Former player leads USU hockey into new season
The 2019-2020 season brings a wave of changes for the Utah State University Aggies hockey team. Most noticeably is the addition of new head coach Todd Renae, who replaces C.J. Westlake behind the bench.
Renae, who is both an alumnus and former player for the Aggies, brings a wealth of knowledge of the team, as he played with several players on the current roster. “I’m looking forward to being in that atmosphere again,” Renae said. Despite the familiarity between the new coach and returning players, Renae wants to start with a “fresh slate” for the upcoming season. “This is a new face for Utah State hockey.”
Looking back on last season, in which the team made waves by winning the regional tournament and making it to nationals, the returning players expect to build on that success for the upcoming campaign. Though the team did well, fifth-year center Chris “Cutti” Cutshall pointed out the deficiencies that potentially kept the team from winning a championship.
“From last year, we [were] a little weak on the defense a little weak on the forward. We just didn’t have the depth,” he said. Looking ahead to this year: “I’ve been here for five years now and it is probably one of the most intense tryouts we’ve had yet.”
Renae added,“Honestly, it all boils down to hard work. You can have all the talent in the world but if you don’t have the heart and the determination to win, then you won’t get anywhere. We have to be a much more disciplined team, when it comes to penalties [and] we have to be disciplined mentally and physically.”
Building on last season’s success will be more than manageable for the Aggies, with so many starters returning and the team having the depth they lacked in 2018-19. Another one of the Aggies’ traits which will carry over is the grit they bring to each game.
“Utah State has always been known as a rough team, a physical team. Teams know when they come to play Utah State they know it’s going to be loud, it’s going to be physical,” Cutshall said
Perhaps one of the most important factors to how well the season goes for USU is the bond created between the team in Coach Renae.
“My approach right now is to build a comradery between new guys, old guys and myself. Just to kind of build back up that family atmosphere that this team has always had,” he said. And those players who already have a relationship with Renae attested to how able he is to bring the team together.
Fourth-year forward Gavin Lubin has history with Renae and played with him for much of his career with the Aggies. “Me and coach Renae go way back. We played together my freshman, sophomore and junior year. He’s a great guy…I’m just really excited he’s on the bench. I’m proud to play for him… I can tell he’s going to put as much effort into his coaching as he did into his play.” Cutshall added: “He’s a really good dude, has a really good heart. He’s excited, we’re excited. Stepping in behind him is going to be a fun ride. It’s honorable for my last year to be with his first year.”
The first home game of the season is Oct. 12, when the Aggies faceoff against the University of Providence. Game time is 7 p.m. and will be at the Eccles Ice Center in Logan.