Since 1957, soldout crowds have packed the University of Illinois Ice Arena for Fighting Illini hockey games. This past season, record crowds stuffed the 2,100-seat Arena, cheering the team to a 20-16-1 record and No. 6 national ranking. The team celebrated last month with an awards banquet at which five players were named ACHA All-Americans. The Illini, despite modest expectations heading into the season following the graduation of three outstanding scorers, quickly earned a reputation as the team to beat. By November, following wins over perennial powerhouses Iowa State and Penn State, the team earned the No. 2 ranking in the American Collegiate Hockey Association's Division I poll. In January, the Illini earned their third-straight bid to the national tournament. But a tough second semester schedule, which included road trips to Penn State and Ohio, bumped the team into the sixth seed for nationals - despite a victory over eventual national champion Ohio. At the national tournament in March at Tuscon, Arizona, the team earned its final No. 6 ranking following a tough overtime loss to No. 3-ranked Iowa State. A team-record five players were named All-Americans by the ACHA Coaches' Committee: Chad Cassel, Terry Kasdan, Emmett McCarthy, Kurt Penn, and Tom Radja. In addition, Kasdan, McCarthy, and Penn were also named to the Academic All-America team. An exciting season is planned for next year. Among the teams visiting the Ice Arena in Champaign next winter will be Penn State and Arizona. Tickets for next year's games will go on sale in September at the U of I Ice Arena. For ticket information, or for more information about the team, please call the Ice Arena at (217)333-2212. The Fighting Illini are members of the Central States Collegiate Hockey League. On a national level, the team is affiliated with the American Collegiate Hockey Association - Division I.