For many people, the love for sports starts at a young age. For Miami University men’s hockey senior captain Doug Grimes, that’s exactly where his journey began.
He started skating at 3 years old when his dad brought him and his siblings to a rink for lessons. They were scared to go out on the ice, so their dad left them with the instructor and no other choice but to try.
“We’re put in a position where we had to go out on the ice, and I brought a little crate out, and the second I stepped on the ice, [it was] just something I fell in love with right away,” Grimes said.
The Massachusetts native recalled the excitement around getting to play games with his friends and teammates and said the sport brings out his most competitive side. Around the age of 8, Grimes knew that hockey was what he wanted to pursue.
After the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted his junior year of high school, Grimes decided to make the step up to the junior hockey level a year earlier than he had planned. In his first season, Grimes played 22 games with the Sioux City Musketeers in the United States Hockey League (USHL). Despite his early entry into the juniors, Grimes said it was beneficial and allowed him to better adjust to the more intense style of play.
Grimes played three seasons in the USHL before turning to National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) hockey in 2023. He played his freshman and sophomore seasons with Boston University where he was a part of the team’s last two Frozen Four appearances. After his sophomore season, Grimes decided that he wanted to find a team where he could play a bigger role.
“[When] we saw him in the [transfer] portal, it was a great opportunity for us to get a player that we really believed in, and we thought that there was a lot more untapped potential,” associate head coach Troy Thibodeau said.
The team needed over 20 new players ahead of the 2025-26 season, allowing Grimes plenty of ice time at Miami. The RedHawks finished the 2024-25 season with a record of 3-28-3 overall. While the team looked to improve, Grimes saw it as an opportunity to help build the program back up once he joined the team.
“He will do whatever it possibly takes to help our team accomplish its mission at all times,” head coach Anthony Noreen said.
In his first season with Miami, he scored 18 points (10-8-18) in 34 games and was one of the top goal scorers for the RedHawks. But it isn’t just numbers that he contributes to the team. Because of his proven ability to be a leader on and off the ice, he was named team captain ahead of this season.
“This year was kind of a no-brainer from our coaching staff that he was a leader,” Thibodeau said.
There was no official captain for the team last season because of significant roster turnover, but Grimes showed leadership immediately. He has an outgoing personality that helps the new players on the team feel comfortable, and he didn’t change his leadership style after putting the ‘C’ on his jersey.
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On the ice, he pushes his teammates to be their best while also giving it his all. He isn’t afraid to assert himself in a game. Grimes is not just a presence on the ice. Off the ice he offers his teammates support in any way he can.
Just like any athlete, Grimes wants the best for his team. He is committed to making Miami hockey one of the most competitive NCAA hockey teams in the nation. Despite the team’s opening loss to the Northern Michigan University Wildcats, they bounced back to beat them 4-1 the next day. While Grimes doesn’t think the team played at 100%, he remains optimistic for the season ahead.
Although the RedHawks have their full schedule ahead of them, Grimes is looking forward to the team’s games versus Stonehill College on Nov. 27-28. Not only are the games on a rink he played youth hockey on, but he gets to spend the weekend after Thanksgiving close to where he grew up.
After this season, Grimes will not have any eligibility remaining in the NCAA but plans to continue playing hockey for as long as he can.
“As long as I get the opportunity, I’ll probably be lacing the skates up,” Grimes said.
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