By Warren Kozireski —
At family gatherings for the rest of his days, Fredonia senior and Webster native Craig McCabe will have some bragging right over his older brother, Teddy, who played for four seasons at Geneseo.
Despite playing one fewer season, Craig has more goals—five—and more points—19. And Fredonia has clinched a SUNYAC playoff berth for one final go-around for the blueliner. Of course, Geneseo did make two deep runs into the NCAA postseason advancing to the quarterfinals in 2017-18 and the semi-finals in 2018-19.
“It’s pretty awesome to be relied on, especially as an older guy on this team; lead by example and it’s awesome that it finally comes full circle,” assistant captain McCabe said following the Blue Devils final home game of the season and his career.
McCabe started playing with the Webster Cyclones program and the Webster Titans won a Section V title in his only year there with his brother. Three more seasons with McQuaid High, where he won a state title in 2013 as a junior preceded McCabe playing for two year with the Ottawa Jr. Senators and one more season in the NAHL with the New Jersey Titans prior to joining Fredonia.
He wears #4 in college because it was the first jersey number he wore playing hockey and thought it would be a perfect number to finish his career with.
And other memories will always be there—of first goals, of playing high school hockey with his brother and all the teammates he has gone to battle with over the years.
His first collegiate goal came just last season on Jan. 21, 2022 at Buffalo State.
“Nice feed backdoor for an easy tap-in from Jake Blackwell. I couldn’t have missed.”
And the last few months of his collegiate hockey career and hopefully a future in marketing.
“Been trying not to think about it, but it’s been a longtime and long career and I’m not ready for it to be over yet. We’ll see (what’s next); I’m keeping my options open, but it’s about time to find a job and start making money.”
(SUNY Fredonia Athletics Hockey Photos)
