In its inaugural season, the TCU ice hockey team finished with a 3-15 record. To improve on that, a few offseason changes were made in hopes of a better 2013-2014 season.

Besides some new players, one new leader has been brought in to help. Derrell Upton, the new head coach, has already started making an impact on the players, junior Michael Authier said.

Authier, co-founder and captain of the team, said Upton’s presence will definitely help the team improve.

“He played in the pros for many years, and knows the game better than anyone,” Authier said. “He can show us tips and tricks, really work us hard, and get us to where we need to go.”

Upton brings in 10 years of professional hockey experience and a new attitude to the team. He said he guarantees a better season than last year and believes the team will play tough against every opponent.

“I don’t want to make any predictions, but I can tell you we are going to be competitive,” Upton said. “We are going to compete in every single game on every shift.”

The Frogs also gained new players as interest in the team grew, Michael Papes, a senior winger, said.

“Last year was our first year, so I thought we had a pretty good season given the circumstances,” Papes said. “We have a lot of new talent coming in, and I think that will play a big part in this.”

The ice hockey team kicked off its season with an 11-0 loss to UNT on Sept. 13.

The next match for TCU is against Texas Tech Friday night at the Nytex Sports Centre in North Richland Hills. The Red Raiders bring an 0-2 record into the weekend series against the 0-1 Frogs.