The Miami University RedHawks hockey team has released its schedule for the upcoming 2025-26 season, and fans have plenty to be excited about despite a rough 2024-25 season. The RedHawks will play 34 regular-season games, including two holiday tournaments: the Friendship Four in Belfast, Northern Ireland, and the Great Lakes Invitational in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
The RedHawks will play 14 home games at Steve Cady Arena in Oxford, Ohio, five fewer than last season.
Miami’s first home series is against Ferris State on Oct. 3-4, followed by big home matchups later in the year against Arizona State, Colorado College, Minnesota Duluth, Omaha, St. Cloud State, and defending national champion Western Michigan.
Friendship Four in Belfast
One of the standout parts of the schedule is the Friendship Four tournament held at The SSE Arena in Belfast. This event marks 10 years of NCAA hockey in Northern Ireland. Miami will compete against RIT (Atlantic Hockey), Sacred Heart (Atlantic Hockey), and Union College (ECAC) in November, battling for the Belpot Trophy. This tournament is the first and only NCAA Division I ice hockey event outside of North America, making it a truly unique opportunity.
For Miami’s players, the Friendship Four is more than just a tournament, as it’s a rare chance to travel internationally and experience something similar to studying abroad, typically difficult for hockey players due to their schedules in both semesters.
Great Lakes Invitational: Midseason Test
The RedHawks will also compete in the Great Lakes Invitational (GLI) in late December at Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids, Michigan. This historic midseason tournament features matchups against Ferris State (CCHA), Michigan State (B-10), and Michigan Tech (CCHA). The GLI is a great opportunity for Miami to face tough competition from outside the National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) and prepare for the grind of conference play. Facing a strong Michigan State team, who won the Big Ten Championship last season, and Michigan Tech out of the CCHA will give Anthony Noreen’s group good exposure to different playing styles before the NCHC gauntlet.
Tough Road Matchups
On the road, Miami has trips to RPI (ECAC) and Lindenwood (Independent) early in the season, followed by a visit to Western Michigan in November, Denver in December, and Arizona State in January—the team’s first ever trip to Tempe. The season closes with five weekends of alternating home and road series, featuring matchups against St. Cloud State, North Dakota, Minnesota Duluth, and Omaha.
Incoming Recruits and Transfer Portal Additions
Right now, it’s not clear how many players will return from last year’s roster, but it won’t be many. This means Miami’s newcomers will need to step up right away to fill key roles. Here is a list of the newcomers below:
Recruiting Class:
Transfer Portal Additions:
This non-conference schedule is important for Miami to prepare for NCHC play, and it is definitely much improved compared to last season. The mix of tournaments and matchups with teams from other conferences should help the team build chemistry and find its rhythm, something very important for a team with a lot of younger guys. The hope is that this preparation will set up the freshman class and transfers for success in NCHC competition later in the season.
Miami fans have reason to be optimistic heading into the season. With new talent coming in and a schedule full of new challenges, the RedHawks have a chance to begin putting the program back on the map.
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