SIUE Cougar Gold Overall Record
Year
Record
Division
Regular Season Finish
Conference Titles
Highest Regional Ranking
96-97
0-21-0
Silver
Last
-
Unranked
97-98
6-15-0
Silver
Last
-
Unranked
98-99
Folded
-
-
-
-
99-00
3-16-1
Silver
Last
-
Unranked
00-01
3-13-1
Silver
Last
-
Unranked
01-02
19-10-1
Silver
1st
Lost in Finals to RMC-S
Unranked
02-03
21-6-1
Silver
2nd
Silver Champs
Unranked
03-04
25-6-0
Gold
1st
Gold Champs
10th
04-05
26-9-1
Gold
1st
Gold Champs
10th
05-06
25-7-3
Gold
4th
Gold Champs
10th
06-07
25-6-0
Gold
1st
Lost to Missouri State in Finals
5th
07-08
15-11-0-1
Gold
2nd
Lost to Mizzou in SF
12th
08-09
10-11-1
Gold
5th
Lost to Iowa in SF
Unranked
Total
178-126-9-1
Gold
1st (3 Gold, 1 Silver)
4 (3 Gold, 1 Silver)
5th

         1996-97

In 1996, the Club formed and petitioned to be a member of the Mid American Collegiate Hockey Association (MACHA), an affiliate member of the American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA). It was granted a probationary status. The Club, made up of players mostly from the immediate area around the campus, played and practiced at the East Alton Ice Arena. In its inaugural season the Club posted no victory's.

         1997-98

The Cougars officially became a part of the MACHA. The Club moved to the US Ice Sports Complex in Fairview Heights. The Cougars record for the season was six wins and fifteen losses.

         1998-99

In November of the 1998-99 season, then Coach and General Manager Bill Miziak, ceased operation of the team as a participating member of the MACHA, due to administrative shortcomings and financial difficulties. All games were cancelled. All Club assets (jerseys, pucks, water bottles, and the team banner) were misappropriated and never returned back to the club.

         1999-2000

In May of 1999, down but not out, the Club's Student Board of Directors went to the MACHA yearly meeting and requested reinstatement for the Cougars. Scott Cloin headed up the effort and along with other members of the Club, presented themselves in a mature and business like manner that so impressed the MACHA member teams, that they were granted their request for the coming season.

Under new team leadership consisting of Cloin, Corby Carlson, Scott Stahlhut, Bryan Raymer, Jason Power and Tom Hoagland, the team regrouped. Mr. Larry Thatcher was approached and agreed to serve as Head Coach and General Manager for the team, along with Assistant Coach Mr. Dennis Gerling. SIUE's Chad Rogers was soundly behind the team offering both advice and providing the maximum in financial help that was allowed under the guidelines of SIUE. The team moved its games and practices back to the East Alton Ice Arena and held open tryouts. The season was a struggle with the Cougars winning only three games, losing sixteen games and tying one, but progress was made. A budget was in place, all players paid their financial obligations and several sponsors came forward to help out. The new and improved Cougar Hockey Club had a sense of honor, sportsmanship and discipline that was lacking in its first two seasons under Miziak. It was being run like a business and despite a losing record; it was evident that the Club was on its way and entering a new era. A Mission Statement was adopted in 1999 and reads as follows:

The Southern Illinois University Cougars Hockey Club is dedicated to providing the student athlete an opportunity to participate in the sport of ice hockey. The team will belong to an established, legitimate ice hockey league competing for regional and national titles. The Club shall emphasize academic performance with eligibility criteria, sportsmanship, and institutional integrity.

         2000-01

The Cougars posted yet again, another losing season going 3-13-1. However, administratively many things had changed. The club now had assets in the ownership of four sets of game jerseys and socks, practice jerseys, pucks, water bottles and a medical kit, items that it takes to be a viable hockey team. Continued support from Club Sports at SIUE, both financially and in spirit, heightened the awareness in the Clubs members of their closeness to the University and their need to maintain its integrity. In keeping with the new Mission Statement, players understood that they were an extension of the University wherever they were as a team. Each player signed an agreement of financial obligation and "code of conduct" to be a participant in the club. The bills were getting paid and being a part of the team was something to be proud of. The Cougars had a lot of fun during the season and while still losing, the scores were getting closer and respect was forming around the league for the feisty group of players from SIUE.

         2001-02

A turnaround season, the club continued to build on the foundation set in place the two previous seasons as new players began to arrive. Recent high school stars from around the area as well as a stand out from Red Bud, Illinois by the name of Sean Walls, showed up in the Cougars annual "mini camp". With seven new players added to the core of veteran Cougars, the team went 18-9-1 for the year. One of the bright moments was beating Bradley University for the first time in the history of the Club, and doing it in their "house" at the Owens Center in Peoria. The Cougars finished in first place in the regular season or the Silver Division of the MACHA and were no longer the brunt of jokes around the league. With the regular season championship under its belt, the club went to Chicago to compete in its first ever MACHA Championship Playoff. Winning the first round over the University of Iowa, the Cougars went on to compete against Robert Morris College - Chicago for the Silver Division Championship. Leading 3-2, the game slipped through the fingers of the Cougars when Robert Morris tied the game with just :38 to play in regulation time, going on to win the game in overtime, scoring 5:32 into the first overtime period. But the season had been a tremendous success and the boys looked forward to the coming fall. The season ended with a banquet and honored Chad Rogers with the teams new "Presidents Award" for his continued support of the club.

         2002-03

The season started off with a bang when nearly fifty players showed up for the August tryouts. Among them were star players from Christian Boys College of St. Louis, Matt Kaiser and Austin Jones, standout forward Jason Walker from the Edwardsville High School as well as a former St. Louis University - Division I player and Chicago native, Joe DiMaggio. Along with these formidable "rookies", fourteen veteran Cougar players returned to take part in what would turn out to be the Clubs first LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON. With so many players eager to participate in Cougar Hockey, spurred on by the suggestion of Craig Buntenbach, who also served as the head coach, the Club decided to add a second team which would serve as a Junior Varsity team and participate as a Division III team. Tim Ruyle served as an assistant coach on the DIII team.

The 2002-03 highlights are outlined below:

                                                                                  Cougar History 2003- Present