Senior forward Brett Chorske is having the best season of his collegiate career.

Brett Chorkse ’25 has never felt better on the ice than he has this season. And it’s showing. 

The towering 6-foot-7 center from Edina, Minn., is having the best season of his career in his final year at Colgate. 

Midway through the season, he’s tied for the most points in the ECAC with 18 (10 goals, eight assists). He’s scored at least one point in 12 consecutive games, which is the longest active point streak in the nation. 

Meanwhile, Colgate is off to a strong start in conference play. Heading into the holiday break, the Raiders sit atop of the ECAC standings with a 5-2-1 record. Not bad for a program that was ranked fifth in an ECAC preseason poll.

Chorske is thrilled for the opportunity to anchor Colgate’s top line with linemates Alex DiPaolo ’25 and Max Nagel ’28.

“I have felt really good, probably the best I’ve felt on the ice in my career,” Chorske said. “Things are kind of going my way — right spot, right time. My linemates in DiPaolo and Nagel have made it real easy to succeed. Those guys find me and all I have to do is finish it off in the back of the net.”

Chorske began his collegiate career at Colorado College, where he played for two seasons before he entered the transfer portal in search of a program where he could play a bigger role.

Colgate was among the teams to show interest in the Minnesota native. As Chorske explored his options, he learned much about Colgate from several Raiders’ players who grew up in the North Star State.

One of those student-athletes was current teammate Tommy Bergsland ’25, who has known Chorske since they were kids. The two used to play summer league hockey together. They have also trained together each summer for the last six years.

Chorske, who wanted a rigorous academic experience, found the right fit with Colgate, which offered a top education and a hockey program where he could play a big role. Colgate was also coming off a season where the Raiders were crowned ECAC champs — which made Colgate a much more enticing destination for the forward.

After Chorske committed to Colgate, long-time head coach Don Vaughan retired. Chorske said he wasn’t sure if his role with the team would change under a new coaching staff. His concerns were soon diffused when Mike Harder ’97 took over the program and immediately reached out to every member of the team and in-coming player.

“Mike Harder was super pumped to hear that I committed here and was on the roster,” Chorske said. “He told me the same thing that Vaughan did — that I’d have a lot of opportunity to play and help this team succeed. Everything worked out great. I’m really happy.”

After playing as a center for most of his life, Chorske was moved to wing at Colorado and he continued in that position during his first season at Colgate. He finished with seven goals and 20 assists for 27 points in 35 games as a junior. He was second on the team with assists and third in points.

Heading into his final season at Colgate, Chorske was moved back to the center position. The move has paid dividends. 

“We had a few centers on the team last year,” he said. “It worked out that there was an opportunity for me to play center this year. Coach Harder talked to me about it. I was extremely excited. I always felt I played my best hockey at center.”

He also credits the coaching staff for helping him with his development. 

“On the ice, it has been sweet,” he said. “I’ve had the opportunity I dreamed about. Coach Harder gave me that. He’s been really good at teaching me the things I need to adapt my game and get to the next level.”

Harder said he’s thrilled with how Chorske is playing. 

“Brett is excelling in every situation we have him playing,” Harder said. “He’s contributed to our team’s success both on the scoresheet and as a calm, positive influence as a team leader.”

While Chorske has improved since his previous season, he always had the ability to take over games, Harder said.

“Brett sees the game really well and has a high hockey IQ,” Harder said. “So moving him to the center position has helped him be more involved in both making and instigating plays. It is also evident that he put the work in during the off-season because he came back to campus much stronger and faster. Brett has a willingness-to-sacrifice mentality that will help him continue to develop into an excellent pro.”

Chorske is the son of Tom Chorske, who played 11 seasons in the NHL. Brett Chorske said his father is always there to give him advice when he needs it. His father has also given him plenty of space without putting too much pressure on him, he said.

He said the best advice he got from his father was to focus on what he can control as a hockey player. 

“All you can do is show up with the right attitude and effort every day,” he said. “As long as you are doing those things, and control what you can control, it will work out for you in the end. 

Off the ice, Brett Chorske has been busy working toward a degree in economics. Since arriving at Colgate, he’s taken five courses each semester to make up for credits that were lost during the transfer. 

Having a tough academic schedule has forced Chorske to maximize his time to finish all his work. Now, with the fall semester complete and the toughest part of his schedule behind him, Chorske looks forward to taking only four courses in the spring. 

“It has been a good challenge,” he said of his academic experience. “Something I take pride in is doing well in the classroom.”
Chorske wants to play professional hockey after he graduates. When his hockey career comes to an end, he wants to use his Colgate degree to pursue a career in the financial sector. 

In the meantime, he’s focused on getting better each day and helping Colgate add another ECAC trophy to its shelf. 

While the team is happy with its success thus far, everyone in the locker room knows that there’s still a long road ahead. 

“We want to be a team that nobody wants to see coming into their rink that night,” he said. “We have the ability to play heavy and play physical and also control the puck, make a lot of plays, and score goals. If we put everything together, we could win a lot of games and be really effective in our conference.”