Saturday, December 31, 2011

Forward Joins NCAA Program at Midseason

Press Release

Joe Rehkamp’s final season of junior hockey came to an unexpected, yet happy ending this week with his enrollment at St. Cloud State University, the Waterloo Black Hawks announced Friday.

While preparing to return for the second half of the USHL slate, the 20-year-old from Plymouth, Minnesota, received an offer to join the Huskies during their second semester. Rehkamp was spending his first season in Waterloo and scored eight goals with six assists in 23 games. His 14 points ranked third on the team. He delivered the game-winning goal during a 4-3 win against Indiana on October 29th and in Des Moines in the midst of a 2-0 shutout on December 16th. In two previous junior campaigns with the Fargo Force, Rehkamp had appeared in 110 regular season contests, recording nine goals and 14 assists.

“Obviously we’re here to win and that’s what we try to do, but we also try to develop players and move them on,” said Black Hawks head coach P.K. O’Handley. “It’s a great scholarship opportunity for Joe and we wish him well.”

Thirteen members of the 2011-2012 Black Hawks have now made commitments to NCAA Division I universities. During December, forward Ryan Papa also announced his intent to attend St. Cloud State in the future.

Bob Motzko, who played for the Black Hawks in 1979-1980, is the head coach of the Huskies program. Former Waterloo defenseman Andrew Prochno is in his freshman year at the central Minnesota school.

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

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