At eight years old, Aaron Bohlinger dreamed of playing Division I hockey. Little did he know, he would step foot on the University of Massachusetts campus, catch a glimpse of the Massachusetts hockey team, and find his four-year home in Amherst.

Before embarking on his series of college tours, Aaron dreamt of playing for Boston University. After visiting Providence College, his father John Bohlinger expected his son to commit to the Friars. But Aaron was still set on touring UMass and hopped on a plane from Waterloo with his father.

“What do you think?” his father asked him on the plane ride back from Amherst.

“Dad,” John recalled Aaron saying. “If you were to ask me what a traditional college campus was supposed to be, UMass would be it.”

From there, the decision was obvious for both his hockey and academic career. After spending seasons traveling with the United States Hockey League’s Waterloo Black Hawks and British Columbia Hockey League’s Alberni Valley Bulldogs, it was time for the Walden, New York native to settle in at a school where his family could visit and support him from the stands.

“I was super far away from home, so [I didn’t see them] as often, but to have them [at UMass] now means so much,” Aaron said. “Without a doubt [they’re the] most supportive people in my life: My mom, dad, and sister, [Emma]. Words don’t really do them justice.”

As soon as his mother Wendy met with head coach Greg Carvel and watched the Minutemen on the ice, she closed her eyes and imagined her son skating in a UMass jersey. Her heart was filled with peace knowing her son would be in good hands as Carvel ensured her that Aaron would develop into the Division I hockey player of his dreams.

“I said to my husband, ‘Oh yeah, this is where he’s going to be,’” Wendy said.

Months later in the 2021 National Championship game against St. Cloud State, John and Wendy witnessed Aaron’s first collegiate goal in person after not being able to attend games during the season due to COVID-19 restrictions. 

Early in the first period, Aaron set the tone for the night and opened the scoring for the Minutemen’s 5-0 victory over the Huskies. The moment sent a wave of shock through John who turned to his wife to confirm that his son scored for the first time on the college ice. The cameras panned to a fan waving a UMass flag sitting directly in front of them as if they knew instinctively that Aaron’s entire family from his sister to his grandparents were sharing this experience with him.

“Here you have a young man, a five-foot-nine defenseman, playing with one of the top teams in the country, playing in a national championship game, hasn’t scored a goal all season, [and] his first goal ends up being a game winner – his first, true collegiate career goal ends up being the game winner. It was pretty special,” John said.

While Aaron recalled the moment as a blur, it was an unforgettable feeling and a goal for the rest of the Minutemen. 

Having shared a wall and grown beside him all four years, his roommate Linden Alger could not have been prouder of his fellow defenseman as they held the National Championship title together as freshmen.

“That was definitely the best day of my life, definitely the best day of his life,” Alger said. “Seeing [Aaron] score the first goal was amazing. No one deserved it more than him.”

That championship run was fostered by the community created within the program by captains at the time. Bobby Trivigno, Jake Gaudet and Marc Del Gaizo paved the path of leadership for the freshman who eventually made it his mission as a senior captain to re-emphasize togetherness on and off the ice.

Bringing the team together was something Aaron and his co-captain Ryan Ufko valued after a lackluster 2022-23 season. Whether this be through playing softball together, practicing guitar with Kenny Connors and Cole O’Hara or dressing up in matching Yellowstone Halloween costumes with Alger, no Minuteman from the freshmen to the graduates would be left behind by Aaron.

“To be put in the same category as [Ufko], it was pretty cool. And [also] the guys before him, like [Trivigno, Gaudet, Del Gaizo], Eric Faith and Colin Felix. There’s a whole lot of guys that I’ve looked up to … and to be kind of grouped in there, it’s an honor and a privilege and I’m just really grateful,” Aaron said. “Hopefully I can pass [something] some and help … the next line of young guys.”

The sense of togetherness and family has always been rooted in the captain, even from his first days in skates.

Aaron was about four years old when he happily accepted an invitation to his friend’s birthday party at an ice skating rink. After flailing around the sheet in a one-piece snowsuit and a bicycle helmet, his best friend signed up to start hockey and Aaron excitedly followed suit.

Years later at 1:30 a.m. in his driveway with Emma and six billet players that Wendy and John were housing at the time, Aaron shoveled the snow out of the way upon hearing the news that school was canceled the next day. After successfully clearing out the driveway, the boys had the perfect set-up to shoot pucks until 3 a.m. talking and laughing throughout the night.

After Aaron’s freshman year, Emma followed her brother’s footsteps and committed to UMass. This kept their family as close as possible and brought a piece of New York close to Aaron. Starting from the days of packing everyone in the car and driving to Aaron’s youth hockey games, the Bohlingers have always prioritized being there for one another and never missed an opportunity to come together as a family.

“We always worked really hard to make sure that we would always try to have one of us, if not both of us, and our daughter there,” Wendy said.

Around 10 years old, Aaron took up the challenge to switch to the backend of the ice as a defenseman after playing as a forward for his youth hockey career. It was a period of trial and error, refining his skills from skating backwards to positioning himself in front of the net. But for the sake of his team and hockey family, Aaron was willing to try anything. 

“As a defenseman, you can’t make a mistake because you’re the last line to the goalie,” he said. “It just kind of [stuck]. A match made in heaven, I guess.”

Building connections and friendships with a group of players working towards the same goal quickly became his favorite part of the sport, even down to the 10 to 12 hour long bus rides that consumed his youth hockey experience.

“I’ve had a lot of lifelong friends I made from a younger age, and I get more every year now so that’s the most special thing I’ll take away from [hockey] without a doubt,” Aaron said.

Playing for the Minutemen, Aaron continued developing as a player and person.

As a shorter player on the ice, his abilities as a defenseman were doubted by many. He was told he was not strong or tall enough to reach the potential of a Division I hockey player. To add on to his struggles, he faced injuries in almost every season of his collegiate career.

However, his first youth coach Steve Pelosi engrained the message in Aaron’s head that “Little players have to prove they can play,” according to John.

Aaron took this message to heart and persevered past the doubt and injuries, proving to himself and others that he had what it took to fulfill his dreams. This came with sacrifice at a young age, missing out on birthday parties and get togethers with friends.

“Nothing has ever been easy,” Wendy said. “Aaron has worked very and hard, and he’s just that type of young man … he was so driven and focused.”

UMass provided Aaron with an environment for both hockey and his academics, where this determination could foster into something special. Even when battling through injury, the now-captain always put his band of brothers first, carrying himself with poise and keeping his college experience on the right track.

“He’s just been a leader since I’ve met him, even as a younger guy,” Alger said. “Now he’s doing a great job leading this group and he does everything the right way. [With] school, he’s a 4.0 student, [and] he’s always putting the team first and looking out for the group.”

Being coachable and developing connections with Carvel and Jacob Pritchard played a huge role in Aaron’s development and ability to lead the current pack of Minutemen. These relationships came with time as he grew trust with his coaches and fell in love with the authenticity of UMass’ entire hockey program.

“We’re very vulnerable and honest,” Aaron said. “I still learn a whole lot from both of them and I’m sure that’s not going to stop anytime soon. So, it’s been a pleasure.”

From the first day Aaron was recruited, Carvel expected the true freshman to become a captain years later. His maturity and professionalism made him an ideal candidate for the role, regardless of his many surgeries from his shoulder to his ankle. Throughout his year of captaincy, though, Carvel noted that Aaron has been nothing but a team player.

This was rooted in him from a young age, making sure he was always his true self on and off the ice. 

“Being a leader, having that voice, supporting and being supportive, and helping others to problem solve and work through [has] always been important to Aaron,” Wendy said. “He’s always had that voice, you don’t have to have the ‘C’ to be a leader.”

His time at UMass has been more than just hockey. The relationships, connections and pure love for the campus have made his four years special to both him and his family. He made sure he was having fun every step of the way. From practices and games to classes and hobbies, he watched himself grow mentally to his fullest potential.

“You know, we’re all [going to] lose hockey one day, but we always talk about developing people and building character and I think [UMass] is second to none in that,” Aaron said. “Just as a person and character-wise, I’ve grown a lot and learned a lot and it’s not stopping yet.”

This character development with the Minutemen and his evident passion for the sport are what Aaron’s parents have been most proud of. Watching their son grow as a person while growing his love for hockey has been nothing short of rewarding. 

“That’s what I’m most proud of: The young man that he is,” Wendy said. “As a mom, watching my son do what makes him happiest makes my heart feel full. He’s doing what he has worked for so many years to do and he’s happy. I can’t ask for more than that.”

Even with a Bachelor’s degree and a potential fifth year in college hockey on the horizon for the senior, living in the present and having fun along the way is Aaron’s sole priority.

“Right now for our team, it’s just to never take anything for granted and keep pushing everyday … After a while you start racking up days … weeks … a month, and before you know it, your four years are up,” Aaron said. “I just focus on today and then when we wake up tomorrow, we’ll worry about that.”

Sydney Ciano can be reached at [email protected] and followed on Twitter @SydneyCiano.