67’s alumnus Austen Keating bookmarks U SPORTS career with U CUP win
To say the 2023-24 season for Austen Keating and his teammates at the University of New Brunswick was a fairytale would be doing it a disservice.
The UNB Reds rolled to 38 consecutive wins in the regular season, AUS playoffs, and the U SPORTS University Cup, where they didn’t allow a single goal, en route to their second straight U CUP title. Their perfect season marked only the second time in U SPORTS’ history a team won every single game, having not been achieved since McMaster University in 1963.
In turn, the Reds have been at the center of conversation regarding the best U SPORTS team of all time, which is a surreal feeling for Keating.
“I don’t think it has fully sunk in yet,” he said. “Throughout the year, we never really talked about it too much, but now that we’ve accomplished everything we set out to do as a team, it’s pretty incredible. We have so many great players on our team, and everyone worked extremely hard to get better every day.”
Set to graduate from the university this summer, Keating has set his sights on playing pro hockey once again. Since leaving Ottawa after the COVID-shortened 2019-20 season, the Guelph native has continued to believe in his pro dreams, and now, he says it’s time to bring them to fruition.
“This is always what I wanted, especially when I came to UNB and I saw the talent on the ice,” Keating said. “I knew that if I continued to work, I’d have a shot to go pro, and I think I’ve done a good job of that.”
Although the dreams have remained the same, Keating has seen incredible personal growth since joining the Barber Poles nine years ago.
“Maturity is the biggest thing,” Keating said. “I was 20 years old and heartbroken with how things ended with Ottawa, but I came here with so many great leaders on and off the ice. I’ve learned so much from coming to Fredericton, and it’s one of the best decisions I’ve made in my life.”
Before the search begins for what’s next, Keating says he’s going to take some time to enjoy life with his teammates back in Fredericton, and celebrate their unimaginable accomplishments.
On social media, UNB’s special run has sparked debate about how they would fare against NCAA competition, but many have dismissed the Reds. Keating knows firsthand, however, that the league is ultra-competitive, with the UNB roster consisting of 25 CHL graduates, and the rest of the league filled with great players.
“[The doubters] would be proven wrong,” Keating said. “There are so many players who played big roles on their junior team who decide to go to school for many reasons. It’s underappreciated and underestimated, for sure, throughout the country.”
As for playing an NCAA team, Keating is just as interested as the rest of us to find out what would happen.
“We’ve seen UNB teams in the past play NCAA teams, and I wouldn’t be surprised to say we could compete with those teams,” Keating said. “Guys have joked around a little bit about it, but it would be interesting if it ever happened.”
When Keating’s pro contract search does begin, he says he’s open to anything – any country, and level, and any opportunity.
