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Schlossman: What level of prospect is new UND commit Cooper Williams? – Grand Forks Herald

GRAND FORKS — Since Dane Jackson was hired as UND’s head coach in late March, and Bryn Chyzyk as general manager in April, the Fighting Hawks have been in a sprint to finish the 2025-26 roster. The new regime, along with retained assistant Dillon Simpson, has made seven new additions to the roster and has […]

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GRAND FORKS — Since Dane Jackson was hired as UND’s head coach in late March, and Bryn Chyzyk as general manager in April, the Fighting Hawks have been in a sprint to finish the 2025-26 roster.

The new regime, along with retained assistant Dillon Simpson, has made seven new additions to the roster and has three or four to go.

While the 2025-26 roster has been the focus, they’ve also been working on future recruiting.

The staff landed its first in-the-pipeline commit last week in Cooper Williams, a center for the Western Hockey League’s Saskatoon Blades.

Williams is UND’s second overall commit from Canadian major juniors. Forward Josh Zakreski of the WHL’s Portland Winterhawks committed under former coach Brad Berry.

Due to an NCAA rules change last November, Canadian major junior players are allowed to retain their college eligibility for the first time in decades.

Williams is a bit of a unique Canadian Hockey League-NCAA commitment.

Most players committing out of the three major junior leagues — the WHL, Ontario Hockey League and Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League — have been older, and are entering college this season.

According to

Chris Heisenberg’s recruiting database,

Williams is the second-youngest CHL player — and the youngest from the WHL — to commit to an NCAA program so far.

Only Miami commit Maxim Dube, who plays in the QMJHL, is younger.

What type of prospect is Williams? What should fans expect?

That can be hard to measure with CHL players because there are no past examples of how they produce in the NCAA to use as a comparison.

Instead, I looked at how many players have tallied 50-plus points in the WHL during their U17 season. Williams tallied 57 this season.

In the last 15 seasons, 27 players have done it.

The most notable part? Nearly all of them have been picked in the top two rounds of the NHL Draft — or will be.

So far, 19 of them have gone through their drafts. Fourteen were taken in the first round, four in the second round and one in the third. Notably, that third-rounder was Tampa Bay Lightning first-line center and two-time Stanley Cup champion Brayden Point.

Eight have not gone through their drafts.

Two are projected to go No. 1 overall in upcoming drafts — 2026-eligible Gavin McKenna and 2027-eligible Landon DuPont.

Three are draft-eligible in June and are all ranked inside TSN’s Bob McKenzie’s top 30 — Ben Kindel (No. 25), Cole Reschny (No. 29) and Cameron Schmidt (No. 30).

The other three are 2025-eligible Jordan Gavin, a potential late-round pick, 2026-eligible Ryan Lin, a potential first-rounder, and Williams.

Williams hasn’t been a part of much NHL Draft speculation to this point, but his numbers indicate that might change this year.

Williams will head back to the Blades for the 2025-26 season. He’ll come to UND in 2026 or 2027.

If he lands in the same sphere as his U17 peers in the WHL, 2026 seems more likely.

Most points in WHL U17 season

Since 2010
100 — Connor Bedard (Round 1, Pick 1)
97 — Gavin McKenna (2026, expected No. 1 overall)
69 — Andrew Cristall (Rd. 2, Pick 40)
69 — Tanner Howe (Rd. 2, Pick 46)
63 — Zach Benson (Rd. 1, Pick 13)
62 — Sam Reinhart (Rd. 1, Pick 2)
60 — *Landon DuPont (2027, expected No. 1 overall)
60 — Ben Kindel (2025, Central Scouting No. 21)
59 — Brayden Yager (Rd. 1, Pick 14)
59 — Dylan Guenther (Rd. 1, Pick 9)
59 — Cole Reschny (2025, Central Scouting No. 24)
58 — Cameron Schmidt (2025, Central Scouting No. 43)
58 — Riley Heidt (Rd. 2, Pick 64)
58 — Nick Merkley (Rd. 1, Pick 30)
57 — Cooper Williams (2026)
57 — Brayden Point (Rd. 3, Pick 79)
57 — Kailer Yamamoto (Rd. 1, Pick 22)
56 — Nolan Patrick (Rd. 1, Pick 2)
55 — Berkly Catton (Rd. 1, Pick 8)
55 — Ryder Ritchie (Rd. 2, Pick 45)
54 — Matt Barzal (Rd. 1, Pick 16)
54 — Peyton Krebs (Rd. 1, Pick 17)
54 — Sam Steel (Rd. 1, Pick 30)
54 — Jordan Gavin (2025)
53 — Cole Sillinger (Rd. 1, Pick 12)
53 — Dylan Cozens (Rd. 1, Pick 7)
53 — *Ryan Lin (2026)
*DuPont and Lin are defensemen

Jackson Blake producing in playoffs

Former UND star Jackson Blake is producing for the Carolina Hurricanes, who are playing the Florida Panthers in the Eastern Conference Final.

Blake is tied as the top rookie scorer in the Stanley Cup Playoffs with five points in 10 games.

Teammate Logan Stankoven, who qualifies as a rookie, also has five points in 10 playoff games.

Blake is one of three UND players left in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Tyson Jost, who played 39 games with Carolina this season, is on the roster but hasn’t suited up yet in the playoffs.

Troy Stecher and the Edmonton Oilers are taking on the Dallas Stars in the Western Conference Final.

Matt Kiersted played in two games with Florida this season, but is currently with American Hockey League affiliate Charlotte. Kiersted and the Checkers are one win away from the Eastern Conference Final.

NHL: Stanley Cup Playoffs-Washington Capitals at Carolina Hurricanes

Carolina Hurricanes right wing Jackson Blake (53) watches his shot during warmups before a game against the Washington Capitals in the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Lenovo Center.

James Guillory / Imagn Images

  • UND commit Keaton Jundt of West Fargo has signed with Calgary Hitmen of the WHL. Jundt was a Fargo Force draft pick in the USHL.
  • Jake Livanavage, back at home in Arizona, skated with former UND star Jonathan Toews on Monday. Toews is looking to sign an NHL deal for next season. Livanavage is returning to UND for his junior season.
  • Ralph Engelstad Arena hosted a camp with top young prospects last weekend. R.J. Thompson, a 2010-born forward, was one of the notable players at the camp. Thompson is eligible to commit on Aug. 1, 2026.
  • Incoming UND freshman defenseman Sam Laurila was named the team MVP of the Fargo Force this season.
  • Chris Jandric is tied as the leading defenseman scorer in the ECHL’s Kelly Cup Playoffs. Jandric plays for Trois-Rivières, which holds a 2-0 series lead on three-time champion Cam Johnson and the Florida Everblades.
  • St. Thomas announced it will open Lee and Penny Anderson Arena on Oct. 24 against Providence.
  • Michigan State commit Tyson Jugnauth, the WHL’s Defenseman of the Year, will sign with the Seattle Kraken rather than attend college. To fill that roster void, the Spartans picked up Ferris State transfer Travis Shoudy, who was originally scheduled to go to Colorado College. Shoudy’s brother, Tiernan, is a senior at Michigan State.





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132 SJC Student-Athletes Claim GNAC All-Academic Accolades

Story Links WINTHROP, Mass. — Winthrop, Mass. – The Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) announced its 2024-25 Academic All-Conference Team on Monday (June 16) afternoon. The list includes a 1,648 student-athletes, which eclipses a new league-high. In order to be eligible for academic all-conference, a student-athlete must maintain a 3.25 cumulative GPA and […]

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WINTHROP, Mass. — Winthrop, Mass. – The Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) announced its 2024-25 Academic All-Conference Team on Monday (June 16) afternoon. The list includes a 1,648 student-athletes, which eclipses a new league-high.

In order to be eligible for academic all-conference, a student-athlete must maintain a 3.25 cumulative GPA and have completed second-year academic status. Student-athletes must also have competed in at least one of the conference’s 21 championship sports.

This the sixth year in a row that more than 1000 student-athletes have earned Academic All-Conference honors.

This year’s impressive list marks the sixth consecutive year that more than 1,000 GNAC student-athletes have received selection, and (at least) the 17th straight year that the GNAC has had a conference-record total:

Saint Joseph’s has had at least 40 athletes honored in each of the institution’s 18 years as a member of the GNAC (2008 – 42, 2009 – 61, 2010 – 59, 2011 – 58, 2012 – 75, 2013 – 70, 2014 – 82, 2015 – 86, 2016 – 89; 2017 – 92, 2018 – 95, 2019 – 115, 2020 – 117, 2021 – 120, 2022 – 118, 2023 – 114, 2024 – 132, 2025 – 132; 1,658 total).

The Saint Joseph’s College men’s lacrosse program led the 2024-25 academic honorees with an impressive 18 student-athletes recognized. Baseball followed closely with 16 selections, while the field hockey and women’s soccer teams each featured 8 honorees. Women’s basketball and women’s lacrosse both landed 7 student-athletes on this year’s list. In total, 13 multi-sport Monks were also honored for their academic achievements across seasons.

The Monks’ group of 132 honorees features 84 repeat-honorees, including 28 who earned the award third time (***) and 56 for the second time (**) during their respective collegiate careers.

View the full list of the 132 Saint Joseph’s GNAC All-Academic Honorees here!

 

ABOUT THE GREAT NORTHEAST ATHLETIC CONFERENCE

The Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) is an NCAA Division III association made up of 14 member institutions and over 3,500 student-athletes across the New England region. Founded in 1995, the GNAC annually sponsors and administers 22 championships, while balancing academic integrity, athletic opportunity and community involvement in an effort to enhance the student-athlete experience.

Stay up to date with all the latest news from the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC)!

‘Follow’ us on LinkedInTwitter and Instagram, and ‘Like’ us on Facebook!

-#TheGNAC-





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Dartmouth Athletics Announces Thompson Arena Renovations

Story Links HANOVER, N.H.—Dartmouth’s Haldeman Family Director of Athletics and Recreation, Mike Harrity and Dartmouth College announce a project to renovate Dartmouth’s Rupert C. Thompson Arena, that will modernize locker rooms and team spaces, and benefit team building, student-athlete development, and future recruiting. Thompson Arena has been the home of […]

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HANOVER, N.H.—Dartmouth’s Haldeman Family Director of Athletics and Recreation, Mike Harrity and Dartmouth College announce a project to renovate Dartmouth’s Rupert C. Thompson Arena, that will modernize locker rooms and team spaces, and benefit team building, student-athlete development, and future recruiting.

Thompson Arena has been the home of Dartmouth men’s and women’s hockey since opening in 1975. The 11,050-square-foot renovation will provide both programs with new locker rooms, team lounges, sports medicine spaces, a weight room, a coaches’ suite, as well as a new donor and fan hospitality space on the concourse level.

Thompson Renos Collage

Over the last year, Dartmouth women’s hockey welcomed new head coach Maura Crowell, who brings a record of sustained success from the University of Minnesota Duluth (UMD). Crowell led UMD to three consecutive 20 plus win seasons and two NCAA Frozen Four appearances (2021, 2022). She was named the USCHO Division I Women’s Coach of the Year and the CCM/AHCA National Coach of the Year in 2016–17 and was a finalist for the CCM/AHCA award again in both 2021 and 2022. Her leadership signals a new chapter for Dartmouth women’s hockey, rooted in competitive excellence and academic achievement.

The men’s hockey program continues to thrive under Koenig Family Head Coach of Dartmouth Men’s Hockey, Reid Cashman. The program is coming off a historic 2024–25 season, returning to the Top 20 rankings and winning the Ivy League Championship outright for the first time since 1979–80. In addition, Cashman and his staff were named Ivy League coaching staff of the year in 2024-25, while Cashman was named Tim Taylor ECAC Coach of the Year previously for the 2023-24 season. This success reflects the program’s continued investment in holistic student-athlete development—combining elite performance with academic rigor.

“This renovation will create a modern space to facilitate individual student-athlete development and team cohesion both on and off the ice,” Harrity shared. “We’re able to provide our teams with this enhancement because of the tremendous support from our alumni, the college, and the athletics and recreation department.”

The Thompson Arena locker rooms were last renovated in the summer of 2016 with both the men’s and women’s locker rooms receiving improvements. Part of the 2016 renovation also saw updates to the playing surface including new dasher boards and glass and a new refrigeration system. 

Crowell is excited about the upgraded locker room, which will be among the best in Division I hockey. “An upgraded locker room is meaningful to our team because it will give us the ability to have more space and create a true hockey epicenter, which is important to our program. The upgraded stalls and design will put us among the best locker rooms in the nation.”

Cashman is looking forward to having a central hub for Dartmouth hockey. “One of the great positives from this renovation is that everything related to Dartmouth hockey will now be under the Thompson roof. Our new coaches’ suite will allow our coaches to have more integration with our student-athletes. The new locker rooms and lounges will give our student-athletes an unbelievable atmosphere to prepare on and off the ice.”

The project will be divided into three phases, with the final phase expected to be completed in the fall of 2026.

“Renovated facilities are great for the current student-athletes but also should enhance recruiting to grow our program. Thompson Arena is already an incredible rink but the decision to renovate is a testament to Dartmouth’s commitment to constant improvement in all areas,” Dartmouth women’s hockey player Izee Powell ’26 added. “This renovation will create a better training facility for our team which is an important signal that Dartmouth is investing in the student-athletes so that we can be the best we can possibly be. I’m really lucky to be a part of it and I can’t wait for the future success of Dartmouth women’s hockey.”

Matt Fusco ’27 of the men’s hockey team is excited about all of the renovations. “The plans for the rink look unbelievable. We will have so many resources at our disposal, and everything we need will be right there for our whole team. This addition will be big and will help us separate from the rest of college hockey. Having all of the benefits of what Dartmouth offers its students plus the addition to the rink; it makes Dartmouth the place to be in college hockey.”

Phase one, which started in January 2025, focuses on adding to the building infrastructure of the arena.  Phase two focuses on the energy upgrades to the mechanical systems which is part of Dartmouth’s decarbonization effort to reach carbon-zero operations by 2050.

Phase three will complete the interior renovations and all site work upgrades with the completion anticipated in time for the start of the season in fall 2026.

Throughout the renovations, both Dartmouth men’s and women’s hockey will continue to call Thompson Arena home. Dartmouth Athletics and Recreation is grateful to campus leaders for their support in updating Thompson Arena for the first time in 50 years. Dartmouth hockey has benefitted from an energized alumni and fan base with millions of dollars in private support committed to this project. For more information on how you can make a transformational gift to the Thompson Arena renovation, contact Steve Maciejewski, Senior Associate Athletics Director for Development (steven.j.maciejewski@dartmouth.edu).

2025-26 season ticket deposits are now on sale, to secure your season ticket for 2025-26, click here for men’s hockey and click here for women’s hockey.




 



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University of Minnesota Athletics

MINNEAPOLIS – Sarah Martin has been invited to participate in the first-of-its-kind Women’s College Talent ID Camp, U.S. Soccer announced Monday. The camp will take place June 18–22 in Atlanta, home of the new Arthur M. Blank U.S. Soccer National Training Center. Martin, a goalkeeper from Champlin, Minn., is one of 42 players selected. The […]

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MINNEAPOLIS – Sarah Martin has been invited to participate in the first-of-its-kind Women’s College Talent ID Camp, U.S. Soccer announced Monday. The camp will take place June 18–22 in Atlanta, home of the new Arthur M. Blank U.S. Soccer National Training Center.

Martin, a goalkeeper from Champlin, Minn., is one of 42 players selected. The camp is part of U.S. Youth National Teams’ evolving scouting strategy aimed at increasing programming opportunities for college players with high potential, with the goal of expanding the U.S. under-18, under-19 and under-20 women’s national team player pools.

Last season, Martin started all 22 matches for the Golden Gophers in goal. She finished the year with 60 saves and a 0.714 goals-against average, ranking sixth all-time in Minnesota’s single-season records. She recorded seven shutouts, including three straight: at Illinois (Sept. 12), vs. North Dakota State (Sept. 15), and vs. Michigan (Sept. 19).

Martin is one of 14 Big Ten players selected and the only Minnesotan invited.



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UMaine hockey adds NHL draft pick from Canada with ‘blazing one-timer’

Another NHL draft pick is on the way to Orono. Carolina Hurricanes fifth-round draft choice (156th overall) Justin Poirier, who scored 122 goals in 181 regular season games over the last three seasons for Baie-Comeau Drakkar in the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League, will be playing for the University of Maine this coming season. The […]

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Another NHL draft pick is on the way to Orono.

Carolina Hurricanes fifth-round draft choice (156th overall) Justin Poirier, who scored 122 goals in 181 regular season games over the last three seasons for Baie-Comeau Drakkar in the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League, will be playing for the University of Maine this coming season.

The 5-foot-9, 183-pound Poirier scored 43 goals and added 37 assists in 58 games for Baie-Comeau Drakkar this past season after leading the league in goals in 2023-24 with 51. He also had 31 assists for 82 points in 68 games two years ago.

He led the league in playoff goals in 2023-24 with 18 in 17 games. He had nine playoff assists.

Poirier, who will turn 19 on Sept. 4, said there were a number of reasons behind his decision to come to UMaine.

“I liked the fact the guys were all friends with each other,” Poirier said about the Black Bears locker room.

He also liked that he was coming to a winning program and he was impressed with the renovations to the Alfond Arena.

UMaine won the Hockey East Tournament last season for the first time since 2004 and has reached the NCAA Tournament the last two years for the first time since the 2005-06 and 2006-07 seasons.

UMaine is in the midst of a $50 million renovation to the 48-year-old arena.

“There’s going to be a lounge where you can have dinner and do your homework and that’s very cool,” said Poirier, who added that he liked the fact the rink was on campus and close to the classrooms and living facilities.

Poirier will be expected to help fill a scoring void left by the departure of players who scored exactly half of UMaine’s goals last season. Sixty-two of the 124 goals were scored by players who have departed.

“That’s what I’m going to try to bring to the team, my offensive side. I’m going to keep shooting the puck and hope to score some goals,” said Poirier, who is from Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, Quebec.

According to the Elite Prospects 2024 NHL Draft Guide, Poirier “drives all over the offensive zone in search of goals, positioning himself at the far-post for backdoor plays and jumping on rebounds in front of the net.”

Poirier “instinctively knows when and where a scoring chance will arise and how to seize them all,” according to that draft guide, which adds that he “can fire in the middle of steps on the rush, directly off passes with a catch-and-release motion or with a blazing one-timer.”

The incoming right wing knows there is going to be a significant adjustment and he is looking forward to it.

“I’ll be playing against older guys and bigger guys,” Poirier said. “In Major Junior, the players are 16-20 years old while in NCAA, they’re 18-to-25. So this will be way better for my development. I want to play in the NHL so I’m excited to make this jump.”

He intends to keep working on his strength in the offseason and he is also focusing on improving his quickness, especially in tight spaces. He wants to be able to get close to full speed in as few steps as possible.

“I want to become the best hockey player I can for the entire 200 feet. Hard work is the key to success,” said Poirier.

He noted that Orono will be a much shorter commute for his family compared to when he was playing for Baie-Comeau Drakkar, and they’re excited about coming to watch him play.

“It is five and a half hours to Orono while it was nine hours the last three years in juniors,” he pointed out.

His coming to UMaine is contingent upon him being accepted into the school and meeting NCAA eligibility requirements.



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Roesch Invited to U.S. Soccer Women's College Talent ID Camp

EVANSTON, Ill. – Sophomore forward Kennedy Roesch has been called up to U.S. Soccer’s inaugural Women’s College Talent ID Camp. Forty-two collegiate players will attend the camp in Atlanta from June 18-22. Camp Calling ?????????@KennedyRoesch has received an invitation to the inaugural @USYNT Women’s College Talent ID Camp! pic.twitter.com/IAqLEdxAZp — Northwestern Soccer (@NUWSoccer) June 16, […]

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Roesch Invited to U.S. Soccer Women's College Talent ID Camp

EVANSTON, Ill. – Sophomore forward Kennedy Roesch has been called up to U.S. Soccer’s inaugural Women’s College Talent ID Camp. Forty-two collegiate players will attend the camp in Atlanta from June 18-22.

During her rookie campaign in Evanston, Roesch led all Wildcats with six goals and 14 points. Roesch’s six goals marked the most by a Wildcat first-year since 2010 (Kate Allen). 

The camp is part of the growing U.S. Youth National Teams’ scouting strategy with the objective of increasing programming opportunities for college-specific players with high potential and therefore expanding the U.S. Under-18, Under-19 and Under-20 Women’s National Team player pools.

All of the field players invited to this camp have limited prior programming with the U.S. Soccer’s Youth National Teams. The camp will be a collaboration between the Talent ID staff, the U.S. Youth National Teams’ head coaches and USWNT staff.

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Guilford helps host the largest amateur games in North Carolina

The BODYARMOUR State Games, North Carolina’s largest amateur athletic competition, is underway in Greensboro, and Guilford College’s sporting venues will be busy and bringing in much-needed summer revenue. Hundreds of high school athletes in the sports of baseball, softball and soccer will be at Guilford over the next two weeks. Baseball teams are working out […]

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Guilford helps host the largest amateur games in North Carolina

The BODYARMOUR State Games, North Carolina’s largest amateur athletic competition, is underway in Greensboro, and Guilford College’s sporting venues will be busy and bringing in much-needed summer revenue.

Hundreds of high school athletes in the sports of baseball, softball and soccer will be at Guilford over the next two weeks.

Baseball teams are working out at Edgar H. McBane ’14 Field today ahead of team competitions at other sites locally later this week. More than 70 college and professional scouts are at today’s workouts.

Softball teams will hold gold, bronze and silver medal contests at Haworth Field Wednesday, June 25, and boys’ and girls’ soccer teams will participate in a showcase at Armfield Athletic Center June 28-29.

The games give some students and their parents a chance to see the College who don’t know much about Guilford. Just as important, the College benefits from the week-long field rentals.

“We’re certainly staying busy, which is great,” says Mike Boyd, Guilford’s Assistant Athletics Director for Facilities, Operations and Intramurals.

Mike says McBane Field has been used the past three weekends for travel baseball tournaments. At the same time, Ragan-Brown Field House has been home to basketball camps.

He says the College is doing a good job of using its resources to generate income. “We’re going to be pretty packed from June until July,” Mike says. “There’s something going on almost every weekend.”
 

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