Thursday, January 14, 2010

Donnellan Commits to Western Michigan

Press Release

The Youngstown Phantoms announced that defenseman David Donnellan will play collegiately at Western Michigan University beginning in the fall of 2010.

"I had some offers earlier, but I didn't feel they were the right fit," Donnellan said. "I was confident the right one would come along and it did. I'm looking forward to heading to Western Michigan."

Donnellan ranks fifth on the Phantoms in scoring with 17 points (3g, 14a) through 31 games this season, which also ranks tied for ninth among League defenseman. It is the second USHL season for the 19-year-old native of Eau Claire, Wisconsin after he split the 2008-09 season between the Sioux Falls Stampede and Tri-City Storm collecting eight assists in 55 games.

"David is a solid two-way defenseman with a ton of upside, so it's no surprise he was sought after [by WMU]," said Phantoms Head Coach/GM Bob Mainhardt. "He's a great human being and a great leader, and that obviously makes him attractive to any team."

Three other current USHL players are committed to Western Michigan; defensemen Dan Dekeyser (Sioux City Musketeers) and Dennis Brown (Omaha Lancers) as well as goaltender Nick Pisellini (Chicago Steel).

The Western Michigan Broncos are a member of the CCHA and have 13 former USHL players on their roster for the 2009-10 season; Ross Henry (Lincoln Stars), Matt Tennyson (Cedar Rapids RoughRiders), Brett Beebe (Chicago Steel), J.J. Crew (Lincoln Stars), Ian Slater (Cedar Rapids RoughRiders), Chris Clackson (Chicago Steel), Travis Paeth (Des Moines Buccaneers), Derek Roehl (Ohio Jr. Blue Jackets), Dane Walters (Sioux Falls Stampede), Ben Miller (Waterloo Black Hawks), Greg Squires (Indiana Ice), Luke Witkowski (Fargo Force), and Jerry Kuhn (Sioux City Musketeers).

"I felt their philosophy would be a good fit for me," Donnellan said. "They focus on hard work and improving every day. They're also a program that's on the rise; they just renovated their rink [Lawson Arena] and locker room a couple of years ago."

(Nathan also is a writer for Maineiacs Post to Post and the Maine Hockey Journal. He can be reached at fourniern@students.nescom.edu)

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