Spectrum News looks at prepping of the rink

This great report by Spectrum News' Rich Healey looks at the love the players put into getting the rink ready for the team, the College, and the community:

https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nys/rochester/human-interest/2021/08/27/brockport-hockey-players-help-build-ice--prepare-rink-for-games?cid=undefined_SPECNews1ROC#

AHCA All-American Scholars

The American Hockey Coaches Association (AHCA) is once again recognizing varsity ice hockey players who compiled exceptional results in the classroom during the 2020-21 season with the announcement of the fifth annual “All-American Scholars."

Due to the effects of Covid-19, the AHCA adopted revised criteria for this year’s honorees. To qualify, a student-athlete must have attained a 3.6 GPA for each semester, regardless of whether the school’s hockey team was able to play this season or not. Normally, a student-athlete is required to participate in a minimum of 40% of a team’s games. The honor is open to any program who is a member of the AHCA.

Brockport's honorees are:

Robert Flannery, Andrew Harley, Jake Mendeszoon, Michael Meredith, Jeremy Solat, Corey Tam, Shane Visnick, Dylan Wiemer, and Tyler Williams.

Gershon to coach Team USA in Maccabiah Games

The Maccabiah Games are an international Jewish and Israeli multi-sport event held quadrennially in Israel. It is the third-largest sporting event in the world, with 10,000 athletes competing. Brockport alumnus Michael Gershon has been named men’s hockey head coach for Team USA’s open team

https://gochathamcougars.com/news/2020/7/16/mens-hockey-gershon-named-head-coach-of-open-team-usa-for-2022-maccabiah-games.aspx

EPSN reports on Robbie Hall's

What does a former hockey player do when he hangs up the skates for good?

ESPN's Emily Kaplan looks at how Golden Eagle alumnus Robbie Hall was recruited by former NHL player Brent Sopel to help sell energy solutions:

https://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/31807010/how-brent-sopel-opening-doors-fellow-former-hockey-players

Golden Eagles are NH Avalanche all-timers

The All-Time Team for the New Hampshire Avalanche has some familiar names. Among the greats are these Golden Eagles:

Chris Aarons

Tim Cronin

Jake Mendeszoon

AJ Przystawski,

Congratulations! 

 

 

Digby named women's coach at Oswego

 

 

Congrats to former Golden Eagle player and assistant coach Mark Digby!

SUNY Oswego's Department of Athletics announced today that Mark Digby has been named head coach of the women's ice hockey program at Oswego State. Digby was the associate head coach for the team during the 2019-20 season and served as interim head coach the past year.

"This is a special day for me and my family" said Digby. "I am very appreciative and honored to be named the second head coach in the modern era of Oswego women's hockey. I love the progress we have made in my two seasons with the program, and I'm excited to see where we can go in the future."

During Digby's initial season with the women's program in 2019-20, the team showed huge improvements, including the most wins (16) the program had seen since 2016. A strong 10-4-4 mark against conference foes helped propel the women's ice hockey team to a conference title game and a Pairwise Ranking of 16th in the country.

The Lakers placed three on the 2019-20 NEWHL All-Conference Teams, including newcomer Megan Teachout taking home Rookie of the Year honors. Senior defenseman Kate Randazzo was named Scholar Athlete of the Year for the conference and went on to be named Oswego State's Woman Scholar Athlete for 2019-20.

"Mark has been an integral member of the Oswego community for more than ten years," said Dr. Mary Toale, acting Vice President for Student Affairs. "His coaching and service to the community is impactful and his commitment to holistic student success is inspirational. We are thrilled to appoint Mark as the women's ice hockey head coach."

Throughout the pandemic, Digby has remained focused on both the needs of his student-athletes and the campus community. He met weekly with players to check in and build relationships, and recruited eight student-athletes for next season. Digby continued the tradition of fostering academic success, with five players making the President's List and five attaining Deans' List; eight players also made the SUNYAC Honor Roll. He programmed guest speakers, leadership seminars and culture-building activities to increase cohesion and retention on the team. Digby chaired the State Employees Federated Appeal Teddy Bear Toss (which collected toys for local children), volunteered for the COVID hotline and testing center, and served as a Quarantine/Isolation Buddy.

Digby was hired as the assistant men's ice hockey coach at Oswego in August of 2010. During his time as the assistant men's ice hockey coach, the team reached six NCAA tournaments, four Frozen Four appearances and competed for the national championship twice.

Prior to Oswego, Digby was an assistant men's ice hockey coach at his alma mater, SUNY Brockport (2006-10) where he earned his B.S. in physical education (2005) and M.S. in Recreation Management (2008).

Academic honor roll

 

The State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) released its 2020-21 Commissioner's Academic Honor Roll which recognizes student-athletes with a 3.30 or higher cumulative grade point average.

The hockey players who made the list are...

Andrew Harley

Kevin Mainello

Jacob Mendeszoon

Michael Meredith

Trevor Pray

Ryan Romeo

Jeremy Solat

Corey Tam

Dylan Wiemer

Tyler Williams

Congratulations on a job well done!

Tremblay to release the Kraken

 

Longtime Brockport fans will remember Ray Tremblay who played for the Golden Eagles from the 2008-2009 through the 2010-2011 season. He was a big contributor to the playoff seasons of that era and had 7 goals in the magical 2008-2009 season that was a turning point in the program's history.

His successes on the ice would not have been possible were it not for his incredible guts and work ethic. Most men would have given up on hockey following an injury he sustained before college that cracked two bones in his back and had him in bed for 23 hours a day for 3 months following his surgery.

That incredible character translates well into coaching, as he has showed before.

He's getting that chance again as head coach of the newest team in the VIJHL -- the Kraken.

We wish Ray the very best!

https://www.timescolonist.com/sports/move-over-seattle-lake-cowichan-gets-kraken-too-1.24323516

Your captains

 

Alumnus O'Malley becomes head coach at Lake Forest

 

After 7 years as head coach of Lake Forest College men's hockey, Patrick Kelliher is resigning to relocate with his family. He will be replaced by Sean O'Malley, the team's top assistant for the last seven years.

Lake Forest is 87-64-16 overall and 66-47-9 in conference play since Kelliher took over as head coach and O'Malley became his assistant in 2014. The Foresters reached the semifinals of the 2018 and 2019 Northern Collegiate Hockey Association Harris Cup Playoffs and qualified for the NCAA Division III Tournament for the first time in 29 years in 2019-20. The team has been nationally ranked on several occasions and listed as high as #6 in the nation during his tenure.

"I look forward to watching Coach O'Malley lead this program to new heights in future years," Kelliher said. "There could not be a better or more deserving person to take over the helm. Sean's tireless efforts over the past seven years have been a huge part of where this program is today."

O'Malley, who has also been the Foresters' head women's golf coach since 2017, came to Lake Forest from the State University of New York at Potsdam, where he served for two seasons as an assistant coach, recruiting coordinator, and academic advisor. He has also been an on-ice instructor at Can/Am Hockey Schools in New York and Ontario and for the Ohio Hockey Project, where he coached Junior A players. In addition, he has also served as an evaluator with USA Hockey Development.

As an athlete O'Malley was a hockey player and golfer at St. Ignatius High School and is a member of the St. Ignatius Hockey Hall of Fame. He also played hockey as a post graduate for Gilmour Academy and the Syracuse Stars of the EJHL. After four years on the team at the College of Brockport, O'Malley pursued a professional career with the Wheeling Nailers of the East Coast Hockey League and various minor league teams.

"While he certainly has big shoes to fill, we are confident Coach O'Malley will do just that," noted Interim Director of Athletics Blake Theisen. "He has been a big part of the program's success since he arrived on campus in 2014 and the team will continue to benefit from his talent, work ethic, and experience as a coach, as well as the continuity he provides during this transition."

"I am extremely humbled and honored to be the next head men's ice hockey coach here at Lake Forest College and remain involved in the campus community," stated O'Malley. "I am eager to get started and thankful to the College's administration for giving me this opportunity."

"It has been a pleasure to work alongside Coach Kelliher the past seven years. His vision and values for this program has created a tremendous culture at the rink and in the classroom. I will always be thankful he brought me to Lake Forest College."

"Moving forward we want to continue the tradition of excellence and hold the same values and standards for our program. I will continue to work diligently to provide our players an opportunity to be successful both on and off the ice."

The transition from Kelliher to O'Malley as head coach will occur on June 1.

Two graduates sticking around

This week, two Brockport hockey players -- Ryan Romeo and Casey Winn -- will be completing their undergraduate studies.

But, they'll be back to work on their masters degrees...and play hockey.

With the 2020-2021 season having been canceled because of Covid, they both have a year of eligibility left.

Congrats, men, on your bachelor degrees!

Good bye and good luck to the seniors

Graduation is always a bittersweet time.

Excitement is in the air, as the graduates have a whole lifetime ahead of them in family, career, and service.

At that same time, there's some sadness, as the seniors look back at the end of their academic careers and, for most of them, the end of their hockey careers.

For this year's graduates, their hockey careers ended prematurely. There wasn't a 2020-2021 season because of Covid protocols. It's unfortunate.

So, we say our "good bye" and wish "good luck" to the four young men who will be leaving Brockport this week, a foursome of student-athletes who played the game the right way and pursued their studies with the same vigor.

We wish them the very best in what the future holds for them and we thank them for the magic and memories they provided as Golden Eagles. There was plenty of that as they were a super-successful crew on the ice. They helped produce two 15-win campaigns which were bested only by 17-win seasons in 1968-1969 and 1987-1988.

The men moving on are...

Ethan and Jeremy Solat: Jeremy joined his brother in the 2018-2019 season and they were a great sibling combo to watch. Ethan amassed 17 goals and 19 assists in his 3 seasons and Jeremy lit the lamp 13 times and assisted on 12 others in his 2 seasons. The Colorado natives were always hustling on the ice and possessed of great energy.

Shane Visnick: He accumulated 5 goals 7 assists in his 3 seasons and was know for being a fantastic defensive forward. The Florida native was a tireless physical force to reckon with, at 6'1" and 220 pounds.

Tyler Williams: Hailing from Rome, NY, he had some quiet numbers (1 goal, 2 assists) which belie his value to the team...he was a defenseman's defenseman who helped keep the SUNYAC's talented forwards at bay. His NCAA success was a testament to his hard work as he had to recover from an injury sustained in the juniors.

Sal Balbi Memorial Hockey Game

Sal Balbi played for Brockport in the late-1990s. In 51 games he tallied 10 goals and 13 assists for 23 points while playing clean, disciplined hockey, racking up just 14 penalty minutes.

Sal passed away in February, barely 41 years of age.

Sal was taken by synovial sarcoma, a rare cancer.

To celebrate his life and to bring funding and awareness to this cancer, the Sal Balbi Memorial Hockey Game will be held Saturday, May 1, at Bill Gray’s Regional Iceplex.

Here's the report from the Democrat and Chronicle:

https://www.democratandchronicle.com/story/news/2021/04/13/sal-balbi-hockey-game-aims-raise-awareness-cancer-synovial-sarcoma/7186320002/

Rossi commits to Brockport

 

Tyler Rossi, a defenseman for the Valley Jr Warriors, has committed to SUNY Brockport for the fall of 2021.

The 2000-born native of Amherst, NY recently finished his 3rd and final season in the Eastern Hockey League (EHL). After spending the 2018-19 and 2019-20 seasons with the Philadelphia Revolution, Rossi made the move to Massachusetts this year, and served as the captain of the Warriors.

"Tyler did a tremendous job for us this season," said Warriors head coach and general manager Ryan McGrath. "He was a fantastic leader and was a huge help to the coaching staff. His journey was so inspiring to witness. Tyler came from one of the lowest parts of his life [broken leg] to achieving his dream in 12 months."

Rossi is part of a three-player class that the EHL will be sending off to Brockport this fall, as his arrival on campus will be accompanied by Chris Aarons of the New Hampshire Avalanche and Jacob Rodrigue of the Boston Jr. Rangers. Overall, Rossi is the 29th player in league history to choose the Brockport hockey program.

It's also worth pointing out that all three future Golden Eagles were named EHL All-Stars back in November.

As McGrath mentioned above, Rossi battled a lot of adversity during his junior hockey career, and he didn't let a major injury slow him down from reaching this lifelong dream of his.

Rosenbaum commits to Brockport

 

The Northern Cyclones organization is thrilled to announce that USPHL Premier D Jordan Rosenbaum has committed to play his college hockey at SUNY-Brockport. Rosenbaum will join the Golden Eagles and begin his college career next season.

A native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Rosenbaum is in his first season with the Cyclones organization. He appeared in 37 games this past regular season for Premier, scoring 19 points (5 g, 14 a). In two USPHL First Round Playoff Series games, Rosenbaum scored four points (1 g, 3 a) against the New Hampshire Junior Monarchs.

Prior to joining the Cyclones, Rosenbaum spent the 2019-20 season with the Pittsburgh Vengeance of the USPHL’s Premier League.

“Going into this season, I was looking for a junior program that had a proven record of advancing players, and the Northern Cyclones organization was at the very top of that list,” Rosenbaum said after committing. “The pandemic made this year really difficult, especially because of the quarantines our team had to deal with and juggling of game schedules. But Coach Bill Weiand and the entire Cyclones organization made an incredible effort to keep our season going and play as many games as possible.”

Rosenbaum and Cyclones Premier finished the 2020-21 USPHL regular season with a record of 27-10-1. Their 55 points were good for third in the New England Division, while their .724 points percentage was second. Premier swept the New Hampshire Junior Monarchs 2-0 in a best-of-three First Round Series earlier in March.

“I would like to thank Coach Bill Weiand and the entire Northern Cyclones organization for pushing me and helping me reach my goal of playing college hockey! I am excited to continue my hockey career as a Golden Eagle!”

Alumnus makes the national news in a heart-warming way

You may have seen on ABC world news last week the story about Jim Kasta whose wedding took place in an ICU in Rochester. He played for Brockport in the early 1990s.

Said the newlywed Mrs. Kasta: “I guess my wish is for everyone to realize that even in the midst of a pandemic that love is always there and if you look you’ll find it.”

Watch the video and read the story here:

https://abcnews.go.com/US/valentines-day-hospital-patients-heart-warming-wedding-icu/story?id=75842275

An old interview with James Cody

With James Cody having been selected for the SUNYAC's All-Decade Team, let's reminisce. Here's a 2011 interview conducted by Mike Baggerman, who was one of hockey's voices for WBSU:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sL6b-nBFA84

Cody, Nieuwendyk celebrated by SUNYAC

 

Brockport alum's Chase Nieuwendyk and James Cody were named to the SUNYAC Men's Ice Hockey All-Decade Team in a release by the conference office on Friday.

Under the guidance of Head Coach Brian Dickinson, the Golden Eagles made seven SUNYAC Tournament appearances over the course of the decade. The green and gold posted 120 wins, including 65 victories in SUNYAC play in the decade. They also totaled eight seasons with double digit victories. They have made the conference tournament in six of the last seven seasons and they have posted two consecutive 15 win seasons.

 

Hailing from Georgetown, Ontario, Canada and having played in the Ontario Junior Hockey League (OJHL), Chase Nieuwendyk brought his talents to Brockport playing four years for the green and gold from 2012-16. He is the only two-time All-American in program-history (2nd Team in 2016, 3rd Team in 2015) and he was a two-time SUNYAC All-Conference First Team selection. He also added D3hockey.com All-Region accolades to his credit.

 

In his senior season, he ranked seventh in the nation in scoring with an average of 1.42 points per game. He is tied for eighth all-time in career goals at Brockport with 45. He also finished his career with 56 assists in 92 career games. He capped his senior campaign by capturing his 100th career point in the last weekend of the season. He tied for the team lead in points in 2013-14 with 24 and would go on to lead the team during the 2014-15 season in goals (18) and points (30). In his final year playing for the Green and Gold, Nieuwendyk became just the fifth player in program-history to lead the team in goals (16) assists (24) and points (38) in a single season.

 

James Cody played four years in the green and gold (2008-12). In 2012, Cody earned All-American Second Team honors and he was also named the SUNYAC Player of the Year. He was a two-time SUNYAC All-Conference selection (1st team in 2012, 3rd team in 2011). He is currently the only player in program-history to earn SUNYAC Player of the Year honors and he was the first All-American in the history of the program.

 

Cody led the team in scoring for four consecutive seasons. His senior year, he scored his 100th career point in upset fashion over nationally-ranked No. 5 Elmira in overtime. Cody finished ranked sixth all-time in career points (116) and tied for fourth in career goals (60). He also added 56 total assists.

 

To be eligible for the all-decade team, athletes must have competed in the SUNYAC at least one season during the 2009-10 academic year through 2019-20 and athletes must have been named to the All-SUNYAC team more than once or named Athlete of the Year once. Athlete and Coach of the Decade recipients were previously named SUNYAC Athlete of the Year or Coach of the Year.

Brockport lands two on All-Decade Team

Longtime fans of the program will fondly remember James Cody and Chase Nieuwendyk. You knew you were watching greatness on the ice. Those men have been named to the SUNYAC's All-Decade team of the 2010s. Congratulations!! 

 

 

Help Pete Gallivan meet his fundraising goal

 

The 11 Day Power Play is an event organized by Buffalo locals Mike and Amy Lesakowski. Their goal is to raise money to fight cancer in Western New York through fundraisers centered around breaking the record for the world’s longest continuous hockey game.

The money raised from this eleven-day-long game goes toward supporting cancer research and wellness programs throughout the region. To date, the 11 Day Power Play has raised and donated over five million dollars for cancer research.

After a few years of having something called "the community shift" in play, which moved the 11 Day Power Play from a select few hockey players to the community at large playing in 3 hour shifts, Covid limitations have changed the game.

2021's event, taking place November 13th to November 24th, has been set to just 40 players. Thousands applied for this incredibly-popular and positive event.

Of those chosen was our own Pete Gallivan.

Pete played for the Golden Eagles in the 1980s.

He's quite familiar to all of WNY as the co-host of WGRZ TV's morning news show -- Daybreak.

Pete has already started his fundraising campaign for the event and his goal is $15,000. We can help him surpass that goal.

You can donate via his campaign Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/donate/222349296030130/10224370078494940/

You can also send a check payable to: The 11 Day Power Play. PO. Box 4 Buffalo, NY 14223. If doing so, be sure to mention Pete.

Let's support Pete and his charitable efforts.

Let's support the 11 Day Power Play and the fight against cancer.

Boston Jr. Rangers press release for Rodrigue's commitment

 

The Boston Junior Rangers are pleased to announce that Jacob Rodrigue has committed to SUNY Brockport for the fall of 2021. The 2000-born native of Nashua, NH is in his 2nd year with the Rangers, and his first full season with the program. The defensive defenseman has tallied 11 total points in 54 career games in the Eastern Hockey League (EHL).

"We are very proud of Rod," said EHL head coach and general manager Rich DeCaprio. "When he got here last season, we could tell right away that he had the potential to be a really good college hockey defenseman. He’s big, and can really skate and control the puck. He’s matured mentally so much over the last season and a half. He’s basically a 2001 birth year by a couple hours. His ceiling is very high. I look forward to watching his college career at Brockport!”

As DeCaprio mentioned, Rodrigue's game has truly developed throughout his time with the Rangers, and clear proof of that can be seen in the EHL All-Star recognition that he received this season. Overall, Rodrigue is the 2nd player in program history to choose Brockport, joining Connor Galloway who made the same decision this past season.

"It has been an honor to be a part of the Jr. Rangers organization and wear the BJR uniform the past 2 years, as well as play in the EHL as a whole," said Rodrigue. "Coach DeCaprio does an excellent job preparing his players both physically and mentally for the rigors of intense competition at the next level. He has a proven track record of moving guys on to great NCAA Division III programs and I’m proud to be a result of that."

Rodrigue went on to talk about his decision to choose SUNY Brockport.

"My commitment to Brockport was an easy decision for myself to make," added Rodrigue. "The SUNYAC is a great conference to play in, as well as a great place to go to school, and I couldn’t be more excited to play under the great coaching staff at Brockport for the next 4 years. My time in the EHL and with BJR has prepared me for an opportunity like this and I’m going to make the most of it.”

Rodrigue and the Rangers sit at the very top of the Central Division standings with a record of 24-2-1. The veteran defenseman will look to help lead his team down the stretch, as they push to clinch that #1 seed and a bye in the First Round of the EHL Playoffs.

Aarons commits to Brockport

 

The New Hampshire Avalanche are pleased to announce that Chris Aarons has committed to SUNY Brockport for the fall of 2021. The 2000-born native of Clifton Park, NY is in his 3rd season with the Avalanche, and is serving as the team captain this year. In 95 career games in the Eastern Hockey League (EHL), the captain has registered 23 goals and 50 assists.

"Aarons has been a huge part of the Avalanche family," said EHL head coach and general manager Chris Cerrella. "He has been a great leader both on and off the ice, as well as a great player for us. Chris Aarons has been the definition of what it means to be an Avalanche. I am very excited about his decision to go to SUNY Brockport. They are doing a lot of great things there and it is a perfect fit all around. I could not be happier for Chris and his family, and I think he is a great addition to the Brockport academic and athletic community. Aarons will be missed around the Ice Den, and he will be tough to replace."

As Cerrella mentioned, Aarons has been an integral part of the Avalanche program, dating back to the 2018-19 season. At the end of that year, Aarons tipped home a shot from Jake Mendeszoon in the EHL Championship Game, a contest that finished with the Avalanche claiming their 2nd consecutive title.

Aarons will be reunited with Mendeszoon, along with Cam Barbagallo, Tim Cronin, and AJ Przystawski this fall. The Avalanche to Brockport pipeline is strong, and the veteran forward is beyond excited and grateful to add his name to the list.

"I'm very proud to announce my commitment to SUNY Brockport," said Aarons. "I’d like to thank Coach Cerrella, Coach Martiniello, Coach Caliguri, and Coach Soryal for their endless support and knowledge. I’d also like to thank all of my teammates from the last 3 years for creating unforgettable memories. The Avalanche have set me up for success both on and off the ice for my coming time at Brockport.”

With this decision now complete, the EHL All-Star can focus on what lies ahead for his current team, as he looks to lead the Avalanche on another deep postseason run.

Neutral Zone interview with Chris Aarons

One of Brockport's newest additions is Chris Aarons. In the EHL scouting reports created by Neutral Zone, they have him ranked as 9th best among the 2000 year class. They say "Crafty in tight areas and the puck finds him. End of game type player w/leadership qualities." Here's an interview Neutral Zone did with the young man back in 2019:

https://www.neutralzone.net/mens/2019/10/15/interview-chris-aarons-hopes-to-turn-championship-season-into-college-commitment/

Rodrigue commits to Brockport

Brockport has secured another solid commitment. Jacob Rodrigue, at 6'5" will be a force to reckon with. He plays clean, mistake-free defense and he can cover a lot of ice in a hurry. In 27 games for the Boston Junior Rangers in 2019-2020, he had a 0-6-6 line with only 14 PIM. In 26 games of the 2020-2021 season he has a 1-4-5 line with, again, only 14 PIM.

Aarons commits to Brockport

Chris Aarons has made the commitment to play at Brockport. He will be an excellent addition to the Golden Eagles. The 5'9", 180-pound forward has a great, all-around combination of leadership, grit, and playmaking ability.

He is the captain of the New Hampshire Avalanche.

While wearing the "C" in 2019-2020, he had a 11-31-42 line and 51 PIM in 43 games.

In 14 games so far in the 2020-2021 season, he has amassed a 5-12-17 line with 18 PIM.