By Tim Costello – December 14, 2022
For the first time in the Winter World University Games, the USA men’s ice hockey roster will be comprised by players from the D-III ranks across the country. The coaching staff, led by Hobart’s Mark Taylor, has been analyzing their options and potential players to play in the two-week tournament which kicks off on January 11 in Lake Placid, New York. The official roster for the tournament has now been released and is comprised of 23 players from east and west and across many of the conferences. Here is the breakdown by position and school affiliation that will be representing the USA next month:
Goaltenders:
Dysen Skinner – Wisconsin – River Falls
Evan Ruschil – Williams College
Ryan Kenny – Stevenson University
Defense:
Alex Sheehy – University of New England
Jack Ring – SUNY – Plattsburgh
Jaden Shields – Adrian College
Mason Palmer – Augsburg University
Cooper Swift – Hobart College
Emmet Powell – Wesleyan University
Brendan Mark – St. Norbert College
Forwards:
Jack Jaunich – Aurora University
Samuel Ruffin – Adrian College
Michael McChesney – St. Norbert College
Connor Szmul – Wisconsin – Eau Claire
Matt Hanewall – Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE)
Quinn Green – Wisconsin – Eau Claire
Zachary Heintz – Adrian College
Peter Morgan – SUNY – Geneseo
Luke Aquaro – Hobart College
Clark Kerner – Norwich University
Mitch Walinski – Salve Regina University
Jonny Mulera – Salve Regina University
Austin Master – Stevenson University
Team USA Staff
Mark Taylor Head Coach Hobart College
Matt Loen Associate Head Coach Wisconsin – Eau Claire
Mike Szkodzinski Assistant & Goaltender Coach Lawrence University
Jack Ceglarski Assistant Coach Middlebury College
Bill Beaney General Manager Middlebury College
Peter Lynch Assistant General Manager SUNY – Oswego
Joel Stoneham Hockey Operations Hobart College
The initial roster is made up of players all currently playing at D-III schools with eight conferences represented. There are 12 players from the east and 11 players from the west with the NCHC having the highest representation with six players. The defending national champions from Adrian College have three players on the roster while Wisconsin – Eau Claire, St. Norbert, Salve Regina, Stevenson, and Hobart each have two representatives.
“This was a really difficult process for the staff,” said USA head coach Mark Taylor. “We like the balance of the group and know there were enough players to interested that we could have made up two rosters. We think we have a very good group including some players in reserve that may be included [depending on injury or illness] prior to our final roster submission on January 10.”
“We studied a lot of film during the selection process,” noted associate head coach Matt Loen. “We stuck to the initial philosophy from coach Taylor which was no bias between east or west and a focus on getting the best players possible. We think these players will give us the right mix to play fast physical and smart.”
The USA men’s team plays in a six-team Pool B bracket that commences on January 11 at Cheel Rink on the campus of Clarkson University. The two top teams from the round robin portion of the tournament move on to the medal round on Saturday, January 21 and Sunday, January 22. The USA team schedule for the round robin includes the following games:
January 11 Great Britain vs. USA 8 PM EST Cheel Rink
January 14 USA vs. Korea 8 PM EST Cheel Rink
January 15 Slovakia vs. USA 4:30 PM EST Cheel Rink
January 18 USA vs. Kazakhstan 9:30 AM EST Cheel Rink
January 19 USA vs. Hungary 9:30 AM EST Cheel Rink
Pool A teams include Canada, Japan, Sweden, Ukraine, Czech Republic, and Latvia. Pool A games will be played at SUNY- Canton Rink.
Semifinals are scheduled for Saturday, January 21 at the Olympic Center in Lake Placid with the winners advancing to the medal round games on Sunday, January 22.
The gold medal game will be broadcast live on ESPN.
Forward Adam Stacho from St. Norbert College will also play in the tournament representing Slovakia.