Photo illinoisstatehockey.com
From the day he was born, Tristan Davison was destined to play hockey, whether he knew it or not.
“I discovered hockey, basically, right when I was born. My dad played growing up, so that’s how I got into it…he put me on skates as early as possible and I kind of just ran with it.”
Growing up in Ringwood, New Jersey, Davison was heavily involved in all types of sports growing up. “I played everything for the most part, my parents let me do everything to find what I liked… I always loved hockey the most.” After playing basketball, baseball and being told by his soccer coach that he was too rough, he inevitably found himself back on the ice.
Coming from a historically rich hockey family, it was no surprise he chose to continue that legacy. “I’m basically the youngest of my entire extended family, and I think there was thirteen of us who played, so I watched them all play growing up and I just knew I loved this and I wanted to be just like them.”
Davison’s fondest hockey memory growing up was from when he was nine. It isn’t a memory of him playing, but watching his older brother play from his future high school’s student section. “I remember being a little nine-year-old, getting put up on my cousin’s shoulders…I remember thinking like, I want to be in this spot, and then ten years later, I was in that spot.”
After a successful high school career, Davison set his sights on collegiate hockey, and there was a specific event that Davison credits for his college decision.
“I think I knew I wanted to go to OU when Baker Mayfield beat Ohio State and planted the flag, and I go, yeah, that’s where I’m going.” With an older sister who attended OU, as well as an older brother who was a former member of the OU hockey team, the decision to choose OU was a no-brainer. That decision was even more solidified after a talk with OU hockey coach Peter Arvanitis on a visit, or so he thought. “He kind of told me right off the bat I would play and be a top guy… Then I got here, and the first eight games I didn’t see the ice, I didn’t even dress for six of them…that was a tough pill to swallow.”
Even through diversity, and despite not seeing much action early in his freshman season, Davison would make the best of the opportunities he did get that season. “Two weeks before Christmas break, he finally played me and I scored my first goal, and the next game I scored another goal…I ended up having a four-point weekend, and I knew he wasn’t taking me out the rest of the year… I was so relieved that I finally made it, it was a grind and very emotional, but it’s gotten me to here now”.
With one season down, Davison is excited about the seasons to come and plans to make the best of his remaining time playing hockey at OU. “My goal is to keep playing, and to kind of just make a name for myself and put up points but also contribute to every game…whether that’s scoring, or just being a team guy…I want to become one of the leaders this year.” Stepping up into a bigger role, Davison and the rest of the OU hockey team will be looking for ways to make big plays and win together.
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