri. Get your tickets now at NCAA dot
com slash Frozen four. For Jim Connolly, I'm Ed Trevsker
and this has been US Echo Spotlight
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