Waynesburg University is home to a variety of sports options for student athletes, including football, basketball, soccer and baseball to name a few.

One sport the university lacks is a hockey team, whether it be ice, roller or dek. There is no school-sanctioned team, but that doesn’t stop students from playing the sport they love.

Dean Hodgdon is a senior finance major with minors in both economics and accounting and an avid New York Rangers fan. Hodgdon doubles as both a student and hockey player.

Currently, Hodgdon plays for five different teams ranging in all three previously mentioned disciplines of hockey. At his busiest, Hodgdon can be playing on over seven teams. One of those teams, the As Is Tradition Kings (AIT), found themselves playing in a tournament in Chicago, Illinois.

Traveling while playing for AIT is nothing out of the ordinary, but, according to Hodgdon, this tournament stood out to him because the team was sought out and invited to be a part of it based on their reputation for skill and the other events they take part in.

“We always play tournaments in Ocean City, Maryland every year,” said Hodgdon. “We also travel to Florida and we go to Philly a lot too.”

The consistent travel and associated costs add up.

“We pay for all of our trips ourselves. For Chicago, I rode down with a buddy and we just pay for it. This team is strictly for tournaments and traveling so it’s not like we’re traveling like that every weekend,” said Hodgdon.

Hodgdon, along with a very small handful of other Waynesburg students play at Hot Shots, the closest dek rink to Waynesburg’s campus. He also plays in a roller league team with his dad. Even though playing on multiple may be time-demanding on Hodgdon, he has found a way to manage his time.

“All of the teams are adult league teams so there aren’t any practices,” Hodgdon said. “With it being adult league, it’s nice too because everyone has jobs during the day and I have school, so the games are always in the evening. It’s rough though, because some of those games are really – really – late, like midnight puck drops… So, I wouldn’t be getting home until 3 a.m. after those games.”

The closest ice rink to campus is Rostraver Ice Arena, the 2017 winner of Kraft Hockeyville, but according to Hodgdon, Hot Shots is the “base of operations” for students playing hockey.

Although he devotes time to his sport, according to Hodgdon, his priority is his studies.

“I came [to Waynesburg] for my education, I didn’t come here to be a pro athlete,” said Hodgdon. “D3 schools don’t offer sports scholarships either. So, I am definitely here for my career.”