ADRIAN, Mich. – The Adrian College Men's ACHA Division 1 hockey program has revealed the team's upcoming schedule for the 2025-2026 season.

After finishing with a total record of 32-4-2 and a conference record of 10-0 in 2024-25, the Bulldogs collected the program's thirteenth Conference Regular Season crown and ninth Conference Playoff championship. To add to their historical success, Adrian captured the inaugural GL6 Conference Playoff Championship last season, defeating Calvin University on home ice. The Bulldogs later went on to the 2025 ACHA Men's Division 1 National Tournament in St. Louis, Missouri where they defeated No. 11 Calvin University, No. 3 Ohio University, and No. 1 Minot State University before making their third consecutive appearance in the national championship game, where they eventually fell to No. 2 UNLV.

The 2025-26 agenda begins with an exhibition scrimmage at the Arrington Ice Arena on Tuesday, September 9 when the Bulldogs will take on the USPHL's Toledo Cherokee at 7:30 PM. The official start to the regular season will begin during Adrian College Homecoming Week, on the road against Trine University of ACHA Men's Division 2 on September 18. The Bulldogs will then return home on Friday, September 19 to the Arrington Ice Arena to take on the Thunder again at 7:00 PM for the team's home opener and the beginning of a ten-game home-stand. A week later, the Bulldogs welcome Northwood University to the Arrington Ice Arena for a two-game set on September 25-26, before home weekends against the University of Pittsburgh (10/3-4), Liberty University (10/10-11), and Syracuse University (10/17-18), before beginning a home-and-home series with Ohio University on October 23-24. The Bulldogs will then continue at home through October and into November, hosting Saginaw Valley State University (10/29-30) and Niagara University (11/6-7).

The Great Lakes Six Hockey Conference (GL6) will enter its second season of existence in 2025-26, with the original six members competing, along with the addition of a seventh school in Hope College, who will be transitioning from ACHA Division 3 to Division 1. The Bulldogs kick-off conference play by traveling to Roosevelt University on November 14-15, and will continue the conference slate with home-and-home match-ups against Davenport (11/20-21), Purdue Northwest (12/4-5), Hope College (1/15-16), Calvin University (1/22-23), and Grand Valley State University (2/12-13) before the conference playoff tournament takes place February 17-20. The GL6 Conference Playoff Tournament site is to be determined.

Other key contests on the 2025-26 schedule include the team's annual trip to Lynchburg, Virginia where the Bulldogs will battle long-time rival, Liberty University. Those two contests will take place January 30-31 and will be streamed live on ESPN+. After returning from Viriginia, the Bulldogs will then take on the University of Toledo in a home-and-home series on February 5-6.

We are really happy with how this year's schedule came out," stated Head Coach, Gary Astalos. "We have added a few national qualifying teams to this year's schedule with the hopes that this will significantly increase our strength of schedule points in the national rankings."

The Bulldogs will be hosting two Adrian Over Thirty Hockey Association (AOTHA) and Adrian Youth Hockey Association (AYHA) Nights during the season at the AIA, with the first one on September 26 versus Northwood University and the second on January 22 versus Calvin University. In addition, a Military Appreciation Night will be held on October 10 when the Bulldogs face-off against rival Liberty University at home. On February 5, the Bulldogs will honor their Senior Class of 2026 in a Senior Night ceremony ahead of a 7:00 PM game against the University of Toledo at the Arrington Ice Arena.
 
Upon the completion of the 2025-26 regular season and the 2026 GL6 Conference Playoff Tournament, the Bulldogs will then prepare for the 2026 ACHA National Championships, set to be hosted in St. Louis, Missouri from March 12-17 at the Centene Community Ice Center. 2026 will mark the fourth time since 2022 that the ACHA National Championship Tournament will take place at the CCIC; the official practice facility of the NHL's St. Louis Blues. Before the Bulldogs embark on their national tournament journey, they will host Indiana Tech University at the Arrington Ice Arena for a tune-up game at 7:00 PM on February 26.

To view the full 2025-2026 Adrian College Men's ACHA Division 1 Hockey schedule, click HERE or visit the Men's ACHA Division 1 Hockey page on the Adrian College Athletics website. For more on the Men's D1 Bulldogs, be sure to follow along throughout the season on social media, @AdrianMD1Hockey.