By Taylor Dean / USPHL.com
After two years of thriving within the Islanders Hockey Club’s close-knit and driven environment, defenseman Owen Check is ready to continue to build his legacy, committing to Hiram College and its forthcoming NCAA Division III hockey team, which opens play in 2025-26. When he begins his new journey next fall, Check will take valuable experiences from the Islanders as he continues to push his skills to a new level.
A liberal arts college in Hiram, Ohio, Hiram College is adding three new varsity sports teams to their 2025-26 roster, including men’s ice hockey. As one of the players on the inaugural team, Check has an opportunity to build a new legacy and impressionable team culture.
“Hiram is a new program in the DIII world,” he said. “Both of my parents went to Duquesne University and started new programs for soccer and hockey. I wanted to follow in their footsteps and be a part of something special. You get to establish a culture and help build something from the ground up. You also get to look back years after you are done and see what you helped create.”
Academically, Check said Hiram College is a perfect fit for him, as he is pursuing a degree in its business program. The college offers a 12-3 week program instead of a standard semester setup, giving time to focus on classes while prioritizing time management. Dubbed the “Hiram Plan,” students are immersed in 12 weeks of classes, followed by a one week break and a three-week single class intensive.
Check credits Islanders’ team culture in preparing him for his next step at Hiram. The fast-paced and competitive environment and the community the team built over the years motivated Check and his teammates to perform at the highest caliber.
“Being a part of the Islanders Hockey Club has shown me that we are a big family,” he said. “I would do anything for any of my teammates or coaches. Jay teaches us to play multiple systems in every zone. This allows us to know exactly what we are doing in every scenario. We love to chirp each other and make everyone work harder. We hold one another to a very high standard, allowing us to succeed.”
While he has excellent on-and off-ice skills to bring to Hiram, Check acknowledges there’s always room for improvement. He plans to use his final months with the Islanders to improve his skills and become a better defenseman and teammate.
“As a defenseman and player, you can always improve at skating, stick handling, and shooting. You can work on these things yourself, and they will always improve. I also want to try to play faster and more offensively to contribute more to my team this year and to my team next year. Playing faster allows you to have more time and space to create plays. This is crucial at the college level because of the speed difference.”
The Premier league overall set Check up for success, exposing him to college coaches, providing opportunities to build relationships and showing a clear pathway to college.
“Playing in the USPHL Premier has allowed me to talk to college coaches and build connections through networking. Playing in several showcases throughout my two years, you see college coaches in the stands. This makes you want to play better and get a chance to talk to the college coach. At Nationals, you are exposed to a lot of college coaches, and the further you get, the more coaches that will watch your team.”
Check began his USPHL career with the Islanders’ Elite team. After four games, the Islanders elevated him to the Premier team after seeing his potential. Today, he’s played 40 career Premier games, including playing in the 2024 Premier National Championship game. As Check finishes his final year with the Islanders before heading to college, he has last year’s Nationals on his mind.
“Playing at Nationals last year is something I will always remember,” he said. “Nobody believed in us and counted us out after the seeding round. We had the hardest schedule possible and had to play a very specific way in every game to succeed. It was nice to prove everyone wrong and show them we could make a deep run. Everyone on our team believed, and hearing everyone was doubting us made us play that much better. Losing in overtime was heartbreaking and is something all of the returners this year will always remember.
“This year is the year that we finish what we started.”
The USPHL congratulates Owen Check, his family, the Islanders Hockey Club and Hiram College for his commitment.
