Oakland's McMahon named D-II's best

Oakland University senior forward Will McMahon earned his third straight ACHA DII Player of the Year award earlier this week in a season where he recorded 116 points (74g, 42a) in 40 games and capped it off with a National Championship.

"I am very excited to receive this award for the third time," said McMahon, a Sterling Heights native. "I am also pleased that the award came during another National Championship season."

"He is a great player and keeps getting better," added OU head coach Sean Hogan. "This is really quite an accomplishment considering everyone around the ACHA knows who he is and has a game plan to stop him."

McMahon will have one season left of ACHA eligibility as the Grizzlies will be stepping up to the ACHA DI ranks this coming year. Oakland opens up their 2006-2007 campaign on Sept. 22 with a home date against University of Michigan-Dearborn.

Spartans announce incoming class

Michigan State head coach Rick Comley has announced the addition of forwards Matt Schepke (Warren) and Ryan Turek (Northville) to the hockey class of 2010. The duo, along with forward Jay Sprague and rearguard Michael Ratchuk, will enroll at Michigan State in the fall and be members of the 2006-07 hockey team.

"I'm very pleased with our recruiting class," noted Comley. "We think that we have added speed and offensive skill, and these players will complement the assets we already have in our returning players."

Schepke, 21, will enter MSU in the fall as a sophomore after spending much of the last two seasons with the Omaha Lancers of the USHL. He had a breakout season in 2005-06, as Schepke led both the USHL and his team in goals (37) and power-play tallies (16). He added 19 assists for 58 points on the year, leading his team in scoring and ranking seventh overall in the USHL. Schepke, who played briefly for Michigan Tech in the 2004-05 season before going to Omaha, will have three seasons in Green and White.

"Matt really had an exceptional year in Omaha," said Comley. "He's a little older, and has the ability to step in right away and help us. He shoots the puck well and is a very smart player. I think he really fits right into the mold of the type of player who is emerging in our program right now."

Turek (pictured from his HoneyBaked major midget year in 2002-2003) is a draft-eligible 18-year-old who was a teammate of Schepke's in Omaha last season, and will skate later this month at the NHL Draft Combine in Toronto. Turek is a gifted skater who can play either forward or defense, and scored 17 goals and added 11 assists as a blueliner in Omaha this season. He was ranked in the third round of American skaters (69th overall) in the final NHL Central Scouting Rankings prior to the Entry Draft, which will be held June 24 in Vancouver.

"Ryan is a very skilled player who can be effective both at forward and defense," added Comley. "He brings a new dimension to our team in that if we play him at defense, he can bring the puck up the ice and get us going offensively. He'll also be an asset on the power play."

Turek and Schepke join early signees Sprague and Ratchuk. Sprague completed his season with the Indiana Ice with 17 goals and 16 assists in 56 games. Six of his goals came on the power play, while four stood as game-winners. He also amassed 58 penalty minutes.

Ratchuk recently helped the US Under-18 team to a gold medal - its second straight - at the IIHF World Under-18 championship in Sweden. Ratchuk assisted on the game-winning goal in the gold medal game against Finland, and he appeared in 55 games overall on the year with 12 goals and 18 assists for 30 points.

"Ratchuk is an exciting player who can add a new dimension to our game, and Sprague is a big, strong, intelligent player who can also step in right away," noted Comley.

The Spartans lose five players from the 2005-06 squad to graduation, and also lose junior captain Drew Miller, who recently signed a professional contract with the Anaheim Mighty Ducks. MSU returns 18 letterwinners for next season from a team that went 25-12-8 on the season (14-7-7 CCHA), captured the CCHA Tournament title, and advanced to the East Regional Final of the NCAA Tournament.

Miller leaves MSU, signs with Mighty Ducks

Michigan State captain Drew Miller has signed a professional contract with the National Hockey League's Mighty Ducks of Anaheim and will forego his senior season in East Lansing.

Miller, who was drafted by the Mighty Ducks in the sixth round (186th overall) of the 2003 NHL Entry Draft, leaves after three seasons in Green and White. Terms of the contract were not disclosed.

Miller will report to the Ducks' AHL affiliate Portland Pirates on Wednesday and will be eligible to play for the team immediately. He will join the Pirates in Hartford, where the Pirates currently lead their Atlantic Division Finals series against the Wolfpack, 1-0.

"I have had a unbelievable experience at Michigan State," noted the junior, who is the tenth member of his family to play hockey for MSU. "It was always a dream of mine to play hockey for the Spartans - but also a dream to play in the NHL. I'm leaving behind a great program, but also have a great opportunity in front of me which I am excited about. I am really looking forward to my future with the Anaheim organization."

"I'm very happy for Drew," added Michigan State head coach Rick Comley. "He has shown tremendous improvement during his three years, and he epitomizes what we as coaches want in a student-athlete. There is no doubt that we will miss him tremendously. I'm confident that Drew will also continue to work toward his degree requirements and will graduate from Michigan State."

In his time at MSU, Miller accumulated 39 goals and 47 assists for 86 points. He captained the team in 2005-06, and helped lead the Spartans to the program's best record in four seasons (25-12-8). He was the squad's leading scorer with 18 goals and 25 assists for 43 points in 44 games, and was named Michigan State's Most Valuable Player. He was honored as the CCHA's Best Defensive Forward, and was named to the CCHA All-Tournament Team. This season, Michigan State also captured the 2006 CCHA Tournament title with a 2-1 victory over regular-season champion Miami, and advanced to the East Regional final in the NCAA Tournament.

In his addition to his excellence on the ice, Miller also left his mark on the community. Miller created the Spartan Buddy Program, where MSU athletes go to Sparrow Hospital on a regular basis to visit pediatric patients. He also participated in pen pal programs with local classrooms, Teams for Toys, DARE, and the Special Olympics. The commitment to community involvement earned Miller the CCHA's 2006 Illitch Humanitarian Award this past season and nominations for the Hockey Humanitarian Award in the past two years.

Michigan collegians sign pro contracts

BOWLING GREEN
Mike Falk (Davisburg), San Diego Gulls (ECHL)
Alex Foster (Canton), Toronto Maple Leafs (NHL)

CONNECTICUT
Brad Smith (Detroit), New Mexico Scorpions (CHL)
*Smith will forego his junior and senior seasons

DARTMOUTH
Eric Przepiorka (Grosse Pointe), Florida Everblades (ECHL)

FERRIS STATE
Greg Rallo, Idaho Steelheads (ECHL)
Matt Stefanishion, Washington Capitals (NHL)
*Stefanishion will forego his junior and senior seasons

FREDONIA STATE (D-III)
Tom Briggs (Fruitport), Muskegon Fury (UHL)

LAKE SUPERIOR STATE
Mark Adamek, San Diego Gulls (ECHL)
Mike Adamek, Idaho Steelheads (ECHL)
Jon Booras, Muskegon Fury (UHL)
Alex Dunn, Idaho Steelheads, (ECHL)
Steve McJannet, Utah Grizzlies (ECHL)
Kory Scoran, Idaho Steelheads (ECHL)

MIAMI
Andy Greene (Trenton), New Jersey Devils (NHL)

MICHIGAN STATE
Drew Miller, Anaheim Mighty Ducks (NHL)
*Miller will forego his senior season
Jared Nightingale, Greenville Grrrowl (ECHL)
*loaned to Springfield Falcons (AHL)

MICHIGAN TECH
Chris Conner, Iowa Stars (AHL)
Taggart Desmet, Victoria Salmon Kings (ECHL)
Brandon Schwartz, South Carolina Stingrays (ECHL)
*originally signed with Binghamton Senators (AHL), but waived

NIAGARA
Marc Norrington (Grand Blanc), Toledo Storm (ECHL)

NORTHERN MICHIGAN
Andrew Contois, Idaho Steelheads (ECHL)
Jamie Milam, Fort Wayne Komets (UHL)
Nathan Oystrick, Atlanta Thrashers (NHL)

NOTRE DAME
Chris Trick (Troy), Pensacola Ice Pilots (ECHL)

OAKLAND (D-II)
Dan Oleksy, Port Huron Flags (UHL)

OHIO STATE
Danny Knapp (Rochester), Dayton Bombers (ECHL)

WAYNE STATE
Steve Kovalchik, Florida Everblades (ECHL)
Greg Poupard, Florida Everblades (ECHL)

WESTERN MICHIGAN
Mike Erickson, Augusta Lynx (ECHL)
Eric Marvin, Flint Generals (UHL)
Brent Walton, Syracuse Crunch (AHL)

WSU's Weiss named to CHA post

Wayne State University sports information director Jeff Weiss has assumed additional duties as assistant commissioner of public relations for College Hockey America (CHA) men’s and women’s leagues effective immediately, announced commissioner R.H. “Bob” Peters.

“We are extremely grateful to have Jeff Weiss join our administrative team and his 17 years of intercollegiate athletic experience in media relations bodes well for the CHA conference,” said Peters.

Weiss is currently in his fifth year as SID at WSU, and spent 10 years (1988-98) in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) league office serving his final three years as an assistant commissioner. During his tenure with the CCHA, Weiss coordinated the CCHA Championships at Joe Louis Arena plus the conference’s annual awards banquet. In addition, he was involved in media relations with eight Frozen Four championships.

He also served as an assistant SID at his alma mater, Bowling Green, from 1998-2001 working primarily with the men’s hockey, baseball and men’s soccer programs.

College Hockey America will serve as the host, in conjunction with the St. Louis Sports Commission, of the 2007 Frozen Four at the Savvis Center in St. Louis next April 5 & 7.