LOWELL, Mass.—After ringing the inaugural Belpot in 2015, the UMass Lowell men's hockey team will return to Belfast, Northern Ireland for the 2022 Friendship Four, as revealed prior to puck drop against Massachusetts Friday night.
The highly-anticipated revival of the tournament, which last took place in 2019 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, was announced during a special pre-game press conference that included representatives from the event's organizer, The Odyssey Trust, in addition to a delegation from each of the participating schools, Hockey East and ECAC Hockey.
The Thanksgiving tournament will take place Nov. 25-26, 2022 at SSE Arena, home of the Belfast Giants, and will feature the River Hawks alongside former Friendship Four competitors Quinnipiac and UMass, as well as Dartmouth, who will be making its debut.
"We are honored to have been invited back to Belfast for the 2022 Friendship Four, after playing in the inaugural event in 2015. The Odyssey Trust truly puts on a world-class tournament that I'm excited for our hockey program to be part of once again," remarked Director of Athletics
Peter Casey. "Moreover, I'm thrilled that our student-athletes will have the opportunity to take this once-in-a-lifetime trip, and experience the culture of Northern Ireland."
In its sixth iteration, the Friendship Four was started in 2015 by The Odyssey Trust to promote education, social welfare and community integration in Northern Island. The tournament also serves to build the relationship between sister cities Belfast and Boston, a connection that was established in 2014 as a way to foster economic development, trade and investment, tourism, as well as education links between the cities. As the first and only NCAA Division I Hockey tournament held outside of the United States, the tournament provides a unique opportunity for student-athletes to engage with the local community in Northern Ireland.
"Our team is excited to participate in next year's event. The field seems incredibly deep and should provide very entertaining games," commented Head Coach
Norm Bazin. "The 2015 event proved to be very memorable for our team. This new group will be equally anxious to travel overseas and gain that experience as part of their college career."
In 2015, UMass Lowell became the first Friendship Four Champion after earning thrilling wins against Northeastern and Brown. Former River Hawks C.J. Smith (Des Moines, Iowa) and
Dylan Zink (Madison, Wisc.) each earned 'Man of the Match' honors for their game-winning contributions, respectively.
"We're thrilled to have The Odyssey Trust here in Boston to announce the long-awaited return of the Friendship Four. This tournament has grown to become an important weekend in the collegiate hockey calendar, and delivers valuable educational and life experiences for our colleges," added Hockey East Commissioner Steve Metcalf. "We look forward to the event, which will no doubt be a highlight for 2022-23 season."
