Union College Athletics

Former Union student-athlete Joel Beal ‘05 enters his second season on the men’s ice hockey coaching staff as a volunteer assistant coach.

Before joining Union, Beal spent two years coaching two teams. He has served as the assistant coach of the Varsity Prep League team at Albany Academy. Beal led recruiting efforts and worked with the forwards and power play units on a daily basis. He also helped monitor the off-season and pre-season training regimen and coordinated in-season video work. Beal also served as the Head Coach of the Troy Albany Youth Hockey Minor Midget AAA team.

After graduating in from Union in 2005, Beal spent three years coaching various youth hockey teams and running summer camps with the Schenectady Youth Hockey Association.

A four-year letterwinner at Union, Beal recorded 101 points (27 goals, 74 assists) in four seasons with the Dutchmen. A native of Brantford, Ontario, Beal is one of 19 student-athletes to reach 100 points in the history of the men’s ice hockey program. As an assistant captain in 2004-05, Beal led Union to its first regular season sweep of Rensselaer, and its first playoff win in nearly 11 years. He holds the school single-season assists mark (matched by Kelly Zajac in 2010-11) after recording 29 assists in 2002-03, and he is second on the career assists list.

Joel and his wife Jessica currently reside in Delanson, NY.