MTSU’s season was nothing short of groundbreaking for the program. From a College Hockey South championship to the club’s first national appearance, the 2024-25 Blue Raider hockey club set a new standard for the program.
The team is losing multiple players that were key to their outstanding season and are looking to become more dynamic, while also honing the skills and players that are already on the roster.
While looking forward to next season, MTSU head coach JJ Murray showed appreciation for his stellar group of seniors as nine contributors are all set to graduate with their undergraduate degree at the end of the semester.
“Seniors are leaving a huge legacy,” Murray said. “They brought us to the forefront of college hockey south and to the final four.”
Despite a big portion of the team graduating, graduate degree paths open the door for many to return.
“We do have a lot of seniors,” Murray said. “I think you guys would be surprised, a lot of them are coming back so a lot of them are going to grad school so I think we’re really only losing three people.”
As current players ponder their future, Middle Tennessee and Murray have shifted focus towards recruiting. With the offseason in full swing, the Blue Raiders have already signed two recruits to the 2025-26 squad.
The first is forward Brandon Consolo from the U16 and U18 team, the Motor City Gamblers. Consolo, The Michigan native, tallied 19 points during the 2024-2025 season, including nine assists and nine goals. The 20-year-old winger will bring a balanced offensive game to round out the lineup.
The second is forward Andrew Myers from the youth league team, the Smokey Mountain Wild. Myers is a Tennessee native from Lenoir City; in his only campaign with the Wild, he notched 15 points in 12 games.
“There’s so much local talent in Tennessee that people don’t know about,” Murray said. “There is really no difference between us and the NCAA, we just can’t offer money.”
Murray is on the recruiting trail with momentum on his side. Despite the difference in levels between the NCAA and AAU Division II, the recruiting process is similar. Murray schedules meetings with potential players and promotes not only the team but also the benefits of attending MTSU.
“In-state tuition is so cheap, and players get more minutes here than they would sitting on the bench at a small NCAA DIII school,” Murray said. “We’ve had guys go NCAA and come back because it didn’t work out. They ended up loving it here.”
One such success story for the Blue Raiders was Ethan Demumbrum, who transferred to MTSU after two seasons at the NCAA DIII program, Salem State University. In two seasons with Salem State, the forward totaled nine points. In one season with the Blue Raiders, Demumbrum notched 58 points and achieved All-Conference honors.
The same path led point leader Brendan Ogle to Murfreesboro. Ogle transferred to MTSU from Southern New Hampshire University and quickly became one of MTSU’s most consistent offensive weapons.
With a combination of veteran leaders and a new wave of homegrown talent, the coaching staff is focused on building a deep roster built on culture.
“We’re going to be good for a long time, we’re going to keep winning, and we’re going to bring the national championship home,” Murray said.
With lofty expectations for next season, the road ahead will be challenging, but Middle Tennessee is poised for another deep postseason run. The 2024-25 season may have set the bar, but the Blue Raiders are just getting started.
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