2025-26 Season Week 1 Recap

The first weekend of College Hockey South action is in the books! Six teams hit the ice to open the 2025–26 season, and week one delivered history, high-scoring showdowns, and early upsets that shook the CHS world.

Here’s everything you missed from the opening weekend.

Game of the Week: Florida (M2) @ Embry-Riddle (M3)

Opening Night featured two Sunshine State teams as the University of Florida Gators (M2) took on the Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Eagles (M3) in CHS’s first Game of the Week of the season. The two faced off twice over the weekend, with Florida sweeping the series. 

Florida outscored Embry-Riddle 13-3 over the weekend. Leading the way for the Gators was last year's leading scorer, Liam Lecauchois, scoring the Gators' first goal this season. Several other Gators hopped on the score sheet this weekend, including Noah Horwitz with one goal and three assists, Brian Pine with two goals and two assists, Mike McCoy with two goals and one assist, and Lecauchois, who ended his weekend with one goal and two assists. 

The Gators won Friday night 7-1 and Sunday night 6-2. They head to Boca Raton to face Florida Atlantic (M2) on September 19th and 21st.

UNC–Wilmington (M2) @ Middle Tennessee (M3)

History was made in Murfreesboro as Middle Tennessee State took UNC Wilmington for a two-game series. This is the first time these teams have seen each other since CHS returned to the ACHA. 

Game 1 was a slow start for both teams, but UNCW’s Carter Dougherty found the back of the net in the middle of the first to bring the Seahawks up 1-0. After that, it was all Wilmington as Biago Pepe scored early in the 2nd, followed by Luke Nasson. 

MTSU managed to get one on the board by Linden Palmer within the final minutes of the third, and UNCW won game one of the series 5-1. 

Game two brought even more action as MTSU came out hot with the Blue Raiders up by one after the first period with goals by Matt Siciliano and Nick Haust. 

UNCW came back hungry in the second with three goals, two by Zach Onze and one by Chris Lawson. 

The Blue Raiders tie things up in the third, but within the final minutes, UNCW’s Lucas Moses wins it for the Seahawks 6-5 and completes the weekend sweep of one of CHS’s top programs. 

Clemson University (W) @ University of Tennessee (W)

Clemson scored 28 goals in one day, 13 in game one of their doubleheader, and 15 in game two. Leading the pack were Oliva Yoder, Alyssa Laurino, and Nina Molina, all with hat tricks on Saturday. 

Sunday brought nine more goals for the Tigers, with four of them being from Nina Molina. Margo Watkins and Alyssa Laurino also ended their weekend with two more goals.

The Tigers ended their weekend with 37 goals in three games, as well as two shutouts from goaltender Bella Quick. 

They are out of action until October 25th when they face Georgia Southern.

UNC–Charlotte (M2) @ South Carolina Gamecocks (M3)

Due to Zamboni issues, the Friday night matchup between the Gamecocks and 49ers was canceled. 

The reigning Division 3 AAU National Champion Gamecocks will have to wait until next weekend’s series against Vanderbilt to make their season debut.

ABOUT College Hockey South: Founded in 2008, College Hockey South is a 30-school, 46 team intercollegiate hockey conference spanning eight southeastern U.S. states. College Hockey South is a 501(c)3 not for profit organization.