Wednesday, November 30, 2011

AFFILIATE LISTER CECERE TO DEBUT THIS WEEK FOR FIGHTING SAINTS

Press Release

DUBUQUE, Iowa – One week after Jarrid Privitera made noticeable contributions as the Fighting Saints won two out of three games, another Fighting Saints affiliate list player will have an opportunity to make his USHL debut. Garrett Cecere, a 5’9” 170 pound defenseman, will join the team for the week of practice, and will take to the ice for at least one of two games as the Fighting Saints play Cedar Rapids on the road on Friday and at home on Saturday.

Cecere, a West Des Moines native who was selected by the Fighting Saints with their fifth-round pick in the 2011 Future's Draft, spent last season with Shattuck-St. Mary's U16 team. In his first season of junior hockey with the Janesville Jets of the NAHL, Cecere has amassed two goals and ten assists to go along with a +7 rating in twenty-four games. He committed during the offseason to attend Colorado College after his time in the USHL.

Fighting Saints head coach Jim Montgomery is excited to get a glimpse of what Cecere can bring to the table.

“He’s an extremely competitive and intelligent hockey player, and we think we’ll get to see how he has adjusted to junior hockey,” he said. “We’ll get a chance to see how he’s going to be for us both right now and next year.”

Players on the affiliate list, such as Cecere and Privitera, are protected by their USHL teams for use in future seasons. Teams may use an affiliate list player in up to six games throughout the year to give the player a taste of the league.

“The affiliate list allows us to bring players in and show them the culture and what it’s like to be a Fighting Saint,” Montgomery said. “We want to get them acclimated to the culture and give them an idea of what life in Dubuque is like. That will get them excited to want to be a Fighting Saint and have a great year where they are playing.”

(Nathan can be reached at fourniern@students.nescom.edu)

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