Boston College’s 2001 NCAA championship team made a visit to the White House on Thursday, where the players and coach Jerry York were recognized by President Bush for their recent accomplishments.
Bush, who once co-owned baseball’s Texas Rangers, but is not known as a big hockey fan, joked with York that the White House lacked skating facilities because “there was no place to park the Zamboni.” He also praised the Eagles for being a “team.”
York thanked the president for his comments, then presented him with an Eagles jersey. As Bush shook hands with the team, York said, “We’d like to come back and see you again, you know.”
The Eagles won their first championship since 1949 with a 3-2 win over North Dakota in Albany last month.
Also in attendance was former Massachusetts governor Paul Cellucci, a huge hockey fan and the curent U.S. ambassador to Canada. He was joined by Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry, and Reps. Michael Capuano, Ed Markey and Barney Frank.
Missing from the proceedings was Boston College star Brian Gionta, who is in Europe playing for Team USA at the World Championships.
“You’ve got to live it up now while it lasts,” said sophomore Krys Kolanos, who scored the winning goal in the championship game and is said to be contemplating a jump to the NHL. “You never know when you’ll be back there.”
