BOSTON, Mass. – For the second time in program history, the Union College men's hockey team is headed overseas to compete in the 2025 Friendship Four in Belfast, Ireland as announced on Tuesday at the Massachusetts State House. Union will be joined overseas by Sacred Heart University (AHA), Rochester Institute of Technology (AHA) and Miami University (NCHC) for the 10th anniversary of the tournament on November 28-29, 2025.

"We are excited to represent Union College and ECAC Hockey in the 2025 Friendship Four," said head coach Josh Hauge. "The opportunity to go on an international trip as a team is a once in a lifetime opportunity. We look forward to playing at SSE Arena and exploring the city of Belfast. The 2025-26 season is shaping up to be an incredible year for our program and we are grateful for this opportunity."

The tournament was designed to promote education, social welfare, and community interaction, building on the Sister Cities agreement between Belfast and Boston, signed a decade ago. With 24 games played across the six tournaments, Northern Ireland is the only destination outside of the United States to host consequential NCAA Division I ice hockey games.

Union previously competed in the 2018 Friendship Four and captured the championship. Jack Adams '20 scored in regulation and the shootout winner against Yale University to advance to the championship game against Boston University. Brett Supinski '19 opened the scoring against the Terriers before Parker Foo tallied the game winner while Darion Hanson '21 made 39 saves to send Union home as the 2018 Belpot Champions.

"We are so excited and thrilled to be able to have this opportunity to go play in Belfast," said junior Nick Young. "This is a trip that is unique and something that our whole team will be able to cherish forever. Our team wants to be able to go over there and win so that this opportunity of a lifetime will be able to continue to happen in our program for years to come."

Union looks to continue the success ECAC Hockey has seen in the overseas tournament with three of the six winners coming from the conference with Clarkson University taking the 2017 title and Quinnipiac University winning in 2022.

"The Friendship Four is a tremendous event for the entire Union community," said ECAC Hockey Commissioner and Union alumnus Doug Christiansen '02. "Having lived in Belfast for three years, I know how special the city is and how well the team will be treated. The players, staff and alumni will enjoy a once in a lifetime opportunity while playing great competition in Northern Ireland."

The four teams will square off at The SSE Arena, home of the Belfast Giants, a professional team that competes within the Elite Ice Hockey League. The arena has hosted the Friendship Four Tournament since 2015, when the inaugural tournament provided a four-game set that featured the ECAC's Brown University and Colgate University and Hockey East's UMass Lowell River Hawks and Northeastern Huskies.

The 2024 edition of the tournament will see Boston University play Merrimack College and Harvard University face The University of Notre Dame on November 29 with the championship game set for November 30.