Color of Hockey: Wongus thrilled to help make history at Tennessee State

William Douglas has been writing The Color of Hockey blog since 2012. Douglas joined NHL.com in 2019 and writes about people of color in the sport. Today, he profiles Ethan Wongus, a top scoring forward for Maine of the North American Hockey League who has committed to play for Tennessee State University, which is establishing the first NCAA Division I hockey program at a historically Black college (HBCU).

Ethan Wongus was on a family vacation in Banff, Alberta, in May when his hockey journey took an unexpected turn.

Tennessee State University coach Duante Abercrombie called Wongus, a forward for Maine of the North American Hockey League, and asked him if he wanted to play for the first NCAA Division I hockey team at a historically Black college (HBCU).

“I didn’t really know too much about (Tennessee State) -- I knew they really strive for Black excellence, which I thought was pretty cool,” Wongus said. “And once I found out that they’re going to have a hockey team, it was honestly just like the best of both worlds for me.”

The 21-year-old Edmonton native committed to TSU on Oct. 4, joining 18 other players who have pledged to skate for the Nashville university whose notable alumni include Oprah Winfrey, Olympic track stars Wilma Rudolph and Ralph Boston; National Football League stars Richard Dent, Dominique Rogers-Cromartie and Joe Gilliam; actor Moses Gunn; and retired U.S. Air Force Gen. Lloyd “Fig” Newton.

“It being an HBCU and being able to kind of be like a role model for kids like me, being a Black hockey player, I feel like it would be cool to have someone to look up to, especially at the D1 level,” Wongus said. “It’s high level of hockey, so it was pretty much a no-brainer for me, like I knew, after talking to [Abercrombie] for the first time.”

Maine general manager and coach Nick Skerlick said TSU is getting a talented two-way forward and leader in Wongus. He has 58 points (20 goals, 38 assists) in 57 games to lead Maine in scoring; he's second in goals behind forward Laurent Trepanier (25) and second in assists behind forward Zion Green (39).

“He's a leader by example type of kid,” Skerlick said of Wongue, who Maine acquired in a trade with New Jersey of the NAHL on Aug. 6. “He’s fast and strong not only on offense, but his forechecking ability is second to none, his puck-carrying skills are second to none. Ethan pushes the puck with speed, and he's been very troublesome for other teams on the defense this year.”

Skerlick said he thought Wongus could have chosen to commit to an established NCAA Division I program in a conference, but it didn’t surprise him that he selected start-up TSU which plans to begin play as an independent largely because of the lack of nearby competition.

“He pulled the trigger on Tennessee State because of what it meant to him,” Skerlick said. “He's kind of, like, ‘I'd rather go to Tennessee State and have it mean more than just play at a school.’ We are proud that he made the announcement.”

So is Wongus’ father, Stan Wongus. Like his son, he initially knew little about HBCUs, because they don’t exist in Canada.

TSU is among the more than 100 colleges and universities in the United States established before 1964 with the primary mission of educating Black Americans who were denied admission to predominantly white institutions during the pre-civil rights era. For decades, they were the main source of Black doctors, dentists, lawyers, educators and other professionals.

“I don't think either of us thought of him as being a pioneer, but my son is willing to take on the title and is excited to be endeavoring into new areas that have never been explored before with TSU,” Stan Wongus said. “He loves hockey. He doesn't mind being the face of a team. He was very excited to get the offer from Daunte and is looking forward to the challenge.”

TSU announced its intention to establish a men’s hockey program on June 28, 2023, at the NHL Draft in Nashville and has been in building mode ever since.

It hired Abercrombie, a Washington, D.C., native who began playing hockey for the Fort Dupont Ice Hockey Club, an affiliate of the NHL’s Hockey Is For Everyone initiative and the oldest minority-oriented youth hockey program in North America, on April 18, 2024.

Abercrombie’s trajectory has taken him from a wide-eyed youth player to a highly regarded coach who was an assistant at NCAA Division III Stevenson University and has had internships/guest coaching stints with the Arizona Coyotes, Nashville Predators, San Jose Sharks and Toronto Maple Leafs.

The college switched its sights from club hockey to the NCAA and Abercrombie has been scouring the U.S. and Canada for talent. He’s been fundraising, too, for the start-up program on a campus that’s dealing with a financial crisis. Civil rights attorney Ben Crump pledged $10,000 to TSU hockey on Tuesday and took to social media asking others to join him.

Skerlick said he has spoken with Wongus and Ocean Fancy, a Maine defenseman of Indonesian heritage who also committed to TSU on Jan. 22, about what it’s like to be part of a new college hockey program, and shared his experiences as a forward for Lebanon Valley College in Pennsylvania when its men’s team shifted from club to NCAA Division III in 2016-17.

“I told them at first it's a little confusing because everybody comes in, they're all recruited to something that's new,” Skerlick said. “ 'Ethan, your work ethic is contagious, Ocean, your swagger is contagious. So when you go down there (TSU), my biggest word of advice to you guys is, be yourself, and don't try to be more so than the team. There’s a bunch of guys transferring in, a bunch of guys who are going to be freshmen just like you. You want to snag that family feeling quickly and build a culture.' ”

Wongus said he’s ready for the challenge.

“I just think it's a great opportunity for everyone, not only players of color, but for everyone, to have a D-I hockey team there,” he said.