The History of the Sekeráš Trophy: From 2014 to the Present Day

  

The European University Hockey League – EUHL – has been writing its history since 2013. The league’s first game was played in November 2013, and only a few months later, the competition crowned its inaugural champion. Since then, dozens of university teams, hundreds of players and several generations of student-athletes have taken to the ice. They have all shared one ambition: to continue playing competitive ice hockey while pursuing their university studies, without having to choose between education and sport. The trophy awarded to the champion is named after one of the project’s founders, former Slovak international ice hockey player Ľubomír Sekeráš. Over the years, the Sekeráš Trophy has become the ultimate symbol of success in European university ice hockey.

2014: The First Champion – UK Prague

The history of EUHL champions began with the triumph of UK Prague.. In the final of the league’s inaugural season, UK Prague faced Paneuropa Kings. The Prague team won the decisive game 6–4, securing its place in history as the first-ever EUHL champion.

UK Prague – Paneuropa Kings 6–4

It marked the beginning of a tradition that would continue in the years ahead, with Prague playing a particularly significant role.

2015: Prague Defends the Title

The second season brought another triumph for UK Prague. The team continued its dominance and gradually established itself as the most successful club of the EUHL’s early years. One of the season’s outstanding figures was captain Petr Hučko, who was named the best player of the season and also finished as the league’s leading scorer. He recorded an impressive 27 points in 15 games. UK Prague was no longer simply the league’s first champion. It was becoming the EUHL’s first great dynasty. 

2016: A Third Consecutive Title

UK Prague’s remarkable winning streak continued in the following season.

The team lifted the Sekeráš Trophy for the third consecutive time. By then, it was clear that any club with championship ambitions would have to overcome Prague on its way to the title. Meanwhile, the EUHL continued to grow, welcoming new teams from Slovakia, the Czech Republic and other European countries.

2017: A Fourth Title and a Historic Record

One year later, UK Prague added another major achievement.

Its fourth title confirmed the team’s extraordinary dominance.

UK Prague established a record that would remain unbeaten for many years. With four Sekeráš Trophy victories, it became the most successful club of the competition’s early era. The 2016/2017 season also featured a significant Slovak presence. Adam Haščič, a forward for Gladiators Trenčín, produced an outstanding regular-season record:

15 games – 15 goals – 12 assists – 27 points

He finished as the league’s leading scorer and earned a place in the EUHL All-Star Team.

2018: Banská Bystrica Ends Prague’s Dominance

After four years, a new team finally reached the top. UMB Hockey Team Banská Bystrica captured the Sekeráš Trophy, ending UK Prague’s four-year reign and opening a new chapter in Slovak university ice hockey. Banská Bystrica proved that the trophy did not have to remain in the Czech capital. A new champion had emerged with ambitions extending far beyond a single successful season.

2019: Banská Bystrica Defends Its Title

UMB Hockey Team repeated its success in the following season. The final series against Gladiators Trenčín became one of the most dramatic in the league’s history up to that point. A decisive fifth game was needed to determine the champion. Banská Bystrica eventually secured victory in overtime on Trenčín’s home ice, claiming its second consecutive title. For the Gladiators, however, it was an important milestone. A team that had previously struggled to reach the playoffs had suddenly advanced all the way to the final. It was already becoming clear that Trenčín’s time would come.

2020: The Season Stopped by the Pandemic

The 2019/2020 season brought a situation the sporting world had never experienced before.

The COVID-19 pandemic brought competitions across Europe to a halt. The EUHL season could not be completed, and the Sekeráš Trophy was not awarded. Both the competition and its playoffs were cancelled because of the pandemic. It was the first major external disruption in the history of the EUHL, and university ice hockey was forced to take a step back for a time.

2021: A Challenging Return

The return of university ice hockey was far from straightforward. Pandemic-related restrictions on sporting activities, international travel and the operation of universities had a significant impact on the entire competition. The years 2020 and 2021 therefore cannot be viewed in the same way as regular seasons. During this period, the EUHL gradually prepared for a new beginning while laying the foundations for the next international stage of its development. Polish teams also began to play an increasingly prominent role in the competition.

2022: Gladiators Trenčín Make History

Then came one of the most remarkable stories in EUHL history.

Gladiators Trenčín.

The team from Trenčín won the regular season and carried its outstanding form into the playoffs. Its journey to the title was even more impressive because the Gladiators did not lose a single playoff game. In the final, they faced UK Prague and swept the series 3–0, winning the Sekeráš Trophy for the first time in the club’s history.

The final results were:

Gladiators Trenčín – UK Prague 4–3

Gladiators Trenčín – UK Prague 4–2

UK Prague – Gladiators Trenčín 0–4

The series was over, and Trenčín were the new EUHL champions.

The Gladiators completed a remarkable season:

• 🏆 regular-season winners
• 🏆 playoff champions
• 🏆 Sekeráš Trophy winners
• 🔥 undefeated throughout the playoffs

Trenčín also became only the third club in EUHL history to win the championship title.

2023: The Gladiators Defend Their Title

Trenčín’s successful era continued during the 2022/2023 season.

Gladiators Trenčín once again captured the championship and lifted the Sekeráš Trophy for the second consecutive year.

Their victory confirmed that the previous season’s triumph had not been a coincidence. It was the result of consistent work, sporting development and a strong team identity.

Trenčín had firmly established itself as one of the most successful clubs in the history of the competition.

2024: Banská Bystrica Returns to the Top

The following season brought another contest between two successful Slovak university teams. The finalists were:

Gladiators Trenčín – UMB Hockey Team Banská Bystrica

Although Trenčín won the regular season, everything was still to play for in the playoffs. Banská Bystrica performed better in the final series and reclaimed the Sekeráš Trophy after several years. With this victory, UMB returned to its place among the most successful clubs in EUHL history.

2025: UMB Crowned Champion Again

Banská Bystrica continued its winning run in the 2024/2025 season. In the final, UMB faced the Hungarian team UNI Győr ETO HC, which was making its first-ever appearance in an EUHL playoff final. Banská Bystrica used its experience to prevail in a dramatic series, winning 3–2 in games. UMB successfully defended the Sekeráš Trophy and added another major achievement to the history of Slovak university ice hockey.

2026:  A New Era – The Trophy Goes to Poland

The 2025/2026 season introduced a new competition format and an even stronger international dimension.

Four teams competed in the final tournament in Trenčín:

🇵🇱 UHT Sabers Oświęcim
🇵🇱 Opole United
🇭🇺 UNI Győr ETO HC
🇸🇰 Saints Martin

Poland’s UHT Sabers Oświęcim delivered the strongest performance in the decisive stage of the competition.

Three games – three victories.

For the first time in history, the Sekeráš Trophy travelled to Oświęcim, Poland.

Interestingly, UNI Győr ETO HC had won the regular season, but it was UHT Sabers Oświęcim that dominated the final tournament. Their triumph symbolically opened a new chapter in the history of the competition – one defined by even stronger international cooperation and growing competition among university ice hockey teams across Central Europe.

A Trophy That Tells the Story of the EUHL

The Sekeráš Trophy is much more than an award presented to the winner of a single season. It represents the story of the entire competition – its beginnings, dominant teams, dramatic finals, unexpected turning points and memorable comebacks. From UK Prague’s four championships and the successful eras of Banská Bystrica and Trenčín to the historic triumph of UHT Sabers Oświęcim, the EUHL has undergone a remarkable transformation. Teams, players and competition formats have changed over the years. One thing, however, has remained the same: the determination of university ice hockey players to compete for the league’s most prestigious trophy and earn their place in the history of the European University Hockey League.