BYU Hockey says goodbye to senior Nick Bartholomew

As the BYU Hockey season comes to a close the BYU Cougars will be holding their senior festivities on Saturday at 7 pm at the Peaks Ice Arena. For some members of the team this will be the last time they put on a BYU Hockey uniform in front of their home fans, and so in the process of honoring their contributions to BYU Hockey it is important to learn a bit about each of them. In this edition we get to know senior Nick Bartholomew.

Nick grew up in Alaska and so hockey has been a big part of his life for as long as he can remember. He has heard stories of his parent taking him to college hockey games when he was a baby and he has played since the age of five. As he played throughout the years he was usually the only LDS player on the team, which made it even more difficult to be in the hockey environment. When he was a senior in high school he heard that BYU had a hockey team and was immediately interested in playing hockey at a college level, that also allowed for an environment that aligned with his religious beliefs. With the extra benefits that came with the program, Nick joined the team and the Cougars benefited greatly.

As a Cougar, Nick enjoyed a host of memorable moments but one of his most memorable games was this year when the Cougars played against the 12th ranked team, California State Univ-Northridge. The game was close and ended up going into overtime before the Cougars pulled off the upset. Not only was the win against a ranked team but it was the first overtime win Nick enjoyed as a Cougar, and only his second he had ever been a part of.  Although the moments on the ice can never be underestimated, some of his fondest memories were created with the friendships that he has made over the years. He has learned the BYU hockey is more than just a team or a program, it is a brotherhood that doesn't end after you are done playing. All of his greatest memories while playing at BYU are with those that he considers lifelong friends, and he has every hope to keep it that way.

Nick did have one experience that will stick in his mind for the wrong reasons, as he suffered a concussion injury that only allowed him to play 10 games that year. Outside of serving his two year LDS mission, this was the only time he wasn't on the ice in his 19 year career. Although just a small snapshot in his Cougar career, it is always hard to see someone go through a season ending injury.

Now that Nick is graduating from BYU, Nick and his wife plan on moving to the Boise area to be with their families that currently reside there. His hope is to find a job that will allow him to not only support his family, but to allow his children to pursue their own passions, as he has with hockey.  One of his hopes is that when he gets back to Boise he can get involved with his old high school, or youth hockey programs, as an assistant or head coach to younger players. Whatever he ends up doing, Cougar Nation will support him! Good Luck Nick!