PEORIA – The 50th season of Bradley Hockey kicked off today as players reported back to campus for training camp Aug 13th-17th. Every year, veterans and rookies return to campus the week before classes start to get in shape, build comradery, and get a jump start on the season.

“This is the 4th straight year we’ve held camp, and the players seem to really enjoy it,” said D2 head coach JP Fitzgerald. “We have about 28 returning players and 17 incoming freshmen, so this is a really great way for guys to get to know one another and get acclimated to the culture and work habits we expect.”

The agenda for this year’s camp includes daily skates and workouts, along with several new teambuilding and volunteer events.

“I think we’re really raising the bar this season in terms of what we expect from our players,” said assistant coach Sam Martino. “Obviously what we do at the rink and on the ice is important, but we want to challenge our guys to grow as human beings. I think this year’s volunteer activities at Midwest Food Bank and EP!C will be a great way for us to give back and to be more active and involved in the Peoria community.”

In addition to the 17 incoming freshmen, there will also be a new addition to the coaching staff, as Brian Hamilton joined the program as the head coach for the D3 team earlier this summer.

“I’m really looking forward to meeting the players and getting started on this new adventure in hockey,” said Hamilton. “My style of coaching is very methodical and detail oriented. I like to prepare, review, and prepare some more, so camp is going to be an excellent chance for us to set expectations for the season, evaluate talent, and get a jump start on our competition.”

The D2 Braves kick off their season at home on Friday, September 7th against the University of Missouri at Owens Center. The D3 Braves kick off their season at home on Friday, September 14th against the University of Wisconsin-Platteville.

More information about Midwest Food Bank and EP!C Peoria can be found on their websites:

https://midwestfoodbank.org/home

https://epicci.org/