Montana Tech Hockey Player Feature: Riley Graves
Riley Graves has played a critical role in the Montana Technological University (Tech) hockey revival in Butte. The Kenai, Alaska native came to Tech to pursue a degree in Petroleum Engineering. Graves has played hockey for 14 years and saw a need for Tech to once again, have a hockey program. As the team’s president, he directly impacted those efforts in the Tech Hockey restart.
"I helped restart the club at the beginning of the semester, helping to get the word out in hopes that the club would take off, and it sure did," Graves said. "With a lot of help from Dave [Rathgeber] and the players who have come in to play, we have helped elevate this opportunity to become something more than just a few guys skating around on the ice."
Riley Graves in a Montana Tech hockey game (BnO)
As president of the Tech team, Graves has stayed busy with front office and administrative tasks. One of his primary roles is securing funding for the organization. Graves and other team officers have attended Associated Students of Montana Tech (ASMT) Student Government meetings to promote the club and lobby for funding to purchase new equipment and cover ice fees for games and practices. He hopes to incorporate a booster/fan club that will develop volunteers. Graves wants to establish each team officer's roles, which will help the team run like a professional organization by efficiently achieving tasks. Graves has also been busy working, training, and assigning volunteers to work for their upcoming March 1st and 2nd games.
“Riley was the catalyst for getting the team back up and running. He came to me at the [Tech] booth last year and this year, knowing I was a former player, hoping to get things up and running again. He really did all of the leg work in the beginning, finding every hockey player he could to come out and play,” said Head Coach, Dave Rathgeber. “He even got beginners involved and is directly responsible for a handful of people falling in love with playing the game. Riley has definitely taken being the new team’s first president with humble pride and huge determination - always willing to help out on and off the ice, all while juggling a tough course load.”
Aside from his duties as a team executive, Graves plays on the team.
"I'm a defenseman who enjoys jumping into the play and helping on the rush," he said.
His goals as a player are to improve himself on the ice daily, whether it's his conditioning or skill level, and grow into a family with the players around him.
Riley Graves in a Montana Tech hockey game in Butte, Montana (BnO)
Regarding playing hockey in the "Mining City," Graves could not be happier.
"I love the atmosphere here in Butte. During our first game, the crowd got into it, making the whole experience 10 times more enjoyable. To go in one semester from this being an idea to seeing all the people there to support us is just breathtaking."
Montana Tech Hockey
For more information on Montana Tech Hockey, check out their social media pages on Facebook: MTechHockey and Instagram @mtechhockey. You can also email them at Diggerhockey@mtech.edu about Montana Tech Hockey.
