Friday, November 4, 2011

Pair of Stars Make College Hockey Commitments

Press Release

Two Lincoln Stars players have made plans for the future of their hockey careers as forward Teemu Tiitinen has committed to Cornell University and defenseman Colton Saucerman has committed to Northeastern University.

Tiitinen is playing in his second USHL season after playing all 60 regular season games for the Stars in 2010-11 and collecting 25 points (7g, 18a). His first career goal in the League was the game-winner in the 3-1 victory vs. Sioux Falls on November 5th, 2010. The 19-year-old from Suwanee, Georgia has appeared in all seven games for the Stars this season and is serving as one of the team’s alternate captains.

Cornell University is a member of the ECAC and has 11 USHL alumni on the roster this season; Cole Bardreau (Team USA), Mathieu Brisson (Omaha Lancers), Armand de Swardt (Chicago Steel), Andy Iles (Team USA), Locke Jillson (Des Moines/Indiana), Vince Mihalek (Cedar Rapids RoughRiders), Keir Ross (Omaha Lancers), Joakim Ryan (Dubuque Fighting Saints), John McCarron (Lincoln Stars), Brian Ferlin (Indiana Ice), and Jacob MacDonald (Waterloo Black Hawks).

Saucerman is playing his first season with the Stars and has collected two points (1g, 1a) in four games, including the game-winning goal in the season-opening victory against Sioux Falls on September 30th. The 19-year-old native of Colorado Springs, Colorado has spent parts of two previous seasons in the USHL, playing eight games for the Dubuque Fighting Saints last season and 55 games for the Des Moines Buccaneers in 2009-10. Over 67 career games, the defenseman has collected nine points (3g, 6a) and 153 penalty minutes. Two of his three career USHL goals have been game-winners.

Saucerman will be joined at Northeastern by Stars teammates Zach Aston-Reese and Mike McKee. Four other current USHL players are also committed to the school; Jon Gillies (Indiana Ice), Cameron Darcy (Team USA), Ryan Belonger (Youngstown Phantoms), and Mike Gunn (Youngstown Phantoms).

Northeastern University is a member of Hockey East and has 13 USHL alumni on the roster this season; Anthony Bitetto (Indiana Ice), Adam Reid (Team USA), Garrett Vermeersch (Lincoln Stars), Steve Quailer (Sioux City Musketeers), Justin Daniels (Sioux City Musketeers), Ben Oskroba (Lincoln Stars), Luke Eibler (Youngstown Phantoms), Drew Daniels (Sioux City Musketeers), Alex Tuckerman (Sioux City Musketeers), Clay Witt (Sioux Falls Stampede), Ludwig Karlsson (Green Bay Gamblers), Vinny Saponari (Dubuque Fighting Saints), and Robbie Vrolyk (Sioux Falls Stampede).
(Nathan can be reached at fourniern@students.nescom.edu)

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