With the Division 2 AAU Nationals around the corner, it’s time to highlight the notable matchups in this year’s tournament. From cross-country battles to in-state rivalries, AAU Nationals will set the stage for some of the greatest on-ice moments of the year. 

Pool A: Florida Atlantic Owls vs Farmingdale State College Rams/Lynn Fighting Knights

You can’t discuss Division Two AAU Nationals without mentioning the one-seed Florida Atlantic University Owls. Led by several College Hockey South All-Stars, including goalie Rocco Bruno, they look to redeem themselves after a loss in last year’s championship game. The road to the finals starts with a next-door neighbor and an opponent from the north.

When you picture a national tournament, you’d figure you would see teams from all corners of the country facing off. That’s only partly the case for Florida Atlantic.

The Owls will open pool play against the Lynn University Fighting Knights. This will be the fourth meeting between the two teams, with Florida Atlantic 3-0. Lynn University and Florida Atlantic have the shortest distance between any two schools in the tournament, separated by 1.6 miles.

On the other end of the spectrum, Florida Atlantic will also have the longest-distance matchup as they take on the Farmingdale State College Rams. With the Rams based in Long Island, NY, the distance between the two schools is 1,293 miles. With all three teams looking to make a name for themselves, it should be an exciting start to the Division Two National Tournament.

Pool E: South Florida Bulls vs Tampa Spartans

Another fascinating pool play game is the rubber match battle for Tampa Bay. The sixth-seed University of Tampa Spartans and the fifth-seed University of South Florida Ice Bulls will battle for a spot in the playoff round and for bragging rights in Tampa Bay. 

The Bulls and Spartans split the season series, with USF winning 9-8 in the first matchup before suffering a 6-1 loss to the Spartans the next night. The Spartans will have to take down their Tampa Bay rival to avoid a similar fate as last season, where they were eliminated in pool play.

USF sits atop Pool E as it looks to make a name for itself in its first national tournament. The Bulls’ resurgent year led them to the College Hockey South conference championship game, where they fell short to Middle Tennessee State. If South Florida wants to capture a National Championship, it must win the third and deciding game against Tampa, or its destiny will leave its hands. 

– Gavin Coker, AAU Hockey Beat Reporter