After four broken glass shields in a single game, there is no doubt that every time the University of Miami’s men’s ice hockey team steps into the ice, they put their whole body into it.
The team has gone under the radar for years but is now attracting more attention online — and on campus.
A new social media team has been posting TikToks and Instagram Reels that showcase the players and their personalities.
One “Heated Rivalry” TikTok in particular drew new eyes to the team and new fans to the stands.
A female UM student who attended her first game said she “had no idea the team existed” before seeing it on social media.
Gemma Granato, a Senior student attendee, said, “I only knew about the football team. They need to publicize this team more because it is a lot of fun.” She found hockey’s pace was much more entertaining than football.
These responses are exactly what Valentina Toro and Sofia Stecher-Roberts, the social media team, were hoping for.
Toro explained that previous restrictions limited what they could post and kept them from filming practices. “Everything was coming from games,” she added.
She said the new approach has been well received because “[it] focuses more on the players; it’s more personal.”
The strategy paid off when they included players in the “Heated Rivalry” trend. “We thought it would get views and give at least a kickstart to the account, and that’s exactly what it did,” said Toro.
Stecher-Roberts mentioned that “For TikTok we definitely blew up with that one video. For Instagram we gained a hundred-ish followers in the past week”
Managing athletes isn’t always easy. “They run off the ice so fast. I’ve never seen boys so scared to [make] TikToks. And they know we’re coming,” said Stecher-Roberts.
Still, she said, “They’re fun guys; they have big personalities. All of them are very different.”
Jason Daraiche, No. 95, said the social media team rarely tells him what he is filming beforehand. He admitted, “If I knew what it was, I don’t know if I would be so receptive to the filming.” Daraiche was featured in the “Heated Rivalry” TikTok without knowing the context.
Still, Daraiche said the attention could have a lasting impact on the program. “In the future it’s going to rival one of the sports here in Miami, that’s for sure.”
Rafael Morin, No. 14, is also used to being pulled into videos unprepared. “We don’t really know what we’re doing,” he said. But he understands: “We gotta grow the brand, so I’m not really opposed.”
The videos have changed how some people recognize Morin around campus. “I get some comments like ‘Oh, you play hockey?’ The first thing they mention is ‘Heated Rivalry.’ It’s not really like that in the locker room, but it’s funny.”
More importantly, Morin has noticed bigger crowds and more fans wanting to buy jerseys.
Morin seems to enjoy the newfound attention: “You know, I don’t really mind the new Insta followers; it’s pretty nice, it has its perks, I won’t lie. But, overall it’s great for the team, and I’m really happy to be a part of this,” he said.
And while social media may be introducing people to the players, he wants people to know: “We’re a good group, we work hard as a team and we’re fun to watch. We really care about the school, the program and one another.”
Gennaro Pompano, No. 88, said he knew what he was getting into with the “Heated Rivalry” video, but often the filming is a surprise.
Unlike some teammates, Pompano said, “I enjoy doing [the videos]. I think it’s helping in growing the program.”
Pompano has seen the impact beyond social media, especially in the demand for team merchandise: “The jerseys right now are blowing up, and that’s all from media posts and what they’re doing. And that’s huge for us.”
But for him, the biggest goal is not simply getting views: “We want to grow the game.”
Team captain Max Phillips, No. 24, credits the social media team for their exposure. “These guys have done an amazing job,” he said. “Even in the three weeks, it’s blowing up like crazy.”
Out of the whole team, the captain is the only one who admitted to watching “Off Campus.”
When asked if they think that “Off Campus” and “Heated Rivalry” had had an impact on why they’ve gone viral, Phillips joked about his teammate: “He [Pompano] is also a good-looking guy, like, let’s be honest. That’s part of it but…”
Phillips said there is something more important people are beginning to discover about the team: they have a competitive but fun atmosphere. He mentioned someone jumping through the glass during the game after scoring a goal as an example of this. Still, he credits the social media team for their newfound attention.
So if the next “Heated Rivalry” video is what gets you interested in UM hockey, see what happens after the camera turns off. The best way to understand their passion is to watch them play.