2025 WIAC Women’s Lacrosse Tournament (Presented by Culver’s)
Women’s Lacrosse
4/28/2025 11:39:38 AM
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MADISON, Wis.–University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire will host the WIAC Women’s Lacrosse Tournament (presented by Culver’s) May 2-3 at Sonnentag Fieldhouse. Semifinal contests will be held May 2, while the third-place game and championship […]
MADISON, Wis.–University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire will host the WIAC Women’s Lacrosse Tournament (presented by Culver’s) May 2-3 at Sonnentag Fieldhouse. Semifinal contests will be held May 2, while the third-place game and championship contest will take place May 3. Colorado College is the defending champion of the tournament. (Tournament Webpage)
Luke Steward, 21, had a full-ride scholarship playing baseball at McNeese State University in Lake Charles, Louisiana, but he didn’t get enough playing time and experienced vision problems in his first two years. El Camino College Warriors assistant baseball coach Kyle Mora saw Steward’s potential and convinced him to play baseball at ECC and pitch […]
Luke Steward, 21, had a full-ride scholarship playing baseball at McNeese State University in Lake Charles, Louisiana, but he didn’t get enough playing time and experienced vision problems in his first two years.
El Camino College Warriors assistant baseball coach Kyle Mora saw Steward’s potential and convinced him to play baseball at ECC and pitch for them. Mora met Steward in Kansas playing in a minor baseball league.
Steward said coming to ECC was a fresh start for him.
“Playing here has helped me with my confidence, the coaches have been there for me. I’m glad that I got an opportunity to play and do what I love,” Steward said.
Warriors coach Grant Palmer said recruiting out-of-state and international athletes is case by case, and when they get the opportunity to recruit, they take advantage of it.
“For us having two out-of-state, international players is a high number for us,” Palmer said.
(L-R) Warriors baseball coach Grant Palmer gives advice to pitcher Luke Steward before Game 2 of the 3C2A Regional Playoffs on Saturday, May 3. Steward pitched six innings and had four strikeouts in the game. (Oriana De Quay | The Union)
The number of out-of-state and international athletes playing at community colleges have been growing over the past five years.
Experts say athletes choose the community college route because of the age gap and more opportunities. At community colleges, athletes usually are 18-22, while the age range at four-year universities is expanded to 18-25.
“At the four year universities, athletes go up against others who are older and are not prepared. Also it’s more expensive for international athletes as well and at the community college level it’s less expensive and athletes are in their age range,” Cortell said.
Several community colleges such as ECC, Cerritos, Long Beach, East Los Angeles, Orange Coast, Santa Rosa, Mount San Antonio and Riverside all have out-of-state and international athletes in their athletic programs.
At ECC, the number of international and out of state athletes have increased in several sports.
Steward is one those athletes, having gone on to play in the Rocky Mountain League, a Colorado-based minor baseball league in 2024. He also played pitcher for the Liberal Bee Jays, a team from Liberal, Kansas in 2024.
Warriors pitcher Luke Steward throws a pitch Saturday, May 3, in Game 2 the 3C2A Regional Playoffs. Steward grabbed his eighth win in the season. He had an arm injury in the top of the fifth inning that took him out of the game. (Oriana De Quay | The Union)
This season, he helped the Warriors achieve a (32-14) record and make the second round of the 3C2A SoCal Super Regionals. He pitched 84 innings, had 72 strikeouts, started in 15 games and had a (8-2) record.
Out-of-state and international players pay a different tuition than the average student.
For a non-California resident at ECC, the tuition is $391 per unit. Non-resident students taking 12 units per semester have to pay $9,384 in tuition and annual fees.
Non-resident students also pay for health and student representation fees, medical insurance, parking, and other costs.
These trends mirror what is happening in the professional leagues, which have seen increases over the years in international athletes on team rosters.
According to the NBA’s website, in the 2023-2024 season there were 125 international players from 40 different countries. Canada led with 26 players, the most in the league, and France came second with 14 players.
The Warriors men’s basketball team has seen an increase of 64% in out of state/international athletes over the last five years.
In the 2022-2023 season, there were four out-of-state or international athletes on the team which was the highest amount in the last five years.
Robert Uphoff, coach for the Warriors men’s basketball team, said he looks for very tall and athletic players who fit their playstyle.
“What I look for when I’m recruiting is players six [feet] six [inches] and above and if they’re willing to play in California. Also, if they are willing to pay, some athletes pay $15,000-$20,000 to come to El Camino,” Uphoff said.
Out-of-state and international athletes can still apply for the Free Application for Financial Aid and athletes who have a parent in the military can get grants.
One of the players Uphoff recruited is Yel Deng, 22, an international player from South Sudan who is 6-feet-9-inches tall and has been in the United States for a few years.
El Camino College Warriors basketball player Yel Deng rises for a dunk during practice at El Camino College on Wednesday, May 7. (Vincent Lombardo | The Union)
Deng said he thought he was good enough when he first came here to the US.
“It’s a huge difference playing in the United States, I thought my game was already there, but I had to keep working to get better,” Deng said.
Uphoff also said California community colleges don’t offer scholarships to athletes but some do have housing, whereas community colleges in Utah offer scholarships to athletes and have dorms.
California community colleges don’t offer scholarships because of the low cost of tuition, Uphoff said.
Santa Monica College interim men’s basketball coach Malik Bray said out-of-state and international players have an edge and want to work harder on and off the court to improve their skills.
El Camino College Warriors Basketball Player Tavin Adamson drives to the basket during practice at El Camino College on Tuesday, May 7. Adamson is an out-of-state student from Loveland, Colorado. (Vincent Lombardo | The Union)
This season for Santa Monica College, 13 out of 15 on the men’s basketball roster were out-of-state or international athletes.
“A lot of these guys don’t have the scenery we have in California and they appreciate the opportunity more. They have a different playstyle as well as West Coast basketball players,” Bray said.
Bray said their playstyle is more rough and physical, but that the way they take their time playing the game of basketball is fundamental.
El Camino College Warriors basketball player Yel Deng rises for a dunk during practice at El Camino College on Wednesday, May 7. (Vincent Lombardo | The Union)
The Union had a scheduled phone interview on Wednesday, May 20, and didn’t get a call back, and also on Thursday, May 21, and did not get an answer from Long Beach City College men’s basketball coach Barry Barnes.
East LA’s men’s basketball was highlighted in a show on Netflix called “Last Chance U: Basketball,” which showed behind the scenes of their men’s basketball program.
The most out-of-state or international athletes on their roster was five, but in previous years they had only one.
El Camino College Warriors Basketball Player Tavin Adamson practices spin moves during practice at El Camino College on Tuesday, May 7. Adamson is an out-of-state student from Loveland, Colorado. (Vincent Lombardo | The Union)
Riverside College saw a 70% increase in the past five years and Orange Coast had a 75% increase.
Orange Coast College is another community college that has housing for out-of-state and international athletes.
The cost for out-of-state and international athletes is $11,916 a year, not including an additional $14,031 for books, supplies, incidentals and medical insurance.
ECC’s women’s basketball team also gained an increase with out-of-state and international players over the last several years.
Of the women’s basketball programs reviewed, ECC’s women’s basketball saw the greatest increase in non-resident athletes in the past five years.
The team started five years ago with zero out-of-state or international players, and ever since they have had one or more, showing a 0.18% increase.
Steve Shaw, women’s basketball team coach at ECC said it can be difficult to recruit out-of-state and international players for the women’s team.
“Last season we had two out of state/international players, this season we had none. It’s a process that can be a factor as well but we would love to have them come,” Shaw said.
El Camino College Warriors women’s basketball students scrimmage during class at El Camino College on Tuesday, May 20. (Vincent Lombardo | The Union)
He said hewould like them to come because international players are prepared at a young age and they are very fundamental with their footwork and playstyle.
International players start to play professionally at a younger age than US players.
In the 2025 WNBA draft, 10 international players were drafted and three were top 10 picks, according to the WNBA website.
Some women’s sports in community colleges haven’t had any out-of-state or international athletes.
Of the colleges The Union reviewed, there were two programs who haven’t had any out-of-state or international athletes for women’s basketball.
El Camino College Warriors women’s basketball students scrimmage during class at El Camino College on Tuesday, May 20. (Vincent Lombardo | The Union)
Long Beach City College and Cerritos College were the two programs that The Union reached out to through email and phone calls several times and didn’t get an interview.
On the other hand, East Los Angeles College and their women’s program had an increase in out-of-state and international athletes in the past five years.
They had an increase of 0.15% in their women’s basketball program with three athletes being the most in the past five years.
Santa Rosa College only had one out-of-state or international athlete in the past five years out of all of their women’s sports programs.
Santa Rosa is one of three community colleges The Union reviewed with housing.
The cost of housing for out-of-state and international athletes is $15,797, including placement fees, security deposit, and a hall for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
For in-state athletes, living in the resident halls with a roommate is about $1,020 per month, but a single room is $1,277 per month. A deluxe single with a private room and bath costs $1,597 per month.
Football
ECC’s football team had a 32% increase in out-of-state state and international athletes over the past five years.
In the 2018-2019 season, the team started with 14 out of 37 on the roster being either out-of-state or international students, compared to the 2023-2024 season with 23 out of 37 on the roster, according to the ECC Warriors website.
El Camino College Warriors football defensive back Yudai Naka warms up with his team before their practice Monday, May 12. Naka is an international student from Nishinomiya, Japan. (Vincent Lombardo | The Union)
Warriors football coach Gifford Lindheim said when he recruits he looks for players who can help the team in many ways.
“I look for talent, and talent comes in all shapes and sizes. We’ve had players from all over play for us and moved on the Division 1 level and the professional level,” Lindheim said.
At Cerritos College, the football program has seen a significant decrease in these players since the 2018-2019 season. Their numbers of out-of-state and international athletes have decreased by 53% in the past five years.
Long Beach City College also saw a significant decrease with their out-of-state and international players over the last five years. The decrease was 44% in the last five years with their football program.
The most on their team in the 2019-2020 season was 10 and the lowest was four after the 2021-2022 season, which was impacted by COVID-19.
According to the NFL‘s website, 88 foreign players recorded a snap in the 2023 season. The NFL Heritage Program saw over 330 players, coaches, and owners represent over 70 countries in 2023.
ECC wide receiver Mark Baker, 19, is an out-of-state student from from Burien, Washington, who has had success at ECC.
Baker appeared in 11 games this season and finished with 195 yards and 20 receptions.
El Camino College Warriors football wide receiver Mark Baker (center) gets ready to practice route running during practice on Monday, May 12. Baker, 19, is an out-of-state student from from Burien, Washington. (Vincent Lombardo | The Union)
Baker said he never heard of ECC until he got a call from two of the coaches.
“I remember getting a call from coach Lindheim and offensive coordinator Tim Kaub, and they saw my highlights and wanted me to come to ECC. They gave me and my family a tour of the campus and I knew it was the right fit for me,” Baker said.
El Camino College soccer forward center Steven Alvarenga defends the ball from Norco College midfielder Andrew Garcia on September 4, 2024. (Elliott Bullock II | The Union)
ECC soccer coach Michael Jacobson said he is always looking for good players to play for the college and who will fit its system.
“We are a nationally-ranked program and we had a lot of international players come to us, especially from Japan and Germany. This is what makes our country great. We give people opportunities to show their talent,” Jacobson said.
Women’s Soccer
Not only women’s basketball, but women’s soccer at community colleges has had gains in out-of-state and international athletes on its roster.
Cortell said soccer is one of the most international sports in the world.
“Soccer is huge and the game is global. I am a soccer recruit as well, and we find a lot of players and recruit them,” Cortell said.
ECC and Cerritos College saw a 0.05% increase in non-resident athletes in the past five years. Both teams had at least one out-of-state or international athlete in the 2018-2019 and 2021-2022 seasons.
Orange Coast College saw a big increase in the past five years with out-of-state and international athletes.
El Camino College Warriors defender Frankie McKinnon, right, kicks the ball towards the East Los Angeles College Huskies’ goal as Huskies defender Veronica Diaz Chino tries to block it during the women’s soccer match on Tuesday, Nov. 5. After leading 1-0 in the first half, the Warriors would win its final game of the regular season against the Huskies 6-0. The Warriors will play against the Cerritos College Falcons in the first round of the South Coast Conference Tournament on Friday, Nov. 8. (Eddy Cermeno | The Union)
In the past five years they have seen a 25% increase with women’s soccer. Orange Coast has dorms for their athletes and has increases in men’s sports and women’s sports.
On the other hand, Santa Rosa College has seen a 10% decrease in the women’s soccer program with only one out-of-state or international athlete in the last five years.
Riverside College doesn’t have a women’s soccer program nor a men’s soccer program.
Cortell said athletes go to community colleges that they feel like they have an opportunity at.
“Athletes want to make a name for themselves, compared to four-year universities there are more athletes they have to compete with. At a community college they have a better chance,” Cortell said.
Morning Chirps: Russian Prospect Staying in KHL, Gavin McKenna Going to College?
Saturday was a relatively slow news day, but we got official word that a Russian prospect will not join the Chicago Blackhawks next season. Meanwhile, across the NHL, a young forward still wants out of Toronto. There were exit interviews in Dallas and some injury updates out of Florida. Blackhawks Chirps Ilya Safonov will not […]
Saturday was a relatively slow news day, but we got official word that a Russian prospect will not join the Chicago Blackhawks next season. Meanwhile, across the NHL, a young forward still wants out of Toronto. There were exit interviews in Dallas and some injury updates out of Florida.
Blackhawks Chirps
Ilya Safonov will not be coming to North America this season. Scott Powers confirmed he signed a one-year extension with Ak Bars in the KHL. A few weeks ago, there were reports that Safonov was interested in signing with the Blackhawks, but it appears the interest wasn’t mutual. The 2021 sixth-round pick has had two rather pedestrian seasons after breaking out in 2022-23. We’ll see where he stands a year from now, but it’s not looking good that he’ll make it to the NHL.
On June 1, 1992, the Stanley Cup made an appearance at Chicago Stadium. The Pittsburgh Penguins completed the sweep of the Blackhawks with a 6-5 win in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final. The win was the Penguins’ 11th straight of the postseason, tying a record the Blackhawks had set heading into the series with Pittsburgh.
Three years later, the Blackhawks lost 2-1 in overtime to the Detroit Red Wings in Game 1 of the Western Conference Final. Joe Murphy gave the Blackhawks a 1-0 lead with a power-play goal in the first period. After Keith Primeau tied the game in the middle frame, Nicklas Lidstrom scored a minute into overtime. This was the Red Wings’ first overtime playoff win at home since 1960, ending a 10-game losing streak.
On this date in 2013, the Blackhawks opened the Western Conference Final by beating the Los Angeles Kings 2-1. Patrick Sharp and Marian Hossa scored four minutes apart in the second period to provide the offense. Corey Crawford stopped 21 of the 22 shots he faced, only allowing a first-period Justin Williams goal.
The Blackhawks and Kings wrapped up the Western Conference Final one year later. This time, it was the Kings advancing to the Stanley Cup Final with a 5-4 overtime win in Game 7. Sharp scored twice as the Blackhawks took a 4-3 lead into the third period. After Marian Gaborik tied the game late in regulation, future Blackhawk Alec Martinez scored the series-clinching goal in overtime.
Blackhawks Birthday Roll Call, June 1: Larry Zeidel, Paul Coffey, Jeff Hackett, Michal Grosek, and Dylan Sikura.
NHL Chirps
According to The Athletic’s Chris Johnston, Toronto Maple Leafs forward Nicolas Robertson’s trade request from last year still stands. The 23-year-old scored 15 goals in 69 games this past season, both career highs. He is the perfect “change of scenery” guy and could get a bigger role in Chicago. I’m sure Kyle Davidson will inquire about the asking price.
While speaking with reporters on Saturday, Matt Duchene indicated that he wants to stay with the Dallas Stars, but wants more than just a one-year deal. This is not a guy I want the Blackhawks to pursue this summer, plus, Duchene sure feels like a guy who wants to play for a contender.
Staying in Dallas, general manager Jim Nill confirmed Roope Hintz sustained a foot fracture after being slashed by Edmonton Oilers’ defenseman Darnell Nurse in Game 2 of the Western Conference Final.
According to Florida Hockey Now, Florida Panthers forwards Eetu Loustarinen and Anton Lundell are expected to play in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final after missing Saturday’s practice. However, head coach Paul Maurice called A.J. Greer a “question mark.”
Finally, ESPN’s John Buccigross posted on X last night, suggesting that top 2026 draft prospect Gavin McKenna could be headed to Michigan State University.
At Gaudreau Family 5K, memory of late brothers Johnny and Matthew shines bright: ‘The boys are here’
SEWELL, N.J. — In the hour before the Gaudreau Family 5K on Saturday morning, with the sidewalk still wet from a rainstorm the previous night, hundreds and hundreds of participants filed into Washington Lake Park and headed toward a clearing where the race was to begin. A rainbow in the sky greeted all of them. […]
SEWELL, N.J. — In the hour before the Gaudreau Family 5K on Saturday morning, with the sidewalk still wet from a rainstorm the previous night, hundreds and hundreds of participants filed into Washington Lake Park and headed toward a clearing where the race was to begin.
A rainbow in the sky greeted all of them.
“The boys are here,” said Deb Vasaturo, one of the event organizers.
Nine months ago, mere days after John and Matthew Gaudreau were struck and killed by an SUV driver while riding bicycles together on Aug. 29, a group of close friends, including Vasaturo, had gathered at the family home in Penns Grove, N.J., hoping to offer support to the brothers’ parents, Jane and Guy. That day, a double rainbow had split through the sky — a tiny comfort in a period of unimaginable grief.
The 31-year-old John, better known as Johnny among fans, was playing for the Columbus Blue Jackets when he and 29-year-old Matthew died, and Zach Aston-Reese felt his presence throughout the NHL season. In February, on the first birthday of John’s oldest son, a beautiful sunset graced Columbus; late in the season, before a must-win road game for the Blue Jackets, a rainbow appeared above the Philadelphia Flyers’ arena. He was touched again when another rainbow emerged before the 5K, as throngs of runners and walkers gathered for the race.
“It’s almost a year since (the accident), but I think it’s something that can take a lifetime to heal from,” Aston-Reese said. “Any time you get a chance to support, especially the bigger events, it’s really special.”
Around 1,100 people signed up for either the competitive 5K, which kicked off at 8 a.m., or a more casual 8:45 a.m. race of the same distance. Kids had their chance to compete in a one-mile run later in the morning. Multiple race participants wore jerseys of John, a seven-time NHL All-Star nicknamed Johnny Hockey, who played for the Calgary Flames and Blue Jackets. Some also wore gear for Matthew, who reached the AHL after a four-year career at Boston College and most recently suited up with the ECHL’s Worcester Railers in 2021-22.
The park was alive with activity throughout the morning. One tent showcased signed jerseys up for a silent auction, as kids played lawn games nearby. Baskets sitting on the covered stage were raffled off. Below them, attendees wrote memories and messages of support for the Gaudreau family on a big white banner.
The event raised money for an adaptive playground at Archbishop Damiano, a special education school in Westville, N.J. The Gaudreau family has deep family connections with the school: Jane’s brother has special needs, and their mother worked there for more than 40 years. All four of the Gaudreau kids — Kristen, John, Matthew and Katie — have either volunteered for or worked at the school too.
“The playground has been a project for I think four or five years, and there just never was enough funding,” Vasaturo said. “(The 5K) was a perfect marriage of doing something good to honor the boys and seeing children laugh and smile.”
Fans sign a banner for the Gaudreau family. (Peter Baugh / For The Athletic)
Jane, Guy, Kristen and Katie were present throughout. Both boys loved children, Jane said, so seeing all the smiling kids would have been everything they would’ve wanted in the event. “I think they would just be so proud of us that we did (this),” she said.
Guy noted that Matthew would have run the 5K and won. He frequently beat John in off-ice exercises growing up, leaving his older brother “so mad he couldn’t see straight,” their dad said with fondness.
Professional hockey players went out of their way to attend as well. South Jersey natives Buddy Robinson, who played 62 NHL games and is now in the KHL, and Tony DeAngelo, who played with the New York Islanders this past season, were both there. Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk, a teammate of John Gaudreau’s for the United States at the World Championships last summer, traveled from his offseason home on the Jersey Shore and wore a black sweatshirt that read “Johnny Hockey.” Aston-Reese and Erik Gudbranson represented the Blue Jackets.
“Our family wouldn’t have missed this,” said Gudbranson, who came with his wife and kids straight from a trip to Disney World. “There’s no way.”
In the aftermath of John and Matthew’s deaths, the Gaudreau family’s friends wanted to find ways to help. Vasaturo initially thought of the charity 5K. When she approached Guy and Jane in October, Jane thought it was a wonderful idea but felt the family didn’t have the emotional bandwidth to provide much help.
That wasn’t an issue. Their friends — a committee of around 18 people — took care of it all.
“They did everything, organized everything,” Guy said. “They just wanted us to be here.”
Community members beyond the committee, including Aston-Reese, helped too. The Blue Jackets forward studied graphic design while playing college hockey at Northeastern University, and one of Jane’s friends reached out and asked him to create the event logo. Honored, the Blue Jackets forward came up with a design — two interlocking hockey sticks with doves above them and the Gaudreau family name across the middle — that ultimately went on the race shirts and medals.
“It was pretty surreal pulling in and seeing everyone with their shirts on and the logo you created,” Aston-Reese said.
NHLers Brady Tkachuk (black hoodie, left) and Erik Gudbranson (white shirt, back) walk in the “Fun 5K run/walk.” (Peter Baugh / For The Athletic)
Along with the race in Sewell, more than 1,300 people signed up to compete in a virtual 5K, with participants across the U.S. and Canada, as well as in multiple other countries, including Ireland, Sweden and the United Arab Emirates. Florida Panthers players, who are preparing for the Stanley Cup Final, participated from Fort Lauderdale.
“Thursday, yesterday and even this morning I woke up, (and) I can’t clean out my inbox because I get all the notices of all the donations and all the registrations,” said Paul O’Connor, an organizing committee member whose son was a childhood friend of Matthew. “It just keeps growing.”
Jane Gaudreau said it was emotional pulling into the park and seeing how many people were there. She and Guy initially expected the 5K to draw maybe 100 or 200 people. To see it balloon into an event with more than 1,000 was “overwhelming, but in a good way,” she said.
After the races, the family stood on stage for an award ceremony. The public address announcer listed off the overall top finishers, then the winners of each age group. The NHL players on hand presented awards: In place of trophies, each person received a gift card and one of the hockey sticks left at public memorials after John and Matthew’s deaths.
“Just to be able to show support for this amazing family and see this amazing turnout, it was pretty great to be a part of,” said Tkachuk, who walked the more casual 5K. “I’m just so thankful they had me here.”
Guy Gaudreau runs the Gaudreau Family 5K. (Peter Baugh / For The Athletic)
Every finisher received a medal that read “1st annual 5K run/walk,” indicating Saturday wasn’t a one-off event, and indeed the current plan is to continue it in the future. Jane has seen messages asking if the family would host the race in Calgary or Columbus, which has given her ideas. She saw requests from Calgary first, so she said she’ll perhaps run next year as a virtual participant with people there.
But this year the Gaudreaus were home in New Jersey, only a five-minute drive from Hollydell Ice Arena, the rink where the boys spent countless hours as kids. Jane stood near the end of the course as the fastest runners wrapped up the competitive race. She clapped and whooped as they neared the finish line.
Guy, meanwhile, ran the race. He wore a bright orange long-sleeved shirt, and the crowd burst into applause when the public address announcer pointed him out as he came around the final turn. Vasaturo, the friend whose idea led to Saturday’s event, cheered and cheered from the stage.
“His strength and Jane’s strength and their resiliency is just amazing,” she said. “We just want to be there and help them along the way, take these steps with them.”
(Top photo of the Gaudreau family and NHL players: Gillian Kocher / Gaudreau Family 5K)
James Hagens is no stranger to the Utah Mammoth. When asked which players he has looked to in the NHL to model his game after, a familiar name surfaced. “I grew up watching Patrick Kane, I grew up watching John Tavares. Now, Jack Hughes and Logan Cooley,” Hagens said. “The way [Cooley] has been able […]
When asked which players he has looked to in the NHL to model his game after, a familiar name surfaced.
“I grew up watching Patrick Kane, I grew up watching John Tavares. Now, Jack Hughes and Logan Cooley,” Hagens said. “The way [Cooley] has been able to jump in the league and the things he’s done, it’s special. He’s a special player. He’s always been so good in the way he controls the game and the way he thinks it — it’s something that separates him.”
Hagens, who is one of the top players in the 2025 draft class, has taken a path that somewhat resembles Cooley’s. Both centers played for the United States National Team Development Program (USNTDP) before jumping to NCAA hockey. Each went into their drafts as highly-touted, undersized options, too. Cooley went third overall in 2022 to the Arizona Coyotes.
Utah now has the fourth overall selection this year and Hagens sees landing in Salt Lake City as an option.
“I’ve watched a ton of the Utah games,” Hagens said. “I’m a big fan of the new logo as well, the Mammoth. It’d be super cool to be able to be a draft pick for the new logo Mammoth.”
(Bethany Baker | The Salt Lake Tribune) Utah Hockey Club center Logan Cooley (92) brings the puck down the ice at Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Monday, March 24, 2025.
A year ago, Hagens was widely viewed as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft. Since then, Matthew Schaefer, Michael Misa and Caleb Desnoyers have drawn more attention and bubbled to the top of mock orders.
Part of it is because players like Misa, a 6-foot-1 center, tore it up in the Ontario Hockey League this season. Misa had 134 points (62 goals, 72 assists) in 65 games. Hagens played for Boston College last year and had 37 points (11 goals, 26 assists) in 37 games. It is not a fair comparison, though. The level of the NCAA sport — particularly in Hockey East, which is one of the best conferences — is much more of a challenge than the Canadian Junior routes.
Hagens has also been knocked for his size. The 18-year-old stands at 5-foot-11, 176 pounds. His draft-class counterparts are bigger.
There has been a lot of noise around Hagens. He is trying to stay grounded.
“You just kind of have to be grateful about it. Being able to hear your name in those conversations. Obviously, leading up to the draft now — having the opportunity to get drafted to any organization in the league, it’s something you have to be grateful for,” Hagens said. “The noise will always be there, but you just have to make sure you’re living in the moment and taking it day by day.”
(Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) Utah Hockey Club General Manager Bill Armstrong answers questions during media day at the Delta Center, on Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024.
The ambiguity around Hagens’ ranking makes the possibility of him being available for Utah at No. 4 real. If it were up to his former head coach, Nick Fohr, who had Hagens at the USNTDP, the decision would be easy.
“I’ve had NHL teams calling and talking to me about him. I tell them all, ‘If you get a chance to pick him, pick him. You’re not going to be disappointed,’” Fohr said. “This kid has just proven it over and over again everywhere he goes.”
Fohr and his staff knew about Hagens far before his name started hitting the NHL headlines. The USNTDP selects the best 16- to 18-year-old players around the country for its U-17 and U-18 teams. Accordingly, scouts and coaches are following these guys through their youth careers.
Some players don’t pan out. Others take the opportunity and run with it. That is what Hagens did.
“I think his coming out party for everybody on the world stage was the Under-17 World Challenge where he set the record for the most points in the history of that tournament,” Fohr said. “I think that’s when everybody went, ‘Oh boy, this kid’s pretty good.’ They started talking about him being a really high pick for this coming draft.”
USA coach Nick Fohr getting emotional whole talking about the end of the two year journey for the 2006-born USNTDP group:
Hagens posted 102 points (39 goals, 63 assists) in 58 games with the U18 Team in 2023-2024 before transitioning to Boston College. He was dominant in all three zones against older, stronger opponents. Fohr never saw Hagens’ size as a deterrent.
“It hasn’t affected his game at the younger levels at all. His intelligence, his hockey IQ, his skating ability, his ability to make plays and to think the game at a higher level — size doesn’t impact him with those types of assets and attributes,” Fohr said.
“People fall in love with size because it’s size and you can’t coach it, but I think you see guys like Jack Hughes, Clayton Keller and Logan Cooley — the success that they’re having as undersized guys. There’s a place for him in the game.”
While Hagens no doubt got knocked around a bit more in college hockey, he still centered Boston College’s first line between Gabe Perreault and Ryan Leonard (who are both now in the NHL).
“I love making plays. I love being able to find a guy backdoor. That’s something that I feel like is a big part of my game my whole entire career here. I wouldn’t say that I ever deflect away from shooting the puck,” Hagens said. “I know when to shoot and when to pass. Just something that really helps take my game to the next level is the way I’m able to find other guys.”
Some were expecting Hagens to make a bigger splash in terms of production in the NCAA, though.
In the past few years, centers like Macklin Celebrini and Adam Fantilli played in college ahead of their respective drafts. Celebrini had 64 points (32 goals, 32 assists) in 38 games with Boston University in his freshman season in 2023-2024. Fantilli had 65 points (30 goals, 35 assists) in 36 games in his freshman season with the University of Michigan in 2022-2023. Both won the Hobey Baker Award (given to the top men’s ice hockey player in the NCAA Division I). Celebrini was selected first overall in 2024 by the San Jose Sharks; Fantilli went third overall in 2023 to the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Hagens did not close in on any of those numbers or accolades. He still took lessons from his first year with the Eagles. Hagens said no decision has been made if he will return for his sophomore campaign; that will be discussed after the draft. But he will be focused on “maturing [his] game — especially off the ice as well, making sure you’re doing all those little things that help you get ready for the games and prepare.”
Hagens’ focus now shifts to the NHL Scouting Combine, which will take place in Buffalo, New York, from June 2 to 7. All of the top prospects attend and go through interviews with prospective organizations and fitness testing. Hagens will meet with Utah general manager Bill Armstrong and his staff.
FILE – William Smith participates in the vertical jump during the NHL hockey combine June 10, 2023, in Buffalo, N.Y. Smith could go anywhere between fourth and seventh in the upcoming NHL draft. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes, File)
What does he want to get across in these conversations?
“Going into these meetings just really expressing how hard I compete and how badly I want to be on a team and hopefully win a Stanley Cup one day,” Hagens said. “I love winning. I will do anything to win. Something that’s helped me get to the point where I am today is just how hard I’ve been able to work my whole life. Nothing’s ever come easy. I’ve had to work for everything that I’ve ever gotten before.”
There is no saying for certain where Hagens will end up. Utah has been looking for size, but with the recent signing of Daniil But, its mindset going into the draft could change. Cooley and Hagens as the No. 1 and No. 2 centers could be the makeup of a contending team.
It seems Hagens wouldn’t mind playing with one of his role models, either.
“It is one step in your process but you just have to be ready. Getting drafted has been my dream my whole entire life,” Hagens said. “That’s why I started playing hockey, that’s why I still play. I’m really just grateful for everything right now.”
Four years into NIL, coaches, agents reveal heartache and frustration of students’ big money chase
In late December, University of Miami hoops coach Jim Larranaga retired two months into the season. There was no scandal behind it, no family reasons given. Larranaga — who has taken two teams to the Final Four, most recently in 2023 — told The Post thisweek: “It’s not that I don’t love coaching anymore or wanted […]
In late December, University of Miami hoops coach Jim Larranaga retired two months into the season. There was no scandal behind it, no family reasons given.
Larranaga — who has taken two teams to the Final Four, most recently in 2023 — told The Post thisweek: “It’s not that I don’t love coaching anymore or wanted to step down. I felt like I was no longer the right guy for the job.”
More specifically, not the right guy in this brave new world where NIL — the NCAA right that lets college athletes profit off their name, image and likeness — combined with the freedom of movement the transfer portal provides young athletes, has essentially made college athletes free agents every year.
Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava caused an uproar in April when he held out for more money — but ended up transferring to UCLA for a pay cut. APIamaleava had a reported $8 million deal at UT. AP
As the first class who were freshman under NIL privileges, which were instated July 1, 2021, are now ready to graduate, the college sports landscape is a chaotic one. Not only did it change the status quo for coaches and athletes, it’s taken dynamite to the whole system.
“When NIL hit and the transfer portal opened up at the same time, what I found immediately frustrating was that players and their view of the college experience was going to be completely changed,” Larranaga, 75, said.
The Queens native, who is currently writing a book on leadership and will be teaching at Miami, made it clear he’s not critical of athletes wanting to capitalize on a short window and make money.
“But to build a program as a coach, you’re losing the normal continuity,” he said of the now-yearly roster turnover. “I had 10 new guys and they weren’t that interested in a new system or developing skills that could be put to use. They were basically trying out for their next job.
Miami coach Jim Larranaga ended his coaching career in December and said he was frustrated with NIL culture. Getty Images
“The culture changed. Not my culture, but the players had a different view.”
Followers of college hoops will likely cite Larranaga’s age and say he was already heading toward the end of his career. But only two months earlier, University of Virginia coach Tony Bennett also shocked the basketball world by calling it quits at 56. It underscored the tumult.
On his way out, he expressed similar sentiments as Larranaga. Bennett was critical not of student athletes being compensated — but of NIL’s lawlessness.
College hoopers Hanna and Haley Cavinder were immediately high earners after the implementation of NIL. Getty Images for Sports Illustrated
“The game, and college athletics, is not in a healthy spot,” he said at the time.
That was obvious this spring, when University of Tennessee sophomore redshirt quarterback Nico Iamaleava was a no-show at practice — because he was holding out in a high-stakes game for a better NIL deal than the reported $8 million one he had at UT.
After a high-profile game of chicken that angered the school’s rabid fan base, Tennessee removed Iamaleava from the roster and he transferred to UCLA for a reported pay cut of $500K a year.
A few executives and experts told The Post the Iamaleava situation is a “cautionary tale” on how to not conduct business. Sports attorney Mit Winter said the very public battle between a powerful institution and an individual player has “galvanized” coaches to prevent a repeat.
Caitlin Clark became the first college athlete to sign a deal with State Farm. State Farm
When NIL was enacted, it was a given that some athletes would be treated like influencers — netting deals with businesses and brands. We saw athletes like LSU gymnast Livvy Dunne and twin hoopers Haley and Hanna Cavinder, who transferred to the University of Miami, become early star earners. That led to NIL collectives — aka third parties — essentially paying them a salary for playing their sport.
“I don’t think people envisioned that every school would [create] a new entity called an ‘NIL collective’ … just to pool money to pay athletes. It spread a lot quicker than people had expected,” said Winter, adding that it caught the NCAA, conferences and many schools flat-footed.
As a result, college sports has truly shifted into a pay-to-play system with few rules in place, no transparency — and a whole lot of financial and cultural whiplash. Players, unencumbered bytransfer rules, can now hop around each year hunting for the best deals.
Former UVA coach Tony Bennett shocked the college basketball world when he retired this year and said college sports was “not in a healthy spot.” Getty Images
It’s also widened the gap between the schools that are the haves and have-nots. After leaping from Seton Hall, basketball star Kadary Richmond finished his collegiate career last season at conference rival St. John’s where, coach Rick Pitino revealed on Vice’s “Pitino: Red Storm Rising” docu-series, “He wanted to play for me. But we paid him a lot of money.” Richmond’s NIL deal was reportedly in the high six figures.
Texas quarterback Arch Manning is atop the NIL food chain with a valuation of $6.5 million, while Duke phenom Cooper Flagg, who declared for the NBA draft, had a reported valuation of $4.8. Dunne was valued at $4.1 million.
And while NIL has led to greater player agency, allowing athletes to create generational wealth for themselves, it’s also created a lot of uncertainty,
ESPN analyst and former New Mexico coach Fran Fraschilla (left) said it’s almost impossible to know what NIL will do to college sports longterm. Travis Bell
“I’ve talked to some of the smartest people in college athletics and it scares me when they say, ‘Hey, I have been in this business 40 years and I have no idea where this all ends up,’” ESPN analyst and former New Mexico coach Fran Franschilla told The Post. “I think they might have the answer but they have no clue.
“It’s a new system. It’s a very transactional business right now,” Fraschilla said.
One frequent criticism of the current NIL system is the lack of transparency. Many sources said no one truly knows how much money collectives have, nor what players are worth.
“What was a challenge for us was to talk to an agent and not know the true market value of a player,” said Larranaga. “An agent could tell you, ‘OK, to be involved with this player would cost you a million dollars’ … [But] no one knows what other schools are offering. And so you’re guessing and dealing with your own budget.”
Coach Jim Larranaga celebrated with his players as the clinched the Final Four in 2023. Getty Images
Murky deals aside, Fraschilla said NIL and the transfer portal have altered not only the coach-player relationship, but also, in some cases, the power structure.
“I had a referee recently text me. He said, ‘I did games this year where I could tell the coach was afraid to yell at the players because he was worried the kid might get mad and transfer,’” said Fraschilla, adding that money and the reshuffling of players every year has impacted team chemistry.
“There are teams that, when you watch games, you think, ‘How the hell are they losing with all that talent?’ And you find out one guy is jealous of another guy because he’s getting more money,” said Fraschilla.
On the other hand, agent Daniel Poneman, the founder of Weave, one of the top agencies in college hoops, said the monetary incentive has only made athletes want to play harder — and, many times, led to more professional dealings between coach and player.
St. John’s coach Rick Pitino admitted the program paid a lot of money to lure Kadary Richmond from conference rival Seton Hall. Getty Images
However, not up for debate is the danger of handing large infusions of cash to young people with little financial acumen. While not many are reportedly making millions, there are significant payouts that come with few if any guardrails.
“I had one client and I told him how to save for taxes. Tax season came and it was all gone. It turns out, he had been playing online blackjack,” said one executive.
That’s where people like Michael Haddix Jr. come in. Haddix, who taught financial literacy for the NBA G league and NFL teams, founded Scout, a fintech platform that helps athletes automate pesky things like tax withholding.
He works with top schools like Louisville, Mississippi State and Iowa.
“I’ve heard examples where players were going through money and not paying their taxes and jumping into the transfer portal, asking the new coaches for an advance so they can clean up their financial mess,” Haddix said, adding that coaches and ADs tell him they worry about athletes ending up in severe trouble with the IRS.
In 2021, Paige Bueckers was the first college basketball player to sign with Gatorade. Gatorade
Over the summer, Poneman’s agency will be trying to stave off this kind of scenario by hosting clients in Scottsdale for a two-week offseason training. “It’s like a boot camp, where we’re bringing in tax experts, financial advisors and spiritual teachers,” said Poneman.
“We’re saying, look, the money you’re making is not for you to go crazy and buy bottle service on your college campus,” Poneman said. “This is to put in your Roth IRA and into a diversified portfolio. This is life-changing money if you allow it to change your life positively.”
There’s less emphasis on graduation, not to mention traditional alma-mater relationships, but players are staying in college longer for the paycheck.
“I don’t hear the term graduation rate anymore. No one is talking about getting degrees now. They’re just figuring out how much money those kids can make,” lamented Fraschilla.
Haley Cavinder (left) transferred from Fresno State to the University of Miami to Texas Christian University — only to return to Miami. Getty ImagesThe Cavinders started playing at Gilbert High School in Gilbert, Arizona. Now they each have more than 1 million Instagram followers and a combined 4.6 million fans on TikTok. Haley & Hanna Cavinder / Instagram
And one positive is the incredible boost NIL has provided to women’s hoops by driving interest to the sport’s big stars.
In 2021, former UConn star and current Dallas Wings rookie Paige Beuckers became the first college basketball player to sign with Gatorade. Two years later, Caitlin Clark was the first collegiate athlete to notch a deal with State Farm.
And changes are coming. On July 1, the NCAA House Settlement — the result of a class-action lawsuit brought against the NCAA and the country’s five biggest conferences — is expected to go into effect, kicking off a flurry of new modifications.
Among them: awarding $2.7 billion in backpay to athletes, allowing schools to directly pay athletes instead of compensating them through a third-party collective, revenue sharing and instituting what is, essentially, a salary cap of $20.5 per school over the next year.
But as the new rules settle, Winter expects new legal issues, including inevitable Title IX lawsuits — “Because, as of now, schools [are] paying like 90% of [their] dollars to male athletes,” he said.
Winter said some athletic directors favor a collective bargaining structure that mimics the NBA and NFL.
“If college sports is really going to be professional,” Larranaga said, “let’s come up with good rules and let’s figure it out.”