HOOKSETT, NH — With his senior season wrapped up, Nichols College Captain Brendan Schmidt reflects on his college career with pride.
“It was definitely a fulfilling experience,” Schmidt said of his four seasons and captaincy role. “My teammates made my job easy. We only had a senior class of three guys. I think it’s a good way to look back, especially where we were at and what we were able to accomplish, changing the culture here, and what the standard is going forward.”
The Bison made their way to the Conference of New England semifinal game this year, their best finish in Schmidt’s time with the program. Schmidt played 89 total games in his NCAA career. A rare mid-season commitment, Schmidt played fourteen games in the Spring semester of the 2022-2023 season.
In his third season with the New Hampshire Avalanche, he had climbed the ranks from the EHLP to a full-time EHL role. After 26 games, he was offered a spot with Nichols. With two weeks to decide, Schmidt weighed his options.
“It was my age-out year so like anyone else, I had high aspirations of making it to the next level. In the beginning of the year, I was just taking one day at a time and was waiting to see who reached out to me. I went on a few tours, and wasn’t really in love with any of those schools. Cerrella [Avalanche Head Coach] told me about Coach Gacek at Nichols. ‘He’s a young coach, it’s his first year, he thinks that we get along.’ So after Thanksgiving, we set up a tour and I liked it a lot. I liked the campus, um, was able to meet some of the guys and they were all super nice to me. But, first and foremost, I really liked how upfront and honest Coach Gacek was. He told me what to expect. I talked with my family and had a few more conversations with Coach Gacek, and then ultimately decided it was the right decision for me.”
And so after 93 junior games with the Avalanche, Schmidt began his college hockey career.
He began with the Avalanche in the EHLP. College hockey had always been a goal of his and with the COVID-19 pandemic looming over any potential decision, he selected the steadiest route. Although largely unfamiliar with the junior hockey landscape, Schmidt sought out to make the most of all it had to offer.
Schmidt racked up 27 points across 34 games his rookie season. Describing the year as “massive” for his development, he honed his skills with the extra ice time and focused on more time in the gym.
“It was all about understanding the habits that take you to the next level,” he added.
After beginning his second year on the EHL team, he was moved to the EHLP for the second half of the season. Although he only got nine games on the top squad, it was a pivotal year for his growth.
“It gave me a chip on my shoulder. A lot of my time in the EHL was sitting in the stands. I got to see what it’s like on the other side. From watching the older guys and how they approached the game, I was ready to do whatever it took cause I wanted to play hockey.”
Fully embracing his role as a steady, defensive defenseman, Schmidt became a regular in Coach Cerrella’s 2022-2023 lineup. Prioritizing shutting things down in his own end and moving pucks north, he earned a reputation that carried him into college.
Although he was largely “in his shell,” when he first arrived at Nichols, his comfortability and confidence grew with time. Getting to know his teammates alongside relying on habits learned in juniors, he saw the culmination of his efforts. And with this experience, came wisdom.
“What I came away with was understanding that it didn’t matter what you did in the past. What matters most is what you do next” Schmidt said of his commitment. He scored a pair of goals in his freshman season.
With a mindset founded upon trust, patience, and hard work, Beaulac shows there’s no one way to climb the EHL’s ladder of development.
