Big things are happening with Union hockey—all of it good, if a little bittersweet.
Players, coaches, fans and alumni are stoked that hockey will have a new home—and state-of-the-art rink—at Mohawk Harbor in fall 2025. But moving is never easy, and neither is saying goodbye.
This past season was the last for Messa Rink, which has been the heart of Union hockey for decades.
“Every time I see Union hockey updates, I am filled with pride,” said Dr. Jamie Flerlage '05, who played defense. “Thinking about Messa Rink and my time as a co-captain floods my soul with amazing memories and makes me feel like I am still part of the Union hockey family.”
“The new rink will close an amazing chapter of Union hockey—Messa will really be missed—but also start a fresh one with so many stories to write,” continued Flerlage, division chief of pediatric hematology/oncology at the University of Rochester and assistant director of clinical trials at Wilmot Cancer Institute. “I look forward to reading about all the successes as the new chapter begins.”
The Garnet Chargers celebrate their 4-0 win over RIT Oct. 4, 2024.
The end of an era
Messa Rink was dedicated in 2003 after a renovation of Achilles Rink, Union’s first permanent indoor ice rink, which opened in 1975.
Steve Sisler ’79, who was a forward, holds the facility in high esteem.
“Our team came to Union when Achilles was just being finished. We were enlisted as unskilled labor to erect the bleachers and other finishing tasks. For the years I played there, Achilles was a magnet for student enthusiasm and there was a lot of student support for the team,” said Sisler, who owns Sisler Builders in Stowe, Vt. “
And with the renovation into Messa Rink, the transition of the curling pitch beneath the ice into state-of-the-art locker rooms and training facilities enhanced the possibilities,” he continued. “The better utilization of that space improved future teams’ training and fitness, yielding better results on the ice.”
Denise Webster '01, head of Dallas Commodities at Goldman Sachs Co., agrees.
“Raising the bar of successful programs is driven by a multi-faceted approach, and the home rink is paramount to this,” said Webster, who played forward and defense. “Messa Rink has offered a home arena that allowed the programs to build on the rich and respected history of Achilles while also evolving to attract talent in the ever-growing competitive landscape of college hockey.”
Indeed, Union has not shied away from this increasingly challenging landscape. To keep their competitive edge, the women’s team moved into Division I play the same year Messa opened (in 2003). The squad had competed in Division III since 1999, while the men’s team went to Division I in 1991.
It’s pretty known within the Union hockey community how special Messa Rink is. People on the outside looking in might think it’s old, but we know we’re playing for the guys before us. The rink brings these aspects of pride and history, and my favorite memory here was when we played against Brown in the playoffs. That game was unbelievable. The rink was packed, as it always is, but this was another level. That place was rocking, and I think that’s a big reason we won the game—there was just such great energy we could build off.
- Joseph Messina '27, defense
“I was part of the second class of Division I players at Union, and it was incredibly special to me,” said Ashley Kilstein Scire '08, who was a forward. “I saw it as an opportunity to be part of the ‘new’ chapter of hockey at Union and be able to propel it forward.” “It was important for the women’s team to join the men’s team at that level because it showed an investment in the hockey program as a whole,” added Scire, who is co-director of RinkSport Hockey Camps and works with the Junior Women’s Hockey League.
Chris Hancock ’96, who played right wing during his time at Union and who works in finance in Darien, Conn., agrees. He arrived at Union shortly after the men’s team joined Division I.
“Going Division I, it was incredibly exciting rubbing shoulders with the likes of Harvard and Cornell. It was a little bit like David and Goliath, but this motivated us to show that we were just as good as them,” he said. “The evolution of both the men’s and women’s programs has been wonderful to see.
“I remember when one of my fraternity brothers, Mark Reid ’96, co-coached the women’s club team that would lay the groundwork for today’s Division I team,” continued Hancock, who helped establish the Garnet Blades group that supports the men’s team. “It’s been great to have the women proudly playing alongside the men.”
Both squads have grown immensely during the last two decades, thanks to their coaches, their own grit and dedication, and partially, Messa Rink itself.
“Having Messa right at the heart of campus made it a hub for bringing everyone together. The atmosphere, especially on game days, is hard to beat,” said Ashley Johnston ’14, who captained the women’s team as a student and is now in medical school at Georgetown University. “When you have a place like that, it naturally helps build a solid foundation for players and a passionate culture that I think has been a staple of Union hockey.”
Daniel Carr ’14, a member of the 2014 National Championship team who is now playing professionally in Switzerland, sees Messa Rink as an emblem of what really makes Union hockey special.
“It’s as much about the people as it is about the facility, particularly Frank Messa and those like him,” Carr said. “Our program has been built by people who support it, like alumni, and the players and staff who put in countless hours of work. Messa Rink is a symbol of this.”
For his part, Frank Messa ’73 is honored to have had the opportunity to support hockey and the renovation of Messa Rink at Achilles Center.
“It’s been very satisfying for me, watching these men and women compete, and hockey has become a real point of pride for the entire college,” said Frank Messa '73. “We’ve had multiple Hobey Baker Memorial Award and Hockey Humanitarian Award nominees, countless academic and philanthropic award winners and All- Americans, several conference championships and a Division I championship.”
“But just as we needed to upgrade Achilles to remain competitive 20 years ago, the Mohawk Harbor facilities will allow our teams to compete in the new world of Division I athletics,” continued Messa, who is a member of the Board of Trustees and retired senior vice president of Ayco Co. “Messa is one of those rinks other teams hate to play in; the fans are almost on top of the ice. It’s a unique place and I’ll be sad to say goodbye, but the move to Mohawk Harbor is the right one.”
The Garnet Chargers take the ice as young fans cheer them on.
The start of a new era
The $50 million, 100,000-square-foot arena at Mohawk Harbor, just a short walk from campus, is slated to open in September 2025. It features a 2,200-seat ice hockey rink with capacity expanding to 3,600 for other sporting events, trade shows, special events and conventions.
“Our hockey program is headed in a special direction,” said Tony Maci, head coach of the women’s team. “We will be looking to play a disciplined and skilled style of game and look to make Mohawk Harbor a great and fun place to play. We are excited to move to a state-of-the-art facility, where players have everything they need to develop.”
The memory that stands out the most to me is scoring my first NCAA goal and hat trick against Holy Cross. I remember that morning at breakfast, I was talking with Coach Josh Sciba and he said jokingly, ‘Can you just score a goal already?’ And then I went and scored three goals that game. It was just so special because I had been dreaming about that moment for a long time.
- Maddie Leaney '27, forward
Specifically, Mohawk Harbor will house coaches' offices and provide the teams with their own lounges and locker rooms, a designated strength and conditioning facility, and a training room with more space for rehab and therapy, explained Director of Athletics Jim McLaughlin ’93. Union club hockey will also be played in the new facility.
Josh Hauge, head coach of the men’s team, is excited about what this means for all Union athletics, not just hockey.
“Mohawk Harbor will allow for more space on campus for other athletic programs,” he said. “This is a huge upgrade for our Athletics Department and many student-athletes.”
McLaughlin echoed these sentiments.
“One of the great things about Mohawk Harbor is that it will really benefit a lot of our teams,” he said. “We are in need of more locker room and indoor turf space. This move will allow us to turn Messa into an indoor turf facility, which will be outstanding for baseball, softball and other teams that start training in January.”
“Mohawk Harbor also gives us a second strength and conditioning room, which will alleviate some of the pressure on the Travis J. Clark Strength facility at Messa Rink,” McLaughlin continued. “A number of teams will use the Mohawk strength and conditioning facility.”
Another big benefit of Mohawk Harbor?
“Union and Schenectady are linked, always have been and always will be,” said Messa. “Any kind of facility that benefits Union and Schenectady, as this one will, is a win for everyone. Anything that makes Union stronger makes Schenectady stronger, and vice versa.”
One way Mohawk Harbor will make Union stronger?
“Facilities. Facilities matter. We’ve seen this with science and engineering and the tremendous difference these new spaces have made to students and faculty,” said McLaughlin. “Likewise, facilities matter to hockey recruits and prospects. Mohawk Harbor puts us in the same place as many other teams in our league in terms of excellent facilities. It will really help in recruiting student-athletes.”
For Tony Ianniello ’65, an attorney from Saratoga Springs, N.Y., this will build on the impact hockey has already had on the College. Ianniello is a longtime seasonticket holder and Garnet Blades supporter who contributed to the video scoreboard in Messa Rink. He also hosts an annual dinner for both hockey teams each year.
“The success of hockey has given Union a national audience,” he said. “The College brand has been greatly enhanced by the programs and consequently, the school has become more geographically diverse.”
“I am very proud of the small role I have played in bolstering the Union brand through hockey, just as I am proud of the student-athletes,” Ianniello added. “They have excelled in academics and athletics and have used skills learned at Union to embark on successful post-graduate endeavors.”
