Latest / College Hockey Mouth / Episode 35: Keeleigh Bott | Wesleyan College

Transcript

Episode 35: Keeleigh Bott | Wesleyan College · College Hockey Mouth

• Danny Baum: Hey everybody, welcome back to College Hockey Mouth, a College Hockey South podcast. This is episode thirty five. Jordan, quick. Name of famous number thirty five. I'm putting you on the spot. Number thirty five, go. Jordan Manning: I mean I'm wearing a pre shirt right now, so pecarina is the first part that came to mind. Danny Baum: There you go. That's that's what I was looking for. That a boy. He was he was quick on his feet. Episode thirty-five. I will be your host tonight. My name is Danny Baum. I'll be joined alongside Avery Gugliata and Jordan Manning. our usual host, Devin Serra. I don't know if you guys checked the injury report. He's on the mend. I think he was listed with hurt feelings or maybe a broken spirit. after watching the first week of Red Wings hockey. and you know what? It That would break even the strongest people's spirit. So and really just the entirety of Detroit sports in the last calendar year. It's it's been an embarrassment. The Lions not good. The Pistons, yuck. and now the Red Wings don't even have their captain. and when he was shown on the Jumbo tron, he got booed. So God, I hope Devin watches this back. but enough about Devin. Jordan, how was your weekend? Jordan Manning: It's going good. I mean, as I mentioned, we're in the preds shirt. I got the preds on in the background. Currently, right now, it is 3-1 Nashville. So I'm kind of ecstatic because I low-key hate Toronto. So I'm just pretty happy that we're actually kicking butt this time and not like last season where we started off the season pretty badly. But overall, it's been a good day so far. Danny Baum: Love to hear that. Avery, how's your weekend but besides the the successful weekend series you guys had against Miami? Avery Gugliotta: The weekend was pretty good. I really hung out. It's been rainy here in Tampa, so nothing too crazy, but had a nice chill weekend, you know. Columbus outcoming this weekend, so needed need a little rest, but definitely a good weekend. Danny Baum: Yeah, and that that's gonna be one of our primary focuses. this episode, one that I was definitely very excited to record and to one of the people I was looking forward to talking to the most because she's a player that's making a ton of noise on a team that's made a ton of very, very positive noise in the early goings, a new team with some great media rollout, some great support from their local school. from Wesleyan College. And you know what? Before we we introduce Keely Bot, if you're like me and you didn't have heard of Wesleyan College before this season, I'll give you a little bit of background. located in Macon, Georgia, which is, you know, basically due south of Atlanta, first college in the world ever chartered to grant degrees specifically to women. Which I thought was fascinating, doing, you know, a little bit of background on this. was opened in December of eighteen thirty-six as quote unquote Georgia Female College. So I think they upgraded in and named since then. I don't know if the Georgia Female College Wolves hockey team would I don't know. That sounds kind of cool to be honest. I don't Keely's not given a a supportive face to that. But they they play their home games in the Macon Coliseum. Which I think is super, super cool. it's now the oldest arena in College Hockey South. opened up in nineteen sixty-eight. And without further ado, with that little bit of background, like to introduce from the Wesleyan College Wolves, Keely Bott. Keely, thanks for coming on. Keeleigh: Yeah, thank you for having me. Danny Baum: Yeah, of course. Like I said, we were really looking forward to talking to you. third star a couple of weeks ago. you know, just talk us through what the last couple of weeks been have been like. you finally get some games under your belt, a bunch of you know, it's a brand new team. You're a freshman. so it's the these girls are all new to you. What's what's this experience been like for you? Keeleigh: We kind of hit the ground running. We didn't touch ice until two or three days before our first game. so that was kind of hard in and of itself, but it's been really fun. I've really enjoyed it. we have all really been like working off ice together a lot. So it was nice to finally kind of have the chemistry on the ice. it's all just kind of moving really quick. We had our first game. Which was also Parents Weekend, which it was great to have my parents there. Danny Baum: Okay. Keeleigh: yeah. So everybody was kind of like all over the place. but it was really fun. It was get nice to be able to get on the ice and click with each other because we were all so excited and like had been waiting for it. great like practices have been great. and then especially going into this weekend tension was a little high, just seeing how things were gonna pan out. and I think especially after sweeping this weekend, it's been really good. We've all really the trust with the team and the camaraderie has just been great. So overall it's been it's great. Yeah. And we announced captains last week. So that helps add a little bit more structure to our team. especially with us being all freshmen. We only have two girls that aren't. Danny Baum: Wow, I I actually didn't know that. So you're all what are the the two players that are non freshmen? Are they upperclassmen or are they sophomores? Keeleigh: I believe Brooke is a sophomore and then I believe Caitlin's a junior. so they're both soccer players, but Caitlin came here knowing that there would be a hockey program in the future, but really just toughed it out until there was one. And then Brooke came here as a soccer recruit and then plays with us when she's not at soccer. But they do both play soccer. So other than that, all freshmen. Danny Baum: Yeah, that adds a a pretty cool layer it's a brand new program and it's a whole bunch of brand new, like true, true freshmen. I mean, as brand Keeleigh: Yeah. Danny Baum: new, as brand new as your team is. So that's that that makes it extra impressive. Keeleigh: Yeah, it's definitely a different dynamic. there's and yes, we have captains, we have leadership, but we're all just one big family of like, hey, like this is going on, how do we all feel about this? which is a different dynamic than what I'm used to, especially coming from a prep school where girls were PGs last year and like there was definitely like a chain of like I wouldn't say a chain of command, but there was definitely like a pecking order and so to come and us all be and have like the same level and our opinions all be valued the same amount is it's definitely its own area. And I've really enjoyed it so far. Danny Baum: I'd like to direct the next question to Avery if you don't mind, because it you guys are kinda at the opposite ends of the spectrum in terms of like this experience because Avery began in this division as a freshman. The first ever year was her freshman year, and now she's in the fourth year as a senior. you know, Avery, talk about your experience in the first year. You know, your it's a little bit different since Tampa was already playing, You know, some games here and there, but talk about your freshman year and what that was like. Avery Gugliotta: Yeah, definitely our freshman year was a little bit different. We had luckily for us, like we started with a lot of girls who were with the program before it joined CHS, but had joined our like were currently building the program for us. And no, I totally agree. Like joining a program, especially when you're coming from prep school. And like I grew up in Massachusetts where it is like high school teams and travel teams, and so it's already very different coming into club team where. you guys are running everything and making those decisions as a team. So that's awesome that you guys are honestly all freshmen. So if we're sophomore and your junior and all working together to like make the season happen, that's so cool. Keeleigh: Yeah, I think for us though, like we have so much support from every angle. Like our coaching staff is amazing. Our school supports us so much. So at the end of the day, like we come together to make decisions about hockey and what we're doing on the ice, and that's about it. That's all we handle. Which is great. Like I love it. I like I don't have to worry about practice schedules or game schedules or who we're playing. Like give me a time, I'll be at the rink. And it's great. I love it. Danny Baum: Go ahead, Jordan. Jordan Manning: Yeah, so you mentioned, you know, opening day was Parents Week, and with you know it being the first, you know, game of of the program. How much did a or how did it feel, you know, scoring the program's first goal, not only in front of like your teammates and the school, but also like your parents? Keeleigh: Yeah. it didn't really hit me at first. It was just kind of another goal. And I think about it that way partly. I'm really honored. Like that's a big thing. I definitely see I always see it in the like social media clips. And so like it's nice to like have that and it's almost prideful. and I love that. But at the end of the day, like it means something here and that's great, but it is just another goal and there's a lot more work to be done than just the one goal. So I take it with a grain of salt. Like yeah, it is exciting and I love that, but it's not the only thing to be done. Danny Baum: I could tell that was the attitude by the celly. Super, super nonchalant. It was almost like he didn't even score. I was like, Jeez, okay. Like you can t you can take a few seconds to celebrate. Keeleigh: Yeah. Yeah, I don't normally sell E. Danny Baum: No? But see I Avery To be honest, I've I don't think I've ever been in the arena when she scored a goal. That that wasn't a chirp, Avery. That wasn't I swear that wasn't a chirp, but Avery Gugliotta: You were in the arena for one goal. For there's only one. Hey, I'm on defense. I don't like I don't score a lot. But you know, go to see you like the you know, you guys are keep you're keeping moving through the season. You got plenty more goals you're gonna be scoring this season. So yeah, you don't you don't need to sell, you got plenty more coming. Danny Baum: I thought, first goal in program history, it deserved a little bit more of a celly. Not your style. That's fine. You know, not everyone is Ovi, jumping around like it's the first time they ever scored. Keeleigh: Yeah, I mean I'm excited. Like it really hit me as I was leaving the rink and it was really great, like, to talk to my parents and like give my mom a hug after the game and like that's when it really hit me and I was really excited then. But during a game we still got stuff to do. So I'm a big believer in you celebrate after. Danny Baum: Okay, that's a philosophy I can get behind. but just going back to that first game, one thing that really stood out, from a content perspective is how well you guys recovered from the walk-ins. you guys had a pregame tailgate, had a good crowd, and then obviously Parents Weekend had something to do with it, but you also had your school president drop. the first puck. You know, it has it has to feel pretty good to know that you have that kind of school support and, the amount the amount of people behind you that you do. Keeleigh: Yeah, it's honestly amazing. we haven't had a game, a home game that the president hasn't been at. I mean, it does help that our assistant coach is her husband, but she has been at every game. She's Danny Baum: Didn't know that, but yeah, that helps. Keeleigh: she I mean, I love her. She's amazing. She is thrilled. a lot of people, especially at our school, like they've never really watched hockey. It's not a big thing down here. and so not only are they like excited that we're winning, but like they're excited to come and learn. And it's something new. And so I mean, we have our media coverage, Evan and all of them, like they're amazing. We do walk-ins every home game. like there's so much stuff that we have. Like, it's fall break, but we're here and there's a few other athletic teams are, but like we got sent out like, hey, who's gonna be eating at the dining hall these days? Like we want to make sure our athletes are getting the right food. like our dining halls open certain hours so that we eat after practice. So having all this sport really lets us focus on school and hockey and none of the logistics in between, which is an absolute privilege, especially playing club hockey. Avery Gugliotta: No, like you were saying, like it sounds like you guys have like such a good culture, like surrounding your team already. And that's something that's so helpful, especially when you're a new program. you want that support and to know that you have all these people supporting you. But how has it been like establishing your culture like on the team? Like you and your teammates together, you obviously are all pretty much freshmen, brand new at Wesleyan. How are you guys building that culture and maintaining that culture that the school's built around you so far. Keeleigh: Yeah, I think it is kind of hard because we are all freshmen, but really relying on the guidance of the two older girls of like what to expect. and not just like have like we do have captains, captains were announced, so that's been a nice help. We have Skylar Penfold as our main C and then Tara Hearn and then Oriana Wideman and me as assistants. So that does help like with like schedules and stuff like that. but our culture is really just a team effort of all of us talking to each other. We don't have a big team. And so if one thing happens, everybody knows, we have a conversation about it. and really following like what Caleb implemented. He did a great job recruiting girls that have a lot of the same morals and who want a lot of the same things. And so to say it in the best way, like Coach did a really good job of picking my best friends. so you know, culture's hard, but we all are on a very similar page and we all just have a conversation. It's us together, not us against each other, which is nice. Jordan Manning: Yeah, I mean on the topic of like, you know, building culture and honestly building the foundations of this team. We only played a couple games so far this season. Have you found any like rivalries that you want to establish or have you looked at the schedule and been like, This is a game or this is a series that I want the team to like focus on and and potentially form a rivalry? Keeleigh: I'm not really looking for at one team or anything. like for this weekend, I went over some footage for the Georgia game just to kind of see what we were up against. I don't like losing, to put it very lightly. so there's not one person, it's all teams. Danny Baum: Say Tampa, say Tampa, say Tampa. Keeleigh: you know, we're on a really good streak right now and I plan to keep that going no matter what it takes. So not one person, but everybody. Danny Baum: Yeah, I'm I'm loving the conversation obviously about the momentum that you guys have, but it feels like we kind of bury the lead here because you've been all over the place in a in a short, you know, span of time in terms of life. and it's mainly because of hockey. So walk us through your journey of where you started and how you end up in, you know, Macon, Georgia of all places. Keeleigh: Yeah, so I was raised in Eagle, Colorado, super small town, about thirty, forty minutes west of Vale. loved it. My whole family's there. like my great great grandma's there, her kids there, running the cattle ranch, like super small town, love it there. I ended up playing hockey there up until twelve U when a rule was made like you either had to play on the girls' team, unless you made the A the boys' A team. And I did not want to play girls hockey. So I started driving to my parents, bless them, they love me very much. Started driving two and a half hours one way down to the front range in Denver for me to play on a team down there. so I played there for a year. And then I my parents were gonna move, but we couldn't move before the school year started. So I moved into a friend's house and billeted there for three months. waited for my parents to move down there with me. Then we lived there for about a year and a half and then we moved to Minnesota for me to go play high school hockey there. And I played high school hockey there for two years. And at Lakeville North, I did not like the big school. I was coming from itty bitty schools, where like itty bitty, 75 kids from fifth to twelfth. Like super, super tiny. Danny Baum: Wow. Keeleigh: Just not a fan of the big school. I was actually going to quit hockey before my senior year, wasn't gonna be playing. And Kevin Purdy, who is the head coach for the New Hampshire Mountain Cats, reached out and recruited me. And then I ended up going to prep school in New Hampshire for my senior year. and then Caleb found me and that's pretty much it. Danny Baum: Yeah, you make it sound like like such a casual decision, but those are those are big leaps, especially with how young you are. you know, I can't imagine at at your age making a decision to move from Colorado to Minnesota and then Minnesota to New Hampshire, New Hampshire to Macon, just kind of like on a whim. Like I'm sure more Keeleigh: Yeah. Yeah. Danny Baum: more thought was put into it and you had, a bunch of conversations with them and built a level of trust, but yeah, those those are big leaps and decisions to make. Keeleigh: Yeah, I mean thinking like I'm a very religious person. I believe God's hand was in all of it. he definitely like everything lined up for me to be to make those decisions that I needed to make. and yeah, they were scary at times, but I couldn't be more happy with where I'm at right now. So I'm grateful for every single one of them. But Danny Baum: Okay. Keeleigh: Yeah, I mean I love moving. I moved to schools almost every two years growing up. Just because we were moving. Like I love the change of pace. it's fun. Danny Baum: Yeah, which one was the most difficult I would have to imagine it was the the Colorado to Minnesota one because of the Keeleigh: Yeah. Danny Baum: the size of schools, yeah. Keeleigh: It was that one and especially leaving a lot of like the girls and coaches that I had had. I'd have those coaches and like been friends with those girls and they were my families for like the past four or five years. So leaving that community and going straight to Minnesota where like I wasn't I didn't know the girls. They'd been playing together since they were three. Like I came in as a sophomore. So like a lot of social clicks had already been formed. I don't really like Danny Baum: That's rough. Keeleigh: to It was hard. I also don't I'm a very blunt person. I don't do the whole playing nice thing and the whole like Minnesota nice Danny Baum: Okay. Keeleigh: is like a real thing of like it's kinda like the Georgia version of like bless your heart like that's a thing there and I wasn't a big fan of it. Like I'm a very you get what you get and it's kinda hard to like especially like high school girls are mean. And so like trying to get into the groove of that, like Danny Baum: You don't have you don't have to tell me that Keeleigh: it's hard. So I would definitely say that was the hardest move. I am an only child, so my parents are my best friends. So I'm very grateful that I had them during that. but it all worked out. It was okay in the end. But that was definitely the hardest move. Avery Gugliotta: While you were moving so much, like how did like hockey change every time you like moved to, you know, Colorado? You're saying you were with like boys and then Minnesota, you're playing with girls in a prep school and now in Georgia. Like how was the hockey like constantly changing and like were you able to adapt quick? Like how Keeleigh: Yeah. Avery Gugliotta: was that? Keeleigh: Yeah, so hockey was the reason I moved every time. So for me, like hockey was the priority. when I moved down to the front range in Colorado, that's when I really switched over to playing girls. And I loved it. It's definitely a different style of game. I definitely spent a lot of time in the box for a hot minute. So readjusting to learning those rules was kind of hard. but hockey's always been my constant in life and it hasn't like I've loved it. I've loved the transition. It pushes me to grow. It pushes my game to grow. It challenges me. I like the challenge. I don't like not being challenged. So moving is fun because it gives you an opportunity to grow. Jordan Manning: Yeah. One question that I always ask the people we interview is what player they idolize, what player they like kind of like inspire their game off of. So to you like what NHL player or in this case PW Joy player have you kind of like modeled your game around or watch basically all your life and just kinda like inspired to be like them? Keeleigh: Yeah, I was saying this earlier before the podcast was rolling, but I love Jacob Slavin as a person and as a player. he's very strong in his faith. I actually grew up going to their like his family's hockey ministry camp, which is how I know him. and I would say I try and model it after him. He's an amazingly strong defenseman. and not just the gameplay, but just as a person, you know, I kind of stole the praying after. hit like after games on ice after him. and so yes, I do try and model my game similar to him, but I really try and mix my religion and sports how he does, 'cause he's such a great example. So I've always grown up really looking up to him not just as a hockey player, but as a person. Danny Baum: What's the who do you wear forty seven for? Is that a number you've always worn or? Keeleigh: That is not so my original number was twelve. and then I ended up when I was playing in Denver, I played for Crevo. And then my two coaches, Dylan Bozeman and Christian Brown, moved to the Flyers. So I followed them over there. Christian Brown is like an older brother to me. I love him dearly. That was his number. he was unaware that I was taking it over until I surprised him with it at a tournament. So I wear that number for him. he's like an older brother to me. Danny Baum: Gotcha. I didn't know if it was like inverted from, you know, Jacob Slavin seventy four. Keeleigh: Yeah, it actually worked out really funny that way. But no, I wear forty seven for one of my old coaches. if it weren't for him, I would not be playing at at this day. Danny Baum: that also shout out Josiah Slavin, former Blackhawks prospect. Keeleigh: Yes. Danny Baum: see I know my stuff. Keeleigh: Look at you. Danny Baum: don't get me started. Don't get me started on Black Hawks hockey. one thing Keeleigh: I don't wanna hear it, actually. I think I'm leaving if we're talking about Blackhawks hockey. I no part. Danny Baum: come here comes the the bluntness from Eagle Colorado. Keeleigh: Yeah. Danny Baum: is that what Eagle Colorado is known for? Avery Gugliotta: Thank you much for that. Thank you. Keeleigh: Yeah, I'm sorry. as a Colorado native, I just I can't stand for that. Like I just no. I'm sorry. Danny Baum: I really have no issues with the avalanche, to be honest. Keeleigh: That's pretty. I don't like the black hawk. No. Just Danny Baum: Okay. well I was extending an olive branch and you just swatted it away. So I guess we'll just move on. We'll just move Keeleigh: Yeah. Danny Baum: on. You know what? I do hope Keeleigh: My Danny Baum: you go ahead. Keeleigh: my grandpa is a huge Blackhawks fan, so the the rivalry stems deep. not we do not support. Danny Baum: Yeah, that's fine. Well, good thing is you don't have to worry about them being good any anytime soon. I made fun of Devin and the Red Wings for their start, but the Blackhawks have been god-awful to start. Speaking of Of cool stuff and nothing nothing got awful at all. you guys have some uniforms that are Keeleigh: Hey, our uniforms are great. Danny Baum: One thing I did notice is that the the pant color is like a slightly different purple than than the sweater, which which was driving me nuts. But outside of that, you guys Keeleigh: Yeah. Danny Baum: you guys have like a a really cool setup. You got matching gloves, helmets. one thing in particular though that stood out to me, I'm sure it stands out to everyone else. There's a big old Aflack sticker on on the back of your sweaters. What's do you know the story behind that? Keeleigh: So we're sponsored by Affleck. Yeah, so that's Danny Baum: That would be weird if you just decided to Keeleigh: the context there. I'm not really sure how I believe he got a degree from Wesley in college and that is his affiliation. I should definitely know. Danny Baum: The Aflack Duck? Keeleigh: Yeah, the duck. yeah, no, the CEO. I should know this better a hundred percent. but I don't. They actually just delivered him his jersey and some photos from our first game at the headquarters in Georgia yesterday. But I have no clue how Caleb pulled that off, but it is I think it's really sick that we're sponsored by Affleck. Danny Baum: It definitely is. you've got and you've got different patches all over your jersey. you have the like the big ol' Macon one, Keeleigh: Yeah. Danny Baum: which is cool. do you guys just have the purple sweater or do you have a white one as well? Keeleigh: We do have a white one. they'll come out. Danny Baum: You see that at Columbus? Keeleigh: You will. Yep. Danny Baum: Hell yeah, hell yeah. Can't wait. Keeleigh: yeah, Caleb did great. especially with him playing at the level he'd played at, he really has this high expectation of what our kit should look like and he gave us a great setup. And I know the pants don't exactly match. It did bother me at first, but you get over it at some point. Danny Baum: Not quite yet. Keeleigh: No, we're over it. It's hard because I think the pants are warrior and like the jerseys Danny Baum: Okay. yeah. Keeleigh: are so like it's hard. Like especially going through different brands, everybody's like, well this is the same, but it's actually not. So yeah, it's a little frustrating, but it doesn't look that different on the ice, so Yeah. The purple like our jerseys match like the purple in our locker. Like every other purple matches. So if there's one that doesn't, live. Is the mentality. Danny Baum: It's really just the pants. the pants are like a a purple blue. It's an indigo almost. Keeleigh: Thank you. I appreciate that. Yeah. Danny Baum: I'm call calling it like I see it. Yeah, you you lipped off about the Blackhawks. So I at this point the Keeleigh: Yeah, I had coming. Danny Baum: the gloves are coming off the rest the rest of our our time here. Keeleigh: Okay, fair, fair, fair. Danny Baum: Avery, please ask a question before I get the thing off the rails. Avery Gugliotta: Well just like your jerseys. I like the purple a lot. I think that's super cool. It's like a color. I Danny Baum: Yeah. Avery Gugliotta: feel like nobody has purple anything. Danny's Danny's Keeleigh: Yeah. Avery Gugliotta: a hater. He just leave yeah, Danny. Anyways, what's it like that like so far you guys like have there been any moments for you that you're just like, wow, like we're creating something just like really special here and like something that's like gonna last for like a long time and like just something that's like really just Then like a wow moment for you like is starting. I know you guys have only had a couple of games of practice so far, but anything like that. Keeleigh: Yeah. I think even before we stepped foot on the ice, one of the first big wow moments was the fact of like we sold a thousand tickets for our first game. Like they we they kept selling out, so we kept having to open up sections of the Making Coliseum, which was really like that was crazy to me. but I think one of our big my big wow moments is the fortieth edition of like the Makein' magazine just came out and we've got two full pages about us in it. Danny Baum: Dam Keeleigh: so like that's really cool to see and to just see like how much of an impact we're making in the community. and like I'm in this Make and Mayhem fans like Facebook page and like we're all they can talk about. And so just like seeing how excited the community is, it's just jaw dropping in a way of like we are really doing something big. And there's this one girl, Anastasia, who comes to our games and like she wants to play hockey. She wants to sign up and she wants to learn and that's what it's about for us. It's like, yeah, it's great that like we're like in the magazine and like all these people know us and I love that. But like we're inspiring other people to do something that we love. And I think like that's been one of the big wow moments for me. Avery Gugliotta: Yeah, that's awesome. Like the community support you guys have is just so cool. Like having Keeleigh: Yeah. Avery Gugliotta: like all those people, like thousand tickets, like that's insane. Like that's congrats. Like that's so cool. Keeleigh: Yeah, and there's always like there's these two teachers that come to almost every game and like they have assigned t shirts and they're framing them and putting them like in their office at their school. Like Danny Baum: Mm. Keeleigh: things like things like that of that just show like how big of an impact and a difference we're making of this is possible here. because women's hockey's come a really long way, but Okay. So yeah, I think for me it's just seeing the impact that we're making in the community and like inspiring people. Like having little girls come up to us and being like, We wanna play, like I wanna be goalie, I wanna be this person, like that's what it's about. And it's really nice to see that. Avery Gugliotta: Yeah, that's awesome. Especially coming from somewhere where like, hockey culture is so big already. Like Colorado, New Hampshire, Minnesota, like all these places like already have such big hockey culture. So being able to like grow it in the south is something that's like so cool and that it makes you like have a new appreciation for the game. Keeleigh: Yeah, a hundred percent. And I'm very appreciative of like the opportunities I had to play growing up. And so building something for people down here is like it's exciting. It's exciting to inspire people. Jordan Manning: Yeah. So like in terms of where like making like ranks, like what's like your opinion on like how making is? Where does it rank compared to like 'cause I know Colorado's a very beautiful state. What is somewhere in the south kind of like ranking that? Keeleigh: I love Colorado, Colorado will always be my home. yeah, so for me, especially, so I came out here on a recruit trip. So I flew out from New Hampshire. I was here for like a day and a half, maybe. and I got to see like there's a half of Macon that is absolutely beautiful and gorgeous, and I call it the bougie Bible Belt. And There's a half of making that isn't as fancy in a way. I like it. I grew up in the mountains in a sheltered bubble, so obviously like I love it there. but I did live on the front range in Denver and my mom worked in downtown Denver 'cause she works for the judicial branch. So like seeing like it's not something that shocked me. I think Colorado will always rank number one because there's no humidity. I hate the humidity. I Danny Baum: Mm. Keeleigh: can't I can't do it. I can't do it. Danny Baum: You went to the right place. Keeleigh: Right? I picked the yeah. I also sunburn so bad. I step outside and the UV's like three and I'm lobster red. So I definitely didn't pick the best location for myself, but you know, here we are. Danny Baum: Listen, as as someone like that's the deep south. Macon is the deep south. I always see like these charts that that people make, like when they try and declare like on on the map of the US, like what certain regions are, like when you say what the Midwest is or what the Mid Atlantic is, the deep south, all of Georgia is in the deep south for sure, but there it there's like a twenty mile radius around Atlanta where it's it's completely different because it's a city. Macon is the deep south. You will and you will encounter some folk down there that you won't meet like they're Keeleigh: Yes. Danny Baum: you have no idea that civilization is still like that. Keeleigh: Like anywhere near you. Yeah. Danny Baum: Yeah, and and that's no that's not a knock on Macon. Listen, they people have their their way of life down there. And you know what, I've lived in Georgia for over half my life now. And yeah, it's a very versatile state. Keeleigh: Love it. I kinda like doing your own thing. I wasn't like on the ranch a ton growing up, but I my great grandma always took care of me like during the day when my mom was at work and so I'd be at her house on the ranch and I wouldn't be like on the ranch doing things, but like I'd see what would go down. So like it's just kind of second nature. Like you let people do what they want to do and you mind your business. So I mean I love it here. It's great. I definitely think i it could be worse for sure. Like not Danny Baum: Well that's a a glowing endorsement. Keeleigh: Like I me personally I would rather be in the deep south like kinda like redneck backwoods than like really sketchy area of the city. I definitely feel safe here. especially on campus. We have Danny Baum: yeah. Yeah. Keeleigh: security all the time. Like they close we only have one gate open past nine PM. Like they're very secure here, so I I don't care. Danny Baum: Yeah. Well speaking of of the deep south, this weekend you guys are going even further south, southwest in fact, going to the Columbus Classic. the fourth installment, and you know, one of your co-hosts tonight has won it the past three years. but outside of just winning it and just like going forward this season, what are some things that you're looking forward to? Is it New matchups, is it just playing more games, tournaments? What are you looking forward to the most? Keeleigh: Yeah. I think I'm really looking forward to just more games. we are a new team, especially like just being on the ice together. So just playing together all of us, I'm excited for the challenge, I'm excited for the tournament to see what's there. the games this weekend weren't easy in by any means, but we definitely pulled through and I'm definitely excited to see, how we arise to the challenge. I'm excited to win. Danny Baum: Love that. Do you do you guys have any others? Feel like we've had a good little conversation here. Jordan Manning: Yeah, I think so too. Danny Baum: Outside of the Blackhawk slander, but Jordan Manning: Yeah. I'm still thinking about yeah. Keeleigh: I feel like you lose that vote. Jordan Manning: Mm-hmm. Keeleigh: You lose that vote. I'm sorry, but you do. Danny Baum: Well, I catch flack because I'm a fan of both the Blackhawks and the Bruins. And apparently that that's outlawed for some reason. Like the human mind can't comprehend enjoying two teams at the same time. Like am I Keeleigh: just like if you're gonna pick two teams, why would you pick those Danny Baum: Watch it. Keeleigh: teams? Danny Baum: Watch it. Aver Avery Gugliotta: No brewing slander now either. No brewing slander. Danny Baum: Avery has my back. Avery Gugliotta: Yeah, I I don't know if I could support Keeleigh: I don't know. Avery Gugliotta: Danny on the on the Blackhawks, but I'll support the bees all day long. I have to. that's my piece on the prunes right now. Keeleigh: Yeah. Danny Baum: Well, it's been awesome getting to talk to you, Keely. super excited to see the success you guys have had. ton of momentum going into Columbus. run through you guys play South Carolina and then and Tennessee. So Keeleigh: See. Danny Baum: a couple of established teams in CHS. we're excited. I'll be on scene to see you. maybe you'll run into the three time defending champs on Sunday in Avery. but we're excited to see you play. and good luck the rest of the way. Thanks for coming on. Keeleigh: Yeah, thank you. Danny Baum: And we'd like to thank Keely Bott once again for coming on. she's had a great start. Her whole team's had a great start to the season. including a trio of wins over the weekend that we can just jump into immediately. not to skip over the game of the week, we'll get to that. but Wesleyan, Wesleyan College, man, didn't know what they would look like against some of the stiffer competition in the women's division. Man, they they passed their test with flying colors and it improved four and now on the season. beating Georgia four to two on Friday, coming back from two nothing down, and then having a couple of wild games with Alabama who are as as good as anybody in the division, short of, you know, Avery's Tampa team. so very, very impressive from Wesleyan and Keeley bot. they've had very spread out scoring and they're gonna be a team to watch going into Columbus, considering they're gonna be playing a really, really good South Carolina team. but speaking of that game of the week, Tampa and South Florida seems like it's every week with these schools. And South Florida, once again, Avery got the better of Tampa. I'm gonna rub salt in that wound. God. South Florida got the better of Tampa and it seems like it's been that way in the regular season the past few years. multiple dominant wins for South Florida, eight to one and six to one. Grant Dietz Grant Deets. I mean, what what else can you say about him at this point? and Tampa kind of a inauspicious start, three and three. You know, they're gonna have some work to do. you know, they lost a game to Embry Riddle and they're gonna have to catch fire if they want to make sure they're back in the top sixteen at nationals. another team that that that's really been slipping early, and you know, you we could have forecasted this with the amount of talent they lost. Middle Tennessee State losing a pair of games to Alabama, a team that they really took care of last year. Frozen tide with a three to two win on Friday and then two to one in overtime. man, it it really seems like it's, Tommy Chenchikov and Friends over there in Nashville. they haven't been doing great to start the year after being, number one team in the country most of the season. Jacksonville gotta win over South Florida. I Yes, Jacksonville also with a sweep. It just seemed like it was a weekend of sweeps. Dolphins sweep South Florida two to one and then conversely a nine to one win on on Sunday. Jacksonville with a brand new clean set of uniforms looks like they they have the exact same momentum and and good vibes. this season. Haven't lost yet. So be looking forward to this. and the series that I really want to talk about and since Jordan you're a student, you know this team pretty well, Florida Golf Coast and Embry Riddle. Golf Coast kind of struggling out of the gate. kind of similar as they were kind of lying in the weeds to begin the season last year. And they take down Embry Riddle twice. But one thing that I want to bring up, they've now played. I want to make sure I get this stat right. What are they? Three and three? Help me. I think they're three and three. Jordan Manning: Yeah, I think we're neck and neck when it comes to wins and losses right now. Danny Baum: Okay, and now on to a series that I want to expand on a little bit, especially with Jordan being familiar with the team. Florida Gulf Coast going up to Daytona Ice Arena, and Florida Gulf Coast taking down Embry Riddle two to nothing and two to one. and now three and three on the season. But one thing I want to note. They've played six games so far, Jordan, and they've scored ten goals. Okay, that's ten. with a one and a zero. That's that's difficult. Difficult to be five hundred when you only score ten goals in six games. But as we'll talk about here in a little bit, it's been the BJ Riccardi show. he was fantastic in this series and you know really kept him in it. Jordan Manning: Yeah, like you said, it was all BJ Ricardi. I feel like with these first few games for the Eagles, it's all been about kind of getting like that closely contested matchup and making sure we get over that hump. First couple games, there's a bit of uncertainty. But the Eagles ultimately came back and BJ Ricardi did play a big role in that. if it weren't for that big in net, I feel like the the games could definitely been a more lopsided. I mean, seventy-one saves over the span of those two games, with how close he those matchups. ups actually were BJ Baccardi stood on his head through that game and I really like how this Eagles team is going, especially with how we're trying to find our offense and things like that. Danny Baum: Yeah, it's gonna be difficult to continue to find wins though when you're scoring at at this rate. Right now it's under two goals per game. and they were outshot by by a combined 30 shots over the course of the weekend. so probably something you don't want to replicate, too many performances of. so might as well just jump into the three stars of the week since we're talking about them. BJ Ricardi, who was the Division III goalie of the year last year, went 2-0 with a shutout. 71 saves over the course of the weekend, 986 save percentage, and just the one goal, as I mentioned. fantastic stuff from BJ. he's gotta be the MVP of of the team, no doubt. Nathan Walker, who was well over a point a game last year, will We'll pick things up offensively, but thus far it's been the BJ Ricardi show. Second star of the week, someone that Avery is quite familiar with, friend of the pod, Joey Burns. Friend of the pod, love saying that. Avery Gugliotta: Friend of the pot, Joey Jojo. Danny Baum: Yeah. three goals, eight assists, eleven points in two games played. Avery, we talked about Jordan School. We can talk about your team. what'd you see from from your squad as you head into Columbus this coming weekend? Avery Gugliotta: Yeah, this past weekend was really good for us. It was good chance for us to really like get our feet together, get our lines, really working together a lot more. and just, it showed in Joey's stats this week. She had eight assists, that was just a test to our team being able to move the puck around this week and, learn to communicate. We have some new lineups, some changes in there. So, learning, passing the puck and finding each other on the ice and I think we have really good energy going into Columbus and we're ready to take on the weekend and excited, to return and see how it goes. Yeah. Danny Baum: Yep, absolutely. and you know, so didn't mention it, but pair of win pair of wins for the Spartans over Miami to pull them to three and one on the season. and third star of the week, it's Groundhog Day. Grant Deets, of course, why not? you know, Mr. Everything, back to back MVP. this guy is unbelievable. death taxes and Grant Deets multi-point game. four goals, four assists, eight points in two games played. over there in Pelham against the University of Tampa. moving along, might as well just keep rolling. this coming weekend, always a fantastic time to get our our tournaments, our events underway. But this one in particular is Very special, and Avery, can speak on this because of the event itself and not so much, you a hockey game per se. because on Saturday, before you know any of the games kick off, you have the girls try try hockey for free event, which you know was something I got to see firsthand last year. And, you know, although I wasn't on the ice helping. It was really interesting to and cool to see the look on the faces of the, the girls that were helping out with, the little girls who were trying hockey for the first time and it looked like, the players had that that youthful joy brought back into their face. It was like they were, brought back to that first day they stepped out on the ice. So it was something really cool and we're all looking forward to. So Avery, talk about it. you guys are three time defending champs. what are the vibes Avery Gugliotta: Yeah. Danny Baum: heading in? And of course if you want to start on, you the girls try hockey for free event, go ahead. Avery Gugliotta: Yeah. Yeah. The girls try hockey for free event. That's always my favorite part of the weekend every year. It's so cool to see how like just how many girls come out and wanna just step on the ice and try hockey. so many of them have never even like put a pair of skates on before. And you know, we get to be there for them and show them, like what a girl playing hockey looks like. And it's really cool too to see all the like women's teams at CHS come together. on the ice and like it gives us the opportunity to connect with one another and learn from each other, learn about our programs. And just a lot of us do have very similar stories. We all are just helping develop programs here in the South. So that's always the best part of the weekend. It's really fun. And then just Columbus in general. It's always always a blast. We're very excited to go back. and yeah, just got some new faces at the tournament this year, which is pretty exciting. so I'm just excited to see You know how the weekend plays out for everyone, a little bit different formatting this year too for the games, which will be interesting to see as they play out. But yeah, I'm ready and I'm excited. I think Danny, are you excited? Danny Baum: buddy, buddy, you don't even have to ask the question. you know you know the answer. Avery Gugliotta: I know it. I know it. Danny Baum: I'm ready to roll. and speaking to that format, so you have scheduled games on Friday and Saturday, and there will be a point system and tiebreakers that'll decide who ends up in the championship game. and you know, those tiebreakers will be run through on the broadcast. if you are interested in finding those out. we could quickly run through the schedule. on Friday, October ninth, starting out with one of the new competitors this season, Tennessee versus Florida State. Florida State's second year in college hockey south. really exciting to to see them be involved, traveling up from Tallahassee, so that they don't have to see their god-awful football team. then following that a rematch from last year. Which was a wild, wild game, Auburn versus South Florida. that'll be at four fifteen. And then a rematch of the championship game from last year, which didn't really live up to the billing, but was much more competitive in the playoffs, Tampa versus Georgia. and then our game of the week. Our game of the week, South Carolina versus Wesleyan at eight forty-five PM. That one seems very intriguing to me. especially off of Wesleyan's performance last weekend, see if they can carry that momentum over then on Saturday. Wesleyan gets a crack at Tennessee at eleven AM. This of course is taking place after the conclusion of the Girls Tray hockey for free event. then Tampa against Auburn. I don't believe we see that matchup very often, so that'll be an interesting one for sure. South Carolina versus South Florida, which is also a matchup from last year, and then Georgia versus Florida State to wrap up the Saturday slate. and then on Sunday, consolation games at 8 a.m. and 10 15. The championship game will take place at 12:30. Lord willing, you know, these tournament weekends, you know, the time schedules get messed up. but then at the final consolation game at 245. And man, it's exciting. It's always exciting to have, you know, a CHS event weekend. but that's not all we have this weekend. We have some other exciting ones. M2, Florida Atlantic, who dropped their first two games of the season to Tampa and then you know had a tie and a three-nothing shutout against in city, crosstown. And kind of, bad blood rival St. Thomas. they take on South Florida, who's of course a Division III team, scoring a ton of goals. I would imagine you see the same thing there. And then South Carolina against Florida, which two years ago was the Division III CHS championship game, get a rematch there, two years in the making, which unfortunately means that. The lowly South Carolina football team is trav traveling to Gainesville. I heard a rumor, Avery, that you're gonna be headed to South Carolina at one point. Because Tampa actually you guys have a a game scheduled in Columbia. I won't say I hope. I just I there is no possible way that Shane Beamer is still the head coach by the time you make it there. When do you guys actually go out? Avery Gugliotta: We go to Columbia, we'll be there. November I forget the weekend. It's like two weekends before Thanksgiving though. That's what we'll be in Columbia. So we're pretty excited to go. We've never traveled up to South Carolina to play them. So that was a super cool opportunity this year. going up to play them. We have two games that weekend should be a lot of fun. Danny Baum: Yeah. and un maybe if you're unlucky enough you'll get to see them play a football game. I'm really down on on my team if if you can't tell. they blew another lead. Avery Gugliotta: You gotta you gotta have a little Yeah, you gotta have a little come on, give some positive energy, Danny. Maybe who knows, maybe they'll turn it around for us of the season. Danny Baum: Have you watched them recently? Avery Gugliotta: I like Tennessee. I'm not watching South Carolina. Danny Baum: You like t that's right. You have you have family ties to Tennessee. Well t Avery Gugliotta: Family ties. Tampa doesn't have a football team. Danny Baum: No, no they don't. but a really good baseball team. Does Florida Golf Coast Avery Gugliotta: And a really good hockey team. Danny Baum: Yeah, some good hockey teams, annoyingly good. Jordan, does does Golf Coast have a football team? I feel like I would have heard about that. Whenever you're ready. Yeah. Texas took him down. Texas took Avery Gugliotta: Good old Rocky Top. Danny Baum: Yuck. Yuck. I guess we'll have to play that if Tennessee scores this weekend. Okay, an anything else that that you guys want to talk about? Do do we wanna do NHL predictions? Do we wanna do season predictions? I have I have mine written down. I can You guys you guys don't seem too eager. Avery Gugliotta: See, as somebody who lost fantasy hockey last year, I'm not too too inclined to talk about my NHL Freedom chance right now. Danny Baum: Please, it's fun. let's see. Okay, moving on to our final segment of the podcast, something that we're gonna be debuting. maybe it'll just be me this week. maybe not. We we'll see how the other two are feeling. But it's the start of October, which means the will be postseason is now kicked off, which means for some reason there are playoff games, which are the the most important games of the season, being played at two o'clock on in the middle of the weekday. Okay. I've said it many times. I live in the metro Atlanta area, not too far from where the Braves play. And they played every single or they put played the first two games of the playoffs at two in the afternoon on a Tuesday. And then, you know, all all the clips come out of, you know, you know, there's there's a homer s hit into the seats and the seats are half filled and they're going, my God, Atlanta's a terrible baseball town. Like, dude, it's it's 315 on a Tuesday. Like, what do you want from people? And it's this thing about baseball that they've always done. they never want their games to be played on top of each other, meaning they always stagger the start times. and I'm saying like I don't know if there's any sport that that detracts from more than baseball. This isn't a this isn't a very good episode of this grinds my gears. We may just axe this I mean I don't feel as convicted as I did before. Avery Gugliotta: See, I'm not like a huge I'm not a huge baseball fan. I like the Sox. They're out. God, they're the Yankees, of course, but yeah, I don't really get why they have like the afternoon games. Like, cause who's gonna go to Everyone's working. And kids are in school now. Danny Baum: Who's gonna go to them? Yeah, who's gonna go to them? Who's gonna watch them? My brother works for the game operations department for the Braves, which means I think his shift started at like six in the morning. Started at six in the morning. Because he's gotta set up everything to make sure the fans are that they have the full game day experience. It goes off without a hitch. He doesn't get back until like eight in the afternoon or eight in the evening, so Man, MLB, what are you doing? No one cares. Play it's play the games on top of each other, more people will go. it'll look better on TV, ratings will be better. Anyway, do you guys have anything that that that that's been grinding your gears recently? Jordan Manning: Yeah. so Danny Baum: All right, Jordan. Let's go. Jordan Manning: yeah. so as you may know, I was recovering from a cold the last time we had an episode. I had a jacket on and everything. I've since lost that cold, but I have found out that my roommate has the flu. And it's flu season now, so I finally just got done with the cold, and now I have to worry about getting the flu. and we're not even in flu season yet. So What what's what's grinding my gears, guys, is just constantly getting sick with like people who who don't know how to be hygienic. Like I'm not saying my roommate isn't hygienic because he's like the most hygienic person I've ever met. But people in general who just like Don't know how to wash their hands. It's just I don't know. I don't want to get sick every like two business days. I just want to chill in my dorm or go out and not have to worry about some guy giving me some weird flu that came out in like Russia or some weird country. Like I don't want to worry about getting some weird sickness. So that's what's been grinding my gears recently. Danny Baum: No, I feel that for sure. I wonder if if Keeley has has gotten the freshman plague. Was that was that a thing for for you guys, your freshman year? Avery Gugliotta: sick I think every other week at school they like call Danny Baum: Yeah. Avery Gugliotta: my parents like I feel like so sick and they're like just take medicine and like hydrate. I don't know what you want to see. You live in a dorm and you're just breathing shared AC air. Like it's gross. Danny Baum: Yeah, there was there was a time Jordan Manning: Yeah, I had I had the same thing. Danny Baum: Yeah, there there was a time where I was like I couldn't fall asleep because of how often I needed to cough. Which is just like it was the most miserable thing ever. Between that and when you're congested enough to where you can't breathe out of your nose, just a a fate worse than death. And you know what? I'm I'm usually pretty lucky where I only get sick like once a year. And I hope that's the case. but like you said, flu season's coming up. yeah, that's a good shout though. People wash your goddamn hands, okay? Let's be a little bit more cleanly, let's be nice to each other. Hand sanitizer, right? And as we're you know, we're going to the Columbus Classic, this is a super spreader event, Googs. we gotta wash our damn hands. Avery Gugliotta: I'm bringing hand sanitizer everywhere with me and I'm gonna carry around like sanitizing wipes for everyone. At the like girls try hockey event I'm just gonna like handing out hand sanitizers everyone gets on the ice. I'm getting sick. Danny Baum: yeah, that that that's a super, super spreader event. Jordan Manning: Bring the hazmat suit with you as well. Danny Baum: No, I can't do that. That'll be a good message to send to the kids. Gugs, has anything been grinding your gears recently? Avery Gugliotta: it's been like really rainy here in Florida, which kinda sticks because I'm losing my tan and like Danny Baum: Go figure. Avery Gugliotta: I just wanna I wanna go tan because I'm gonna go home in like two weeks and go see like the fall foliage and I wanna be tan. And so my family was like, she lives in Florida. And also the bugs here are really annoying because the mosquitoes now have like this disease called like dengue fever. I don't know, but it's like all the counties surrounding Tampa Danny Baum: Okay. Avery Gugliotta: have like are on like a warning for him. So any like the mosquitoes are like disgusting right now. And if you never know if you get bit by one if they're gonna like make you like, I don't know, die. So that's been so fun lately. Really grinding my gears this week. Danny Baum: You really went out on a limb there it's been super rainy here in Florida recently. That I mean that that just that just sounds like Florida to me. Jordan Manning: I think we're getting another hurricane as well. Avery Gugliotta: Well, no, like you Yeah. Well usually it's like you get like every day it's like sunny and then you get like the patches of rain. Like every day it's just been cloudy and rainy and humid. And it's like not an ounce of sun. So that's been a little annoying. But hopefully it clears up. I think by next week, maybe once we're back from Columbus it will. Danny Baum: Yeah, you'll be back with the trophy for a fourth straight year. Or maybe I'm just gonna continue to jinx you guys over and over again. Jordan, let the record show that if if they do end up losing, it is not it is not my fault. It was something that they did. Wesleyan took him down. South Florida took him down. I don't know. Wow, this it this has been a very disjointed second half of the podcast, but As always, it's a blast talking to you guys. it was very, very fun talking to Keely Bot. We thank her again for coming on of the Wesleyan College Wolves. their first season that has gone off without a hitch so far, with all the you know the great support and media they've been doing. Shout out to them. anything else, guys? Anything else you want to mention? Avery Gugliotta: Make sure to tune in to the Columbus Classics streams on the College Hockey South YouTube channel. Danny Baum: Yes, that's that's a great shout, Guggs. yes, we'll be live streaming from the official College Hockey South YouTube channel. so if you're watching this on YouTube, it is this channel. or if you're listening to this on either Spotify or Apple Podcasts, you go to YouTube and search up College Hockey South and those links and live streams will be sure to pop up. so It's going to be a great weekend, a lot of great games in store. and we'll either see, you know, the dynasty in Columbus continue or a new champion. it'll be exciting stuff. but for Jordan Manning, Avery Gugliata, and myself, Danny Baum, we thank you for watching episode thirty-five of College Hockey Mouth, a College Hockey South podcast. Thank you for watching.