Courtesy of Brian Beard

Luke Wheeler ’25 is skating through this hockey season with two game-winning goals and a total of 13 points. For his skill on the ice, the Gridiron Club of Greater Boston recently named Wheeler a semifinalist for the Joe Concannon Award, which is given to the best American-born NCAA Division II or III player in New England.

The men’s hockey team is currently seeded second in the NESCAC with a 13–5–4 record. In its final regular season games this weekend,  the team’s focus will be on defending its spot to secure the greatest possible advantage going into the playoffs.

Looking towards these final games, Wheeler reflected on last year’s NESCAC championship, when the team defeated Williams College in overtime to clinch its third conference title.

“The chance to win another championship, especially back to back, is awesome. It’s really hard to win it once, but winning it twice is even harder. So, we have a pretty special opportunity to do that,” Wheeler said.

Wheeler is focusing on more than just himself as he trains for this weekend’s games.

“As an individual I am just continuing to push myself and contribute to the team as much as I can. Whether that’s on the stat sheet or not, I’m just trying to be the best team player I can be,” Wheeler said.

Wheeler knows how important team support and camaraderie are when faced with the pressure of final games and the upcoming playoffs. The hockey team’s close community, genuine encouragement of each other and friendship that goes beyond the rink are Wheeler’s favorite parts about playing for Bowdoin.

“Just hanging out on the weekends at the hockey house, those are definitely some of the best memories I have,” Wheeler said.

Wheeler has always loved skating. As he grew up, he looked beyond skating and to the challenges of the ice rink and the intense physical nature of the game. However, it was the fast-paced atmosphere of hockey that attracted him the most. Since his childhood, his love of hockey has not diminished.

From playing at Bowdoin to playing with his brothers back home in Colorado, hockey has always been a way for Wheeler to connect with others. His love for the sport began when he started attending Denver University hockey games with his family. Since he was as young as five years old, he has spent his childhood afternoons playing hockey with his brothers on his family’s ranch.

Wheeler’s love of hockey and support from his teammates has sustained him throughout his career, and he is also grateful for the work of each one of his coaches. He emphasizes the team’s bond with Head Coach Ben Guite, who is in his second year of coaching at Bowdoin.

“[Guite] knows what it takes to win in any league, not just the NESCAC, but professionally too. So he’s been able to impart a lot of that on [the team]. And since we know he has the experience, we’ve been pretty open to receiving it, and I think he’s really helped us in the long run,” Wheeler said.

No matter how the season ends, Wheeler remains thankful each time he skates onto the ice.

“It’s really nice to be close with the other guys and all be pushing towards the same goal. I think generally, in my opinion, hockey is the best sport there is, although I’m probably a little biased,” Wheeler said.