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Minnesota Leads Nation in College Hockey Recruiting

By CHI, 01/20/20, 10:45PM CST

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                                                        THE STATE OF HOCKEY AND COLLEGE HOCKEY

Minnesota and its unique community-based hockey model produce more NCAA Division I hockey players than any other state. A look at the numbers for the 2019-20 season:

 

 

Division I Men’s Players              

Minnesota           205

Michigan             150

Massachusetts   107

New York            82

Illinois                  76

 

Division I Women’s Players

Minnesota           176

Massachusetts   98

New York            58

Illinois                  42

Michigan             40

 

 

  • Minnesota produces 12% of all Division I men’s hockey players and 17% of all Division I women’s players. Minnesotans make up 18% of Americans playing Division I men’s hockey and 27% of Americans playing Division I women’s hockey.
  • 49 of the 60 Division I men’s teams (82%) feature at least one Minnesotan, including 18 of 20 teams in the current USCHO.com top 20 (Massachusetts and Northeastern are the exceptions).
  • 33 of 41 Division I women’s teams (80%) feature at least one Minnesotan, including all 10 teams in the current USCHO.com top 10.
  • 14 Division I men’s captains and eight Division I women’s captains hail from Minnesota.
  • Providence (2015) is the only team this century to win a men’s national title without a Minnesotan on its roster (Maine, 1999, was the last).
  • Of elite men’s players in Minnesota (those good enough to be playing NCAA Division I or CHL), 96% are currently on the NCAA path (201 of 210).
  • Of the 48 Minnesota players to appear in the NHL this season (most of any state), 47 played NCAA hockey (98%).

 

8 Division I men’s coaches hail from Minnesota:

Mike Hastings, Minnesota State

Brett Larson, St. Cloud State

Bob Motzko, Minnesota

Mel Pearson, Michigan

Steve Rohlik, Ohio State

Scott Sandelin, Minnesota Duluth

Frank Serratore, Air Force

Tom Serratore, Bemidji State

 

Top Minnesota-born point scorers in men’s Division I this season:

Scott Perunovich, UMD  Hibbing                3-22—25

Odeen Tufto, QU             Chaska                 3-20—23

Sam Hentges, SCSU         New Brighton     7-15—22

Casey Dornbach, Harv.   Edina                    9-12—21

Zach Risteau, SLU            Lakeville              7-14—21

Noah Cates, UMD            Stillwater             11-9—20

Cole Koepke, UMD          Hermantown      8-11—19

Philip Beaulieu, NMU      Duluth                  3-16—19

 

Top Minnesota-born goaltenders in men’s Division I this season (by save pct.):

Zach Driscoll, Bemidji St.               Apple Valley       .928, 11-5-2, 1.77 GAA

Josh Benson, SHU                           Stillwater             .920, 14-7-1, 2.17 GAA

Darion Hanson, Union                   East Bethel          .911, 6-15-2, 2.65 GAA

Jared Moe, Minn.                            New Prague        .909, 4-4-1, 2.62 GAA

Hunter Shepard, UMD                   Cohasset             .909, 12-6-2, 2.35 GAA                                                                                  -continued-

 

 

Top Minnesota-born point scorers in women’s Division I this season:

Liz Schepers, OSU                           Mound                 17-14—31

Grace Zumwinkle, Minn.               Excelsior              16-14—30

Taylor Heise, Minn.                         Lake City              13-15—28

Carly Bullock, Princeton                 Eden Prairie        14-13—27

Gabbie Hughes, UMD                    Lino Lakes           11-16—27

Mekenzie Steffen, UW                  Centerville           5-19—24

 

Top Minnesota-born goaltenders in women’s Division I this season (by save pct.):

Sydney Scobee, Minn.     Minnetrista         .942, 18-1-3, 1.37 GAA

Maddie Rooney, UMD    Andover               .927, 8-8-3, 2.04 GAA

Lauren Bench, BSU          Eagan                   .918, 10-8-0, 2.16 GAA

Emma Polusny, SCSU      Mound                 .916, 3-14-3, 2.93 GAA

Clare Minnerath, Prov.   Sartell                   .902, 8-5-2, 2.22 GAA

 

 

Formed in 2009 in partnership with USA Hockey, College Hockey Inc. is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting Division I men’s college hockey to prospective players and fans. College Hockey Inc. serves as a resource to young aspiring players and their families deciding whether to pursue NCAA hockey or major junior hockey.