Our Favorite Hockey Program announced their class of ten incoming freshmen for the 2011-12 season. The full release is available below, but let’s give you the 10,000 ft appraisal:
- Seven forwards: Creppin, Kotlarz, Lysaght, Pierce, Reid, Vanderlugt, Webley
- Three defensemen: Koshey, Reinhardt, Strukoff
- Four junior leagues represented: Central Canada Hockey League (Creppin, Reinhardt, Webley), British Columbia Hockey League (Koshey, Strukoff, Vanderlugt), Ontario Junior Hockey League (Kotlarz, Lysaght, Reid), and Eastern Junior Hockey League (Pierce).
- Seven Canadians and three Americans (hey, people always ask), including two from metro Atlanta (Lysaght, Pierce).
UAH graduated D Matt Baxter, D Ryan Burkholder, F Vince Bruni, F Chris Fairbanks, F Joe Koudys, and C Neil Ruffini at the conclusion of the season in February.
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – The Alabama-Huntsville (UAH) hockey program will add 10 newcomers, seven forwards and three defensemen, to the program for the 2011-12 season as it was announced Wednesday by head coach Chris Luongo.
“I am very excited about the class of 2015,” Luongo said. “Mike Warde and Gavin Morgan have done an outstanding job of filling the void left by the graduating class of 2011. This class has size, speed, skill and most importantly the character and academic background to be scholar athletes at UAH. Together with our returning players, we look forward to the 2011-12 season with excitement.”
Class of 2015
Andrew Creppin
Freshman
Forward
6’1, 190
Orleans, Ontario
Gloucester Rangers (CCHL)
The all-time leading scorer in team history, Creppin spent the past three seasons playing with the Gloucester Rangers of the Central Canada Hockey League. This past season Creppin was the Rangers Captain where he appeared in 57 regular season games, scoring 33 goals and adding 78 assists for 111 points to finish 3rd in the league scoring race. Over his five-year junior career, Creppin played in 301 games, scoring 152 goals, assisting on 223 goals and totaling 375 points. Creppin was also named a First-Team All Star for the 2010-11 season.
Steve Koshey
Freshman
Defenseman
5’9, 180
Trail, British Columbia
Surrey Eagles (BCHL)
Koshey split this past season with his hometown team the Trail Smoke Eaters and the Surrey Eagles of the British Columbia Hockey League. He played in 48 contests in 2010-11 scoring three goals and adding 29 assists for 32 points. Koshey picked up his game in the playoffs where he scored a pair of goals and added 11 assists in 16 games. Koshey played a total of 183 games in the BCHL scoring 15 times and assisting on 88 goals for a total of 103 points.
Tyler Kotlarz
Freshman
Forward
6’0, 190
Hudsonville, MI
Markham Waxers (OJHL)
Kotlarz split time this past season between the Carleton Place Canadians of the Central Canada Hockey League and the Markham Waxers of the Ontario Junior Hockey League. He played a total of 52 games and scored 14 times and added 15 assists for 29 points. In 2009-10, Kotlarz appeared in 62 games with Carleton Place scoring 29 goals along with 28 assists for 57 points on a first-year team. He played in a total of 128 games in his junior career, collecting 96 points on 49 goals and 47 assists.
Kyle Lysaght
Freshman
Forward
6’0, 190
Marietta, GA
Oakville Blades (OJHL)
Lysaght played two seasons with the Oakville Blades in the Ontario Junior Hockey League, appearing in a total of 142 games over that span. He hit the ice in 46 contests in 2010-11, scoring 35 goals and adding 23 assists for 58 points. Lysaght picked up his game in the playoffs, leading the Blades to the championship series and scored 8 goals along with 16 assists in 23 games. Lysaght attended the Kent School in Connecticut prior to playing in Oakville.
Craig Pierce
Freshman
Forward
5’11, 190
Roswell, GA
Rochester Stars (EJHL)
Pierce played in 47 games on the season while Captaining the Rochester Stars of the Eastern Junior Hockey League where he finished the season with 29 points ranking second on the team in scoring. Pierce also led his team with five power-play goals in the 2010-11 campaign. Pierce spent two seasons with the Midget AAA powerhouse Compuware in Michigan before heading to Rochester.
Doug Reid
Freshman
Forward
6’0, 200
Innisfil, Ontario
Markham Waxers (OJHL)
Reid spent the past two seasons with the Markham Waxers of the Ontario Junior Hockey League, appearing in 118 games over that span and serving as team Captain during the 2010-11 season. He finished his final season in Markham with 62 points in 50 games (21-41) and helped his team clinch a berth in the playoffs. For his career in Markham, Reid compiled 141 points on 53 goals and 88 assists in 118 games.
Ben Reinhardt
Freshman
Defenseman
5’10, 185
Arnprior, Ontario
Pembroke Lumber Kings (CCHL)
Reinhardt arrives in Huntsville after Captaining the Pembroke Lumber Kings of the Central Canada Hockey League to five consecutive league championships and the 2010-11 National Championship (RBC Cup). Reinhardt was named a First-team All Star in 2010-11 as he played in 36 games accumulating 23 points on three goals and 20 assists. Reinhardt was also voted the CCHL’S Best Defenseman in 2009-10. For his career, Reinhardt played in 278 games played, scored 18 goals and added 78 assists for 96 points.
Graeme Strukoff
Freshman
Defenseman
6’0, 195
Chilliwack, British Columbia
Victoria Grizzlies (BCHL)
Strukoff split this past season with the Trail Smoke Eaters and Victoria Grizzlies of the British Columbia Hockey League. Strukoff played in 46 games last season scoring seven goals and 17 assists in helping Victoria into the BCHL playoffs. Strukoff was voted as a fan favorite in both Trail and Victoria for his hard-nosed approach. In his 144 career games, Strukoff has notched 46 points from the blueline (9g, 37a).
Jeff Vanderlugt
Freshman
Forward
6’3, 220
Richmond Hill, Ontario
Surrey Eagles (BCHL)
Vanderlugt played his final season of junior hockey with the Surrey Eagles of the British Columbia Hockey League after spending three seasons with the Aurora Tigers of the Ontario Junior Hockey League. Vanderlugt finished third on his team in scoring with 30 goals, 24 assists and 54 points in 66 total games this past season. He also added 11 power-play goals for the Eagles. He played 115 career games with Aurora where he compiled 56 goals, 54 assists and 100 career points with the Tigers.
Michael Webley
Freshman
Forward
6’0, 180
Stittsville, Ontario
Gloucester Rangers (CCHL)
Webley spent the last three seasons playing with the Gloucester Rangers of the Central Canada Hockey League. He exploded offensively during the 2010-11 season, appearing in 59 games and scoring 101 points (37 goals, 64 assists) to finish fourth in the league scoring race. For his efforts, he was honored with the “Sportsmanship and Ability Award” by the Central Canada Hockey League. He has played in 248 career games and scored 252 points on 100 goals and 152 assists.