Two former captains of Hobart hockey recently signed professional contracts to play in Europe. Defenseman Cooper Swift signed with the Pingouins de Morzine-Avoriaz in the French Division I Hockey League just days before Artem Buzoverya signed with the Coventry Blaze of the Elite Ice Hockey League, the top hockey league in Great Britain.
As captain, Swift played in 29 games this past season, guiding the Statesmen to a third straight NCAA Division III national championship. An All-NEHC second-team selection, he had 17 points on 17 assists. Swift earned a spot on the NEHC All-Tournament team and played a key role in Hobart’s defense that was first in the nation in scoring defense (1.01) and a penalty killing unit that was eighth in the nation (.871). Swift led the Statesmen with 21 blocked shots. He recorded a season-high three blocked shots in the season opener.
“I can’t say enough about Swifty,” head coach Mark Taylor said. “He’s been a great player for us since his arrival. Just a quality person, awesome teammate and an outstanding leader, evident in being an assistant captain and captain of two championship teams. He’s also a highly decorated and achieved student along with athletic successes that set a great example for others to follow.
“I’m so happy for him with this well-deserved opportunity to continue his athletic career and having personally been to Morzine, in the French Alps region, what a beautiful part of the world to be living in. Good things happen to good people that earn it, and he certainly has.”
In total, Swift played in 102 career games for Hobart, compiling 56 points on four goals and 52 assists. Defensively, he blocked 92 shots. An assistant captain during his junior year, Swift helped lead a Statesmen defense that set the program season mark for GAA (0.93), the second best mark in NCAA Division III. Swift and the Statesmen also broke the NCAA Division III record for penalty-killing percentage (.968), allowing just three goals in 95 shorthanded situations. Swift helped guide Hobart to a 106-11-4 overall record, four NCAA tournament appearances, four NEHC regular season titles and three NEHC Tournament titles.
Swift excelled in the classroom, graduating summa cum laude with a degree in economics. He is a three-time Academic All-American by College Sports Communicators, earning first- team recognition twice. Swift is a three-time AHCA All-American Scholar and a three-time NEHC All-Academic pick. In 2023, he won the NCAA Elite 90 Award as the student-athlete with the highest GPA competing on championship weekend.
Buzoverya played 90 games for the Statesmen. After missing his first year season, which was canceled due to COVID, he led the Statesmen to a 77-10-3 record, including back-to-back national championships in 2023 and ‘24. Buzoverya compiled 70 points on 20 goals and 50 assists. He made three appearances in the NCAA tournament, winning the national championship as an assistant captain in ‘23 and a captain in ‘24. A center, Buzoverya won 1,009 faceoffs during his career.
Buzoverya saved his best for his senior season, recording a career-high 31 points on eight goals and 23 assists while playing on Hobart’s top line. He was named a second- team All-American and was the runner-up for the Sid Watson Award. He was named the New England Hockey Conference’s Player of the Year and was the Most Valuable Player of the NEHC Tournament. In Hobart’s epic four-overtime game against Curry in the NCAA quarterfinals, he won 40 of his 49 faceoffs.
“I’m not surprised to see Artem sign in the top English league,” Taylor said. “He was having a great year until his injury, and it was obvious the Coventry coach recognized that and didn’t hesitate. Artem has elevated every season wherever he has been, and I really believe he has much more game ahead of him. He was a huge part of our program and our successes in so many ways, it’s nice to see it rewarded but it is also great that this will put him in easier proximity to see his family.”
A native of Kharkiv, Ukraine, Buzoverya excelled in the classroom as well. The 2023-24 Liberty League Male Scholar Athlete of the Year, he graduated summa cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in economics and international relations. He is a member of Phi Beta Kappa, the nation’s oldest and most prestigious academic honor society, and Omicron Delta Epsilon, the international economics honor society. He was a four-time AHCA All-American Scholar, a three time NEHC All-Academic team selection and was named to the College Sports Communicators Academic All-District team twice.
Buzoverya spent the 2024-25 season, his final year of collegiate eligibility, at Bentley. He played in 32 games for the Falcons, recording 15 points on six goals and nine assists. He led Bentley with a 57.4 faceoff winning percentage. The Falcons went 23-15-2, winning the Atlantic Hockey Championship. Bentley competed in the NCAA tournament taking on Boston College in the opening round of the Manchester Regional.
“I couldn’t be happier for Arty to sign a pro contract in England,” Bentley Assistant Coach and former Hobart assistant Tom Fiorentino said. “His determination, work ethic and sportsmanship are truly unmatched. At every step of the way, Arty has been able to elevate his game for the next level and I have no doubt that he’ll do the same in Coventry. I’m really proud of all that he’s had to overcome in hockey and in life and look forward to watching him take this step into professional hockey.”
Fiorentino coached Buzoverya for two seasons at Hobart before moving to Bentley prior to the 2023-24 season. The duo was reunited last season in Waltham, Massachusetts, for the 2024-25 season.