Boys' Ice Hockey

Chris Bala '97 P '25 '27 | Head Coach
cbala@thehill.org

After graduating from Hill in 1997, Bala attended Harvard University, where he played four years of Division I ice hockey. Two months after finishing his freshman year at Harvard, Bala was selected by the Ottawa Senators in the second round of the 1998 NHL Draft. He elected to stay at Harvard for all four years, though, and served as an assistant captain during his senior year. 

Bala made his professional ice hockey debut with the Grand Rapids Griffins in the American Hockey League (AHL) in 2001-02. In his rookie season, Bala was named an AHL All-Star and earned a call-up from the Ottawa Senators, playing six games in the NHL. He played in the AHL until 2005 and returned to Pennsylvania to finish his career, spending two seasons with the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL) Reading Royals. Bala was named the Royals’ team captain for his final season. He was inducted into the Reading Royals Wall of Honor in 2014. 

Bala retired from professional hockey in 2007 and returned to The Hill as a member of the Admission Office staff. In 2008, he joined the Hill boys’ ice hockey coaching program as an assistant coach. In 2013, Bala took the helm of the boys’ varsity ice hockey team and began a seven-year long successful stint in which he amassed a 108-78-11 record and led Hill to three Mid-Atlantic Hockey League (MAHL) championships. After three years as the head JV coach, Bala returned to the head varsity coaching role in 2024. 

Ben Bala '16 | Varsity Associate Head Coach 
 

Hill graduates who are currently playing hockey at a higher level:

Josh Bala ’25 – University of Richmond (ACHA DII)
Matt Dalkiewicz ’25 – Philadelphia Hockey Club (EHL)
Jack Johnson ’25 – Worcester Jr. Railers (NCDC)
Nick Karpovich ’25 – Villanova University (ACHA DI) / H.C. Rhode Island (EHL)
Leland Kiely ’25 – Penn State University (ACHA DII)
Ken Leary ’25 – Southern Methodist University (ACHA DII)
Axel Lindquist ’25 – Lehigh University (ACHA DI)
Liam Sheward ’25 – Maine Nordiques (NAHL)
Carter Williams ’25 – Worcester Jr. Railers (NCDC)

George Acklin '24 – Saint Anselm College (NCAA DIII) / Worcester Railers (NCDC)
John Danks '24 – New Jersey Bears (EHL)
Colby Dobek '24 – Tufts University (NCAA DIII) / New Jersey Hitmen (NCDC)
Jack O’Brien '24 – Sacred Heart University (NCAA D1) / Maine Nordiques (NAHL)
Chris Stackhouse '24 – Assumption University (NCAA DIII) / Worcester Jr. Railers (NCDC)
Lukas Zimovcak '24 – Skidmore College (NCAA DIII) / Danbury Hat Tricks (NAHL)

Nick Jarmain '23 – Bowdoin College (NCAA DIII) / Johnstown Tomahawks ‘C’ (NAHL)
Ryan Kearney '23 – Williams College (NCAA DIII) / P.A.L. Jr. Islanders ‘A’ (NCDC)
Grant McCormack ’23 – Villanova University (ACHA DI)
Tommy McDonough '23 – Hobart College (NCAA DIII) / New Hampshire Mountain Kings ‘C’ (NAHL)
Caden Olenczak '23 – Amherst College (NCAA DIII) / Johnstown Tomahawks ‘A’ (NAHL)
Ryan Sanborn '23 – University of Connecticut (NCAA DI) / Trenton Golden Hawks (OJHL)
Will Schneider '23 – University of Utah (ACHA DI)

Thomas Beaudoin '22 – Hamilton College (NCAA DIII) / Hawkesbury Hawks (CCHL)
Tyler Chenevert '22 – Skidmore College (NCAA DIII) / Boston Jr. Bruins (NCDC)
Ben Greenberg ’22 – University of Richmond (ACHA DII)
Austin Lambert ’22 – Penn State University (ACHA DII)
Brandon Spaulding '22 – Skidmore College (NCAA DIII) / Northeast Generals (NAHL)

View a comprehensive list of alumni who have continued their hockey careers beyond Hill. If you or a former teammate are not on this list but should be included, please complete this form.