As an underclassman at St. Sebastian’s School, Dalton MacAfee never would have guessed he’d end up at Army.
The son of ex-NFL star Ken MacAfee, Dalton was a gifted two-sport athlete in prep school. In his sophomore year Dalton committed to play lacrosse at Notre Dame, his father’s alma mater.
Fast forward seven years, and Dalton (Needham, Mass.) was named an Army hockey captain for the 2018-19 season after totaling 21 points in 36 games the season prior. The senior knows being a captain at one of the premier leadership institutions in the world carries extra meaning.
“Being the captain of guys that all inspire to be leaders in the army and leaders in the world, it was pretty humbling,” MacAfee said.
Originally destined for South Bend, MacAfee drew attention from Division 1 hockey coaches at St. Sebastian’s, as he played alongside future NHL athletes Noah Hanifin and Danny O’Regan. MacAfee ended up decommitting from Notre Dame to play for legendary coach Jack Parker at Boston University.
Parker retired before MacAfee got to BU, but MacAfee decided to join the Terriers anyway, playing 31 games against tough Division 1 competition.
“It was a big jump going from prep school to Hockey East,” MacAfee said. “It was a lot of fun, a big learning experience.”
MacAfee left Boston University after the 2013-14 season, ending up with the South Shore Kings of the USPHL. While there, he met teammate Tommy Besinger, who was planning to transfer to Army.
Army assistant coach Zach McKelvie then reached out to MacAfee, and soon enough, the former Division 1 lacrosse commit was heading to West Point for hockey.
It’s been a perfect pairing between MacAfee and Army, as the 6-foot, 205-pound blueliner helped the Black Knights finish with a Top-five penalty kill unit in the country the past two years. He also plays lacrosse at West Point under head coach Joe Alberici, which he is extremely thankful for.
“It’s really tough to pursue a professional career in hockey because of our service commitment afterward,” MacAfee said. “To be able to play two Division 1 sports has been a dream come true.”
MacAfee excels on the power play, which he will quarterback this season. Army head coach Brian Riley says MacAfee’s hockey sense is second to none on the ice.
“He sees things really well,” Riley said. “You got to be a guy that has good hockey sense who sees the ice real well, those are definitely qualities that he possesses.”
The Black Knights lose four defensemen to graduation, including penalty-kill experts Blake Box and Mike Preston. Army is transitioning to a faster, skilled D-core, and that task falls on MacAfee, who is pushing Army’s three freshmen defensemen out of their comfort zone.
“Going from junior to Division 1 can be pretty eye-opening at some points,” MacAfee said. “I encourage the guys to keep their tight gaps, push themselves to be uncomfortable. When it comes time to play Union on October 6, it’s for real.”
MacAfee has always made the most of what his playing career has thrown at him. He’s made the Black Knights better, too.
“When we had the chance to meet him, it was evident that he would be a great fit at West Point and that West Point would be a great fit for him,” Riley said. “It’s worked out that way.”
