By Brandon Thomas
Cornell Athletic Communications

Freshman Friday (and, for this year, the Sophomore Spotlight) is a Q-and-A feature with new members of the men's hockey team. This is the fourth of 14 installments this year, featuring freshman forward Sullivan Mack.

Q: Being from Alaska is noteworthy enough on its own – but how did you become a Toronto Maple Leafs fan from way out there?
A: That's been kind of a more recent thing. I didn't really have a TV growing up, so I didn't have a ton of full NHL games. With the Leafs getting some really good young players – (Mitch) Marner and (Auston) Matthews are two of my favorites – that's kind of where that came from. I've really liked to watch them play.

Q: No TV?
A: No. It was just a family thing. They wanted me to get outside or read books, or things like that.

Q: And yet, you're from Anchorage – which is a much bigger city than most people realize (Editor's note: Strictly by urban population, 2020 US Census Bureau data has Anchorage as more populous than Buffalo). Were you from the city or more on the outskirts?
A: It's interesting, because I live probably five minutes from Anchorage – so a lot of people probably consider that downtown, but it really feels like more of a suburb-type area.

Q: I heard somewhere that you started playing when you were 6 or so, but at what point did you start to think that maybe you were a next-level player?
A: I'd say that around the time I got to high school, I felt like I could have the potential to play in college. So I started to look at going to boarding school, because I thought that was the best option to mix school and hockey. I guess that was when I decided I wanted to play college hockey, but the whole idea of Cornell never showed up until much later when I was already at boarding school and playing there.

Q: Boarding school can be a tough transition for anyone – but it seems like it would be an even bigger move going from Alaska to New Hampshire. Was there any hesitation about making that step?
A: I was a little nervous, but at the same time a lot of the kids I had grown up playing hockey with were also moving away to play. So that kind of made it a little easier. And there was also already a kid from Alaska at the school I was going to (Kimball Union), so I was able to talk to him about it. That made also made it a little easier.

Q: What was your recruiting timeline like, and when did Cornell enter the picture?
A: I think it started when I was going home for summer break after my junior year. We just talked a few times over the summer, and then it really picked up into the fall of my senior year. I finally went on my visit in January 2019 and I got to watch them play Northern Michigan, then a week later I committed. It was pretty easy once I visited.

Q: Other than the game and the atmosphere that you saw, what was it about Cornell that had you sold?
A: I actually watched them play at Dartmouth when I was a sophomore at Kimball Union. I had always wanted to play Ivy League hockey, but after seeing that game I kind of told myself that Cornell was probably my favorite. Because I always wanted to go somewhere that was pretty competitive hockey-wise, and I didn't want to go to school in a city – so I think Cornell's the one that fits the bill for that the most.

Q: At what point did you learn that – by shear coincidence – that you're first college hockey game was potentially going to be against Alaska?
A: I think I learned about it just this fall. It's definitely interesting, because I grew up going to the games and watching those, so I think it will be kind of a full-circle moment.

Q: Of course, Fairbanks is a few hundred miles from Anchorage, so you definitely had more of a hometown team. Did you grow up an Alaska Anchorage?
A: Yeah, I tried to go to as many of their games as I could and tried to support them. It's kind of tough to see what's happened to them in recent years, but I was definitely a fan of the Seawolves.

Q: Both of your parents were college athletes – your dad played hockey at Concordia and your mom ran track. Were they a factor in whether your "next level" for hockey was going to be major juniors or the NCAA?
A: I was kind of a late bloomer. I was smaller until I got a little older, so I would say that major juniors was never really an option for me. It was nice that way – because I always thought that if I was going to play at the next level, it would be the college route.

Q: So you're in the Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management. What do you hope to do with that someday?
A: I don't really know. I'm pretty undecided, but I just figure that business has applications in just about anything that you do. So that's where that decision came from.

Q: We've had a little bit of a look at you through a couple exhibitions, but how would you describe your style of play?
A: I'd say I'm a pretty speedy forward and try to play fast, but also be responsible in my own zone. I try to take advantage of opportunities when I can, but also be smart and not be a liability defensively.

Q: Last year was pretty strange for just about everyone. What was your season like with Salmon Arm in the BCHL? Was that your plan all along?
A: It was kind of a weird situation. I was considering coming into Cornell that year (2020-21), but because of everything that was going on with COVID-19, I wanted all four years here to be as normal as possible. So I decided to stay out a year, and I think it was really good. It was cool to get to the next step, because going from prep school to college would have been a big adjustment. It's already a big adjustment even going from juniors to college. So I'm really appreciative for the time spent there.

Q: You did well, too – finishing second in team scoring with 26 points in 20 games. Would you say that also gives you more confidence coming in here?
A: Yeah, 100%. They gave me a lot of opportunities there. I'm really grateful to just have a good year at a higher level. It makes me feel like I can really compete here.

Q: Outside of hockey, what other interests do you have?
A: Being from Alaska, just being outside is probably the biggest thing – hiking in the mountains, and I go biking a lot when I'm back home. And I play a lot of golf in the summer, too. Alaska's the land of the Midnight Sun, so you can be teeing off at 10:30 at night and finishing nine holes by midnight or 12:30. We definitely take advantage of that.

Assistant director of athletic communications Brandon Thomas is in his 11th season as his office's primary contact for the Cornell men's hockey team. He can be reached at brandon@cornell.edu.

Freshman Fridays (and Sophomore Spotlights)

•  Oct. 8: Joe Howe
•  Oct. 15: Justin Ertel
•  Oct. 22: Jack Lagerstrom
•  Oct. 29: Sullivan Mack