The BU Pep Band playing while the Terrier men’s hockey team skated circles around Merrimack College on November 22, 2024.

Arts & Culture

Men’s Hockey Terriers and BU Pep Band Head to Belfast for Friendship Four

Students will showcase BU’s spirit on an international stage, in the only NCAA Division I hockey tournament held outside North America

This Thanksgiving, the Boston University’s men’s hockey team and the BU Pep Band will bring the energy and tradition of American college sports to Belfast, Northern Ireland. Competing in the Friendship Four—the only NCAA Division I ice hockey tournament held outside North America—they will showcase collegiate hockey on an international stage and share BU pride with a global audience.

Held at SSE Arena, home of the professional ice hockey team Belfast Giants, the tournament marks BU’s first appearance since 2018. For many players and band members, the trip is about more than a competition: it’s their first experience traveling abroad, promising memories that will last far beyond the final whistle.

“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” says men’s hockey cocaptain Shane LaChance (SHA’27). “We’re going to make the most of it and hopefully come back with a win.”

Founded in 2015, the Friendship Four celebrates the official sister-city relationship between Boston and Belfast, blending elite hockey with cultural and community engagement. This year, BU joins Merrimack College, Harvard University, and Notre Dame in the four-team competition.

The Terriers left Boston November 24, landing in Belfast Monday morning. They’ll follow their regular practice schedule through the week and go up against Merrimack in their opening game on Friday, November 29. Depending on the outcome, BU will play in either the championship or the consolation game on Saturday, November 30.

“It’s the first opportunity of the season to play for a championship,” says Jay Pandolfo (CAS’96), BU’s head coach. “It may be a small tournament, but you’re still trying to win something, and it’s good for our group.”

Off the ice, the Terrier skaters will explore Belfast, visit historic landmarks, and connect with the local community by teaching hockey to students at local primary schools.

“It’s a great bonding trip for our team,” Pandolfo adds. “I know they’re looking forward to having a lot of fun, being together, and learning a little about the history of Ireland as well.”

Adding to the excitement, the BU Pep Band is making history of its own, traveling overseas with the team for the first time and bringing the music and spirit that define BU hockey games. Known for pumping up crowds at Agganis Arena, the band is eager to bring that same energy to SSE Arena.

“They’re such a big part of the history and tradition of BU hockey,” Pandolfo says. “You just feel a little more at home when the BU band is around.”

Based on auditions and availability, 40 band members were selected to accompany the hockey team to Ireland. Funding for the trip was supported through BU Athletics, the College of Fine Arts School of Music, and a successful Terriers Together fundraiser.

“This was probably the most successful giving campaign we’ve had for the band,” says Aaron Goldberg, a CFA senior lecturer in music, director of Athletic Bands, and Big Band conductor. “There was a ton of excitement about the trip and people were happy to chip in.”

The band’s schedule includes game-day performances, a parade in Carrickfergus, a large town near Belfast, and a concert at the Amphitheatre Wellness Centre, organized by the U.S. Consulate. Their set list will feature BU’s Fight Song and fan favorites like “Shipping Up to Boston.” 

“Our goal is to make the arena in Belfast feel like Agganis Arena,” Goldberg says. “We want to show both the tradition of BU hockey and the pop and rock tunes that get the fans moving.”

For senior pep band manager Vivek Mirchandani (CAS’25) and junior manager Charlie Kehoe (CAS’26), the trip is especially meaningful, blending personal milestones with the chance to represent BU abroad.

“I’m just really excited to be welcomed by the people in Belfast and bring music I’ve been playing for the past three years to a whole different audience,” says Mirchandani, who plays the tuba.

“I’ve only been to Europe once, and it was to Italy,” adds mellophone player Kehoe, an international relations major. “I’m very excited to see Ireland and Northern Ireland because that’s actually where my family is from.”

On and off the ice, BU is fully embracing the spirit of the Friendship Four as an opportunity to bridge cultures, share the best of BU with a global audience,  and create lasting memories.

“I hope this is a feather in the cap of the students and staff who get to go,” Goldberg says. “Something they look back on in their college career as a real fond, cool memory.”