Well, it’s that time of year again – we’re ready to unveil the annual list of Alaskans in college hockey.
After perusing the rosters from the 229 college programs in the country – 140 in men’s Division I and Division III, and 89 in women’s Division I and Division III -- we came up with a total of 68 Alaskans in college hockey. That 68 (Jaromir Jagr’s number, but of course you knew that) is an increase of seven over last season’s total of 61, and the most in the five years The Blog thinks it is he has been tracking this stuff. The previous high in that five-season span was 66 in 2009 and the low was last season’s 61.
In any event, the 68 players break down this way -- 27 men in Division I and 14 women in Division I, and 17 men in Division III and 10 women in Division III.
Naturally, Anchorage leads the way – hey, it is the state’s biggest city by far – with 40 players. Fairbanks checks in second with 12, followed by North Pole (4), Wasilla (3), Chugiak (2) Soldotna (2), Kenai (2), Palmer (1), Eagle River (1) and Copper Center (1).
If you think The Blog has missed a player, please email him at dwoody@adn.com and he will make every effort to update the list. (Remember, varsity hockey only, and players must be eligible and currently on a roster at collegehockeystats.net or the school’s official website -- gotta draw the line somewhere).
So, without more blah-blah-blah, here’s the 2012-13 edition of the list:
DIVISION I MEN
ATLANTIC HOCKEY
Robert Morris – Jimmy Geerin, Jr. D, Anchorage.
CCHA
UAF – Steve Thompson, Sr. G, Anchorage; Alec Hajdukovich, Fr. F, Fairbanks; Matt Friese, Fr. F, Wasilla; Nolan Youngmun, Soph. LW, Anchorage.
Michigan State – Tanner Sorenson, Soph. W, Anchorage.
Notre Dame – Steve Summerhays, Jr. G, Anchorage; Austin Wuthrich, Soph. W, Anchorage.
WCHA
UAA – Ben Matthews, Fr. D, Chugiak; Scott Warner, Sr. D, Anchorage; Bobby Murphy, Fr. W, Anchorage; Hayden Trupp, Fr. W, Anchorage; Kory Roy, Soph. W, Anchorage; Tyler Currier, Sr. C, Anchorage.
Colorado College – Hunter Fejes, Fr. W, Anchorage; Scott Wamsganz, Soph. W, Anchorage; Jared Hanson, Fr. W, Palmer; William Rapuzzi, Sr. W, Anchorage.
Denver – Adam Murray, Sr. G, Anchorage.
Michigan Tech – Phoenix Copley, Fr. G, North Pole.
Minnesota State-Mankato – Eli Zuck, Sr. F, Anchorage; Stephon Williams, Fr. G, Fairbanks.
Nebraska-Omaha – Brian Cooper, Fr. D, Anchorage.
ECAC
Colgate – Nathan Sinz, Sr. D, Anchorage.
Dartmouth – Brad Schierhorn, Fr. F, Anchorage.
HOCKEY EAST
Northeastern – Dax Lauwers, Soph. D, Anchorage.
INDEPENDENTS
Penn State – Casey Bailey, Fr. F, Anchorage.
DIVISION III MEN
ECAC EAST
Castleton – Kyle Pichler, Jr. F, Anchorage.
MASCAC
UMass-Dartmouth – Zak Kroll, Fr. D, Anchorage.
Framingham State – Ryan McDonald, Soph. F, Anchorage.
Plymouth State – Larry Kincaid, Sr. F, Wasilla.
MIAC
Bethel – Grant Dye, Soph. F, Anchorage.
St. Mary’s – Brad Fusaro, Jr. F, Soldotna; Navarone Copley, Fr. F, Jed McGlasson, Soph. F, Kenai; Matt Sanford, Fr. F, North Pole.
St. Olaf – Matt Guerts, Soph. D, Chugiak.
St. Thomas – Sam Olson, Soph. F, Anchorage.
NCHA
St. Norbert – Erik Cooper, Fr. F, Anchorage.
Wisconsin-Eau Claire – Jon Waggoner, Jr. F, Fairbanks.
Wisconsin-Stout – Jason Cohen, Sr. D, Anchorage.
NESCAC
Amherst – Nathan Corey, Sr. G, Anchorage.
SUNYAC
Potsdam – Matt Thompson, Fr. F, Anchorage.
INDEPENDENTS
Canton – Vance Bridgman, Fr. F, North Pole
DIVISION I WOMEN
COLLEGE HOCKEY AMERICA
Lindenwood – Erica Wynn, Sr. F, Anchorage; Samantha Reddick, Jr. F, Anchorage.
Robert Morris – Leah Carlson, Fr. D, Copper Center.
ECAC
Rensselaer – Jordan Smelker, Jr. F, Anchorage; Nona Letuligasenoa, Jr. F, Fairbanks.
HOCKEY EAST
Connecticut – Kiana Nauheim, Jr. D, Fairbanks.
Northeastern – Tori Hickel, Fr. F, Anchorage.
Providence – Jessica Cohen, Sr. F, Anchorage.
Vermont – Danya Colang, Fr. D, Fairbanks.
WCHA
Bemidji State – Whitney Wivoda, Soph. F, Fairbanks.
Minnesota-Duluth – Zoe Hickel, Soph. F, Anchorage.
St. Cloud State – Jenna Redford, Fr. D/F, Soldotna.
Wisconsin – Kaitlyn Harding, Fr. F, Anchorage; Alev Kelter, Sr. F/D, Eagle River.
DIVISION III WOMEN
ECAC EAST
Holy Cross – Mackenzie Boardman, Fr. D, Anchorage.
Norwich – Elle Kadel, Jr. F, Fairbanks; Kayla Parsons, Jr. D, Fairbanks.
St. Anselm – Marianne Kristiansen, Fr. F, Anchorage.
ECAC WEST
Cortland – Tessa Muilenberg, Fr. G, Wasilla.
NCHA
Concordia (Wis.) – Kaitlyn Evans, Soph. G, Fairbanks.
Finlandia – Brittany Coleman, Soph. F, Anchorage.
St. Norbert – Zoe Kurth, Jr. F, Fairbanks.
Wisconsin-Stevens Point – Janel Winters, Jr. F/D, Fairbanks.
NESCAC
Wesleyan – Lottie Barton, Fr. D, Kenai.
