University of Vermont Athletic Hall of Fame
Henry H. "Chip" Uihlein 1967 - Hockey
One of the original non-scholarship hockey players at UVM in the 60s (hockey became a varsity sport at UVM in 1963), Chip Uihlein scored the first goal at Gutterson Fieldhouse on December 7, 1963. A 1989 UVM Hall of Fame inductee, he went on to have a standout three-year career with the Catamounts.
The first game at Gutterson against MIT (an 8-0 win for the Catamounts) gave little indication that Vermont hockey would become- and soon after- one of the most popular sports at UVM. Pioneers such as Uihlein never realized the popularity of the sport, but played significant roles in building the foundation for of the most successful programs in the nation. Uihlein's goal on that early December evening in 1963 was a milestone, certainly, but his contribution to UVM went far deeper. In only 64 games, he scored 66 points on 31 goals and 35 assists.
"Uihlein could have played on any team I coached in at Vermont. He managed to score over a point a game in his career despite me shifting him to defense his senior year," said the long-time coach, Jim Cross. "A strong skater, he was an outstanding defensive wing; one of the best checkers I've seen at UVM."
Uihlein won the team's MVP award in 1966 and after tallying a team-high 24 assists as a senior, he was the first winner of the team's coaches award in 1967.
An executive account manager with NCR Corporation for 20 years, he became vice president of a U-Line Corporation a manufacturer of residential and light commercial ice makers and refrigeration products in 1987. Active in youth hockey, he coached and/or administrated for the Milwaukee Winter Club for over 20 years.
