Kevin McAllister is a quick study. He taught himself how to skate and play ice hockey when he was 19. Three years later, in the fall of 2014, he made Mason’s hockey team, keeping up with guys who have been playing since they were five years old.

McAllister decided to try playing hockey six months into working at the Prince William Ice Center, Mason’s home rink. His dad used to play, but he never was interested in the sport until after high school.

He played adult league hockey, and to improve his skill and stamina, he attended hockey camps during the summer and skated as much as possible. He admires the style of Patrick Kane of the Chicago Blackhawks and his ability to control the game.

After earning his Associate’s degree from NOVA in Business Administration, he transferred to Mason to study economics, with a concentration in managerial economics. Balancing a part-time job, playing hockey, and going to school full-time was challenging, but he managed to make it all work. He graduated from Mason on Dec. 21 and is the first in his family to go to college and finish with a Bachelor’s degree.

McAllister, 24, was born at Camp Lejeune, a military base in North Carolina. His father was in the Marines and then the Army, so his family moved around to a number of places, including Minnesota, Hawaii, Colorado, and his favorite place, Las Vegas. He graduated in 2010 from Potomac Senior High School in Dumfries, VA.

Although McAllister won’t be returning to play on Mason’s team when the season starts up again in January, he plans to play adult league hockey. He currently has a civilian job at the Air Force Office of Scientific Research, and recently joined the Air Force Reserve.

 Once his security clearance goes through, he’ll attend basic training and tech school for a year, then work as a fusion analyst for Air Force Intelligence when he’s not fulfilling his duties as a reserve member for one weekend per month as well as two full weeks in the year.