Kale Lone spent the first 10 years of his life in Madison, Wis., before moving to Aurora and playing for the Arapahoe Warriors and Regis Jesuit High School.

After graduating in 2019, Lone suited up for the Pueblo Bulls junior team, a franchise playing in the USPHL this season.

Recently, Lone’s play this season earned him NCAA notice and he decided to commit to Arcadia University, a Division III school in suburban Philadelphia that will start play with the 2021-22 season.

“I met Arcadia’s head coach, Vincent Pietrangelo, at the winter showcase last season when the Bulls were affiliated with the WSHL,” said Lone. “Right from the start, Arcadia seemed like a school that I could see myself attending. It’s for sure a dream come true; I’ve had aspirations of playing NCAA hockey for so many years. It’s exciting to be a part of something brand-new. My future teammates and I have the opportunity to set the bar high and make history.”

Lone added that playing for a new program was very appealing.

“I have had a ton of fun taking part the Pueblo Bulls’ first two seasons, and now I get the chance to do it over at a higher level of hockey,” Lone said. “Furthermore, Coach Pietrangelo is the real deal. I’m looking forward to learning everything he has to offer. I take my academics very seriously, hence it played a huge role in my final decision. Engineering is a career that I’ve been eyeing for some time. Arcadia offers 3-2 and 4-2 engineering programs. I haven’t decided which route I’ll take between the two, but I’m confident it will lead to future success.”

Playing for the Bulls wasn’t Lone’s No. 1 priority coming out of high school, but he’s happy with how things have worked out the past two years.

“After high school I wasn’t certain that I wanted to play juniors,” said Lone. “I was conflicted for the majority of that summer. The Bulls coaching staff ultimately changed my mind a few weeks before I was supposed to leave for college, and I’m so glad they did. Juniors has been an experience like no other. It’s been a blessing. Personally, I think the season has treated me well. There’s always room to be better than the day before.

“My goal has been to take the necessary steps forward. I want to be the player I can be. As a team, we’ve found much success so far. We’ve had and are going through our fair share of adversaries. Only time will tell, but I believe we have a great shot at winning the league in a few months.”

Once Lone’s family arrived in Colorado, Kale spent six seasons with Arapahoe and then wound up playing for Regis Jesuit.

“RJHS grew my potential substantially,” said Lone. “Dan Woodley was my coach for four years. He’s had a massive impact on my life. I consider him to be a father figure. He made me better as a person, and a better player on the ice. Words don’t justify my love and gratefulness for Coach Woodley. My current coaches made college hockey a reality. Knowing I had all four of them in my corner, I knew doors would open.”

When asked to name his favorite hockey memories in Colorado, Lone said he couldn’t narrow them down to just a few.

“My highlights are all of it, from driving to the rink and tying the skate laces, to winning three state titles and earning MVP at RJHS,” Lone said. “The lifelong friendships I’ve made along the way are priceless. Hockey is the greatest, most unique, and most addicting game on the planet. Simple as that.”

Going forward, Lone’s aspirations on and off the ice are certainly within reach.

“My goal is to have a successful career at Arcadia, black and white,” said Lone. “After school, I hope to succeed in Industrial Engineering. The road ahead is nothing but opportunity.”

— Matt Mackinder

(Feb. 5, 2021)