"Salem State Mourns the Passing of Men's Ice Hockey Student-Athlete Billy Hickey"

To Our Viking Community:

It is with profound sadness that we share the passing of men's ice hockey senior student-athlete Billy Hickey, of Pembroke MA. Billy was a well-respected and popular member of our Viking family, who excelled as a competitor on the ice, in the classroom, and as a leader in our community. He was set to graduate this spring with a Bachelor of Science in cartography and geographic information systems. 

"Billy was such a tremendous human being. He strived to be the best in everything he did," said Salem State Head Men's Ice Hockey Coach Bill O'Neill. "You would want Billy on your team as he was the player that made everyone else better. You would want Billy to be part of your family, as you could trust him and his loyalty was unwavering. We all loved him and are devastated by the loss." 

As our community processes this immense loss, we send our deepest condolences to Billy's family, teammates, coaches, and friends. A GoFundMe has been established by a friend of his family and we will share any public service or events to honor him as they become available.

​As a reminder to our students, the university's counseling and health services department is here to support you in coping with this loss. You can reach out for an appointment by calling 978-542-6413. 

Nicolle Wood

Director of Athletics/Head Women's Soccer Coach