Connor McAleer, a forward for the Railers Jr. Hockey Club, has committed to SUNY Brockport for the fall of 2024.
The
'03 native of Holt, MI has been with the Railers since 2021-22 season,
where he was their top scorer at the Eastern Hockey League Premier
(EHLP) level, finishing the year with an even 42 points in 42 games.
Since making the full-time transition up to the Eastern Hockey League
(EHL) level the following season (2022-23), McAleer has carried his
scoring touch over to the top level of the league, having tallied 49
points in 59 career games to date.
“Mac has matured so much, both on and off the ice in his three years
here with us,” said Railers head coach and general manager Sean Bertoni.
“He’s one of the hardest workers every day in our building. His
relentless effort on the ice is tremendous and has made him ready for
the next step. He has trusted the process while spending one year in the
P, two in the E, as well as taking college courses and picking up his
grades.”
As Bertoni mentioned, McAleer stuck to the path that the Railers
provided to him, which has ultimately led to this commitment. Overall,
the veteran forward is the 46th player in league history to commit to
Brockport.
“I came into Worcester as a boy fresh out of high school, and now I’m
going to be leaving a young man,” said McAleer. “This year, I’ve played
the best hockey I’ve ever played in my life. You get all the tools here
to succeed, and I've seen it in my linear progression. My time in the P
helped me learn hockey in a different way, and it made the transition
easy for me.”
Bertoni went on to talk about the connection with Brockport, and how
this was truly an easy decision for the Golden Eagles' program.
“Coach [Brian] Dickinson fell in love with Mac, watching him at the
showcase in Worcester and on FloHockey,” Bertoni recalled. “He had
several options, but he [McAleer] loved the vibes and the feel of the
campus.”
McAleer went on to echo that sentiment from his coach.
“I really like the opportunity that Coach Dickinson presented to me,”
McAleer explained. “They’re graduating some forwards and they have big
shoes to fill. I want to accept that challenge. Also, I love the
atmosphere there for college hockey and I feel like I’m going to a
school where hockey is a priority. I’m looking forward to winning a lot
of games there.”
McAleer and the the Railers are currently riding a seven-game winning
streak, and they will look to make it eight straight victories today at
Noon. With a win today over the New York Apple Core, McAleer and the
Railers would also move into 1st place in the Central Division
standings.
