Compiled by MiCHO StaffUSA Hockey announced earlier this week the 22-player U.S. University Select Team roster, as well as six alternates, for the upcoming 2009 Winter World University Games.
The event will take place in Harbin, China, from Feb. 18-28, 2009.
Highlighting the U.S. roster for the biannual event are forwards Lukas DeLorenzo (Penn State University) and Johnny Liang (University of Illinois), defenseman Jon Biliouris (University of Rhode Island) and goaltender Stephen Yu (Garden City/University of Michigan-Dearborn), all of whom were members of the U.S. University Select Team that competed at the 2007 Winter World University Games in Torino, Italy.
The U.S. team, which was picked from an evaluation camp last month, is comprised of players from collegiate ice hockey teams affiliated with the American Collegiate Hockey Association.
"The talent at camp was fantastic so we had a difficult task in picking the team, but the input from the coaches on the selection committee was very useful and helped make the choices easier," said Joe Augustine, head coach of the U.S. University Select Team. "We have a talented team and the belief that we will do well, so there is a lot of anticipation for the games to start."
The U.S. lineup up front includes Jim Gehring (West Chester University), the 2007-08 ACHA Men's Division I Player of the Year, as well as Sean McWhorter (Kalamazoo/Western Michigan University), who led his team with 58 points (23-35) in 39 regular-season games a year ago.
Biliouris will be joined on the blue line by Brad Hoelzer (University of Illinois), an ACHA Second Team All-American defenseman in 2007-08 and the MVP of the ACHA Men's Divsion I All-Star Game.
In goal, Yu will team with Paul Marshall (Ohio University), an ACHA Third Team All-American in 2007-08.
Augustine is currently in his 20th season as head coach at the University of Rhode Island, where he has compiled a 390-170-33 record, 19 consecutive winning seasons and one ACHA National Championship (2006). He won back-to-back ACHA Men's Division I Coach of the Year honors in 2004-05 and 2005-06, and was the Eastern Collegiate Hockey Association Coach of the Year in 2003-04.
Augustine will be assisted by Scott Balboni, head coach at Penn State University, and David Debol (Saline), head coach at the University of Michigan-Dearborn.
Other Michigan connections on the roster include alternate goaltender Ryan Gregory (Novi/Kent State University), alternate defenseman Jarrett Samp (Troy/Oakland University) and alternate forward Shawn Wilson (Riverview/University of Michigan-Dearborn).
"It is a great honor to be named to the World University Games roster and possibly have the chance to represent the United States in international competition,” said Samp. “Throughout the entire evaluation process, I was impressed with the players and coaches from the ACHA and I am confident that the team will be a great representative for USA Hockey."
