Colgate University
| Colgate University | |
| Location | Hamilton, NY |
|---|---|
| Distance from RPI | 130 mi. |
| Venue name | Starr Rink |
The Colgate University Raiders are one of the twelve men's and women's hockey teams in the ECAC and one of the six ECAC teams in New York State. Excluding Union, Colgate is the closest ECAC school to RPI - a little under 2.5 hours by bus or car.
Hockey at Colgate is played at Starr Rink, a 2,600 seat arena located across the street from most of Colgate's campus. The rink is among the smaller in the league, but still rarely comes close to selling out. Bands are usually placed in the visitor section at the end of the rink (behind the visiting goalie) or in one of the sections adjacent to the visitor section.
Colgate's fans are mostly docile and friendly, and their band is friendly and sociable. We usually play at least one song with them whenever one of us travels to the other's school. In the 2006-2007 season, we hosted the Colgate band for a night, having a joint party with both bands and putting them up in the Union for the night.
Where to stay
In general, there is a real lack of viable lodging in the immediate Hamilton area. If going for a Colgate/Cornell weekend, it would make more sense to stay somewhere between the two schools (most likely in Cortland). If traveling to Colgate for a playoff series, staying in Utica may be advisable since that's where you'll be spending your afternoons shopping and sightseeing.
If looking to stay in the immediate vicinity of Colgate, the White Eagle Conference Center rents cabins with 4 double rooms each for a reasonable price. In the winter this place will be mostly deserted and the band can have it pretty much to itself.
White Eagle Conference Center
2816 Lake Moraine Road
Hamilton, NY 13346
P: 1-800-295-9322
P: 315-824-2002
What to do
The general consensus between both the Colgate and RPI Pep Bands has been that there is nothing to do at Colgate. Keeping this in mind, the band decided to go to Utica for the day on their most recent trip to Colgate. Utica boasts a number of malls and a movie theater within walking distance of each other, as well as the Matt Brewing Company, home of Saranac beer. The brewery offers tours on Saturday and Sunday afternoons (call ahead for reservations) that cost $10. Each tour includes two free beers or nonalcoholic beverages.
Recent Trips
- December 4, 1998
- February 22, 2003
- March 2-4, 2007 (1st Round ECAC Playoffs)
- February 15, 2008
- February 26, 2010
- February 24, 2012
- February 14, 2014
- January 30, 2015