For Immediate Release
Contact Dave Geringer, Sports Information Director, (508) 990-9651  [log in to unmask]
Thursday, November 8, 2007					

CORSAIRS LOOK TO RETURN TO NCAA PLAYOFFS

NORTH DARTMOUTH, MA– In each of the last two seasons, the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth’s hockey team has gone where no Eastern College Athletic Conference Northeast team has gone before. 

The Corsairs, who won a first-round game in the NCAA Division III playoffs two years ago and received a first-round bye into the quarterfinals last season, will try to win the conference championship for the third consecutive season and break into the NCAA’s Frozen Four. 

UMass Dartmouth returns the top goaltender in the league, eight defensemen and eight forwards from a team that went 25-3-1 last season. The Corsairs will be looking to blend their experienced veterans with a strong recruiting class.

“We have a strong veteran presence, primarily with (junior) Jeff Green (Medway, MA/Valley Jr. Warriors) in goal, five of our top six defensemen returning, and the league’s leading scorer in (senior) forward Jeff Grant (Burlington, MA/Austin Prep),” said UMass Dartmouth Head Coach John Rolli. “We don’t have a lot of experience at forward.”

Green started every game and went 25-3-1 last season with a 1.90 goals-against average and a .923 save percentage. He led the nation in winning percentage and is 32-3-1 in 36 games at UMass Dartmouth. Freshmen Collin Tracy (Medford, MA/Medford HS) and Matt Hebert (Duxbury, MA/Duxbury HS) will back up Green.

Five of the Corsairs’ top six defensemen return, led by senior captain Tyler Crocker (Wakefield, MA/Wakefield HS), who was 3-13-16 last year and has five goals and 31 assists during his career. Senior Jon Finn (Warwick, RI/Boston Jr. Bulldogs), junior Francis Gunn (Winthrop, MA/Berkshire School), and sophomores Paul Moran (Rockville Centre, NY/Boston Jr. Bulldogs) and Graeme Bourne (Redlands, CA/Campbell River Storm) are also back. Senior Mike McNulty (Hingham, MA/Winchendon), junior Chris Carpenter (Westford, MA/Berkshire School) and Eric Quinlan (Saugus, MA/Avon Old Farms), and freshmen Mickey Dudley (Douglas, MA/Boston Jr. Bruins), Adam Horgan (Clayton, NC/New jersey Jr. Hitmen), and Kyle Haas (Newburgh, NY/Northwood School) will also vie for playing time. 

“Our defense is as skilled and as deep as we’ve ever had,” said Rolli. “We have several good players who will be fighting to get in the lineup.”

Up front, Grant will lead the way. Last year, he scored 25 goals and had 29 assists, was the leading scorer in the conference, and led the nation with six game-winning goals. He has 106 points in 81 career games.

Senior Paul Garabedian (Belmont, MA/Belmont HS), like Grant an assistant captain, figures to see action up front, as do juniors Chris Shore (West Haven, CT/Winchendon) and Nick Paquin (Warwick, RI/Winchendon) and sophomores Billy Carroll (Duxbury, MA/Bridgton Academy), Pat Welch (Dorchester, MA/Bay State Breakers), Matt Serino (Saugus, MA/Avon Old Farms), and Paul Jerusik (Springfield, MA/Lawrence Academy). Newcomers contending for ice time up front will include junior Peter Shelzi (Belmont, MA/UConn AHA) and freshmen Jason Stahl (Londonderry, NH/Valley Jr. Warriors), Joe Hill (Newburyport, MA/Valley Jr. Warriors), Billy Manning (Bridgewater, MA/Bridgewater Jr. Bandits), Tim Hurst (Sylvania, OH/Columbus Jr. Bluejackets), Billy Rocha (Lakeville, MA/Walpole Express), and Andrew Hillson (Melrose, MA/Bridgton Academy). 

“We graduated 76 goals and return 72 goals, which is a concern for us, especially early in the season,” said Rolli. “We have skilled players up front, and we’ll score our share of goals as the season goes on.”

The Corsairs have their usually challenging non-league schedule, which includes an appearance at Norwich University’s prestigious Times-Argus Tournament as well as games against New England Small College Athletic Conference opponents Wesleyan and Connecticut College and ECAC East foes Babson and UMass Boston.

“In order to be successful, we have to understand that every team in the league is hunting us,” said Rolli. “We have to come to play each and every night.”


UMASS DARTMOUTH HOCKEY