11 Players with NAHL Connections Win Division III Hockey Championships with Hamilton College

March 31, 2026

The Hamilton College Continentals claimed their first national championship after defeating the Hobart College Statesmen in overtime fashion on Sunday afternoon. The Continentals feature 11 former NAHL players lacing up for the Division III program, and the overtime game-winning goal came from a former League of Opportunity skater.

Curtiss Sturgeon is a first-year skater with Hamilton College, and the former Elmira Aviator has made an impact in the championship game in just his freshman season. As the game was tied 1-1, the contest was forced into an overtime period of hockey. Sturgeon nets just his second goal of the year, and scores on former Corpus Christi IceRay, Damon Beaver. Beaver has won numerous accolades during his four-year career with Hobart. This season, he was named the Goaltender and Division III Player of the Year thanks to his domination in the blue paint for the Statesmen. Across the rink in the other crease, another impact player in the contest was former Springfield Jr. Blue, Aksel Reid. The netminder made timely saves throughout the game and featured a career-high 39 saves. Reid was named the Most Valuable Player during the NCAA Championship thanks to his work in the blue paint.

Last season, Sturgeon led the first-year Elmira organization on the scoresheet with 20 goals. He skated with the New York-based NAHL team before making the move to play NCAA hockey for the 2025-26 season. Sturgeon was joined by former Elmira teammate Clarence Beltz this year with the Continentals. Beltz featured a team-leading 42 points with Elmira, notching a team-leading 26 assists. The two become the first former Elmira players to win an NCAA Division III championship title.

Former NAHL Players on the Continentals Roster*:

Trey Williams - Amarillo Wranglers (2022-24)

Jackson Krock - Anchorage Wolverines (2021-22)

Joey Lovullo - El Paso Rhinos (2023-25)

Clarence Beltz - Elmira Aviators (2024-25)

Curtiss Sturgeon - Elmira Aviators (2024-25)

Justin Biraben - Fairbanks Ice Dogs (2022-23)

Ben Zimmerman - Lone Star Brahmas (2021-22)

Connor Thue - Minot Minotauros (2024-25)

John Wojciechowski - Odessa Jackalopes (2021-24)

Liam Varmecky - Rochester Jr. Americans (2022-24)

Aksel Reid - Springfield Jr. Blues (2021-23)