Goaltender Mathis Rousseau, who played in five games for Canada in the World Junior Championships in 2023-24, will be playing for the University of Maine men’s hockey team beginning this fall.

Rousseau is coming off a season in which he led Moncton to the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League regular season and playoff championships, which earned the Wildcats a berth in the Memorial Cup.

The Memorial Cup involves the champions from the three Major Junior leagues in Canada, plus a fourth host team.

Moncton went 1-2-1 and lost to eventual champ London (Ontario) in the semifinals 5-2.

Rousseau posted a 2.72 goals-against average and a .930 save percentage in those four games.

In all playoff games, including the QMJHL playoffs, he had a 2.53 GAA and a .915 save percentage.

All-Hockey East and East All-American second team goalie Albin Boija will return for his junior year at UMaine but No. 2 goalie Patriks Berzins transferred to St. Cloud State after appearing in two games as a freshman this past season. Freshman Gage Stewart was the other backup but didn’t get into a game.

“He will be a difference-maker, it’s just a matter of when,” Moncton head coach and former long-time University of New Brunswick coach Gardiner MacDougall said about Rousseau. “He’s quick and he reads the game well. He’s observant and calm. Nothing rattles him.”

Rousseau began the season with Halifax of the QMJHL before being traded to Moncton. He had a 9-16-5 record, a 3.16 GAA and a .906 save percentage for Halifax but was 11-4 in regular season play for Moncton with a 2.33 GAA and a .903 save percentage.

The Montreal native, who will turn 21 on Sept. 10, has a wealth of Major Junior experience.

He appeared in 170 QMJHL regular season games over four seasons and was 104-47-11 with a 2.70 GAA and a .911 save percentage. He also played in 41 playoff games and was 24-14-2 with a 2.74 GAA and a .914 save percentage.

During the World Junior Championships, he went 3-2 with a 2.00 GAA and a .912 save percentage.

“He was our best player in the Memorial Cup. He is gritty and he will make the team and his goaltending partners better,” MacDougall added. ”And he’s a leader.”

Rousseau, who will have four years of eligibility, said there were several reasons behind his decision to come to UMaine and he is “pretty excited” about coming to UMaine.

He said he really liked the coaching staff and “they really help guys get to the pro level. That’s something I was really looking for.”

He also cited the enthusiasm from Black Bears fans.

“Obviously I heard great things about the fan support and the student section. It was a no-brainer,” Rousseau said.

He is looking forward to competing with Boija for playing time and feels that competition will be “great for both of us” this coming season.

“I’ve heard great things about [Boija] so I’m really excited to go play with him next year,” Rousseau said.

Rousseau said because he is a shorter goalie, he plans to focus on “getting stronger” over the summer. The website Elite Prospects has him listed at 5-foot-11.

“I want to come to Maine and mature, physically. On the technical side, it’s about positioning,” said Rousseau who added that he will need to take that positioning to another level being a smaller goalie.

He expects that UMaine goalie coach Alfie Michaud “is going to help me a lot.”

Rousseau has attended four summer development or rookie camps and is looking to land another one this summer. He has been to the camps of the Columbus Blue Jackets, the Vancouver Canucks, Arizona Coyotes (now Utah) and the Nashville Predators.

Transfers do not happen as often in NCAA gymnastics as they do in other sports. That doesn’t mean they’re unheard of, though. The Arizona GymCats will be welcoming one of the rare transfers next season when former Arkansas gymnast Sadie Smith joins the team.

Smith was a freshman last year but did not compete for the Razorbacks. Her scores from both Level 9 and Level 10 indicate that bars are her strongest event, but she will also train beam and vault at Arizona.

The GymCats have scores they need to replace on all three events after losing 10 of 24 routines to graduation. Both Alysen Fears and Emily Mueller competed all-around while Elena Deets performed bars and beam.

Before landing at Arkansas, Smith competed for Ascend Gymnastics as a Level 10 for two years. She was part of the group that helped Ascend win the 2022 USA Gymnastics National Program of the Year honor. As an individual, she qualified for nationals and finished in the top 15 in bars that year.

In 2023, Smith finished in the top five of all four events and all-around in regionals. That was capped by a third-place finish on bars at the regional meet.

Smith will join Elle Bragga, Riley Carman, Delaney Mead, Hillary Puleo, and Lily Tisdale as the Arizona newcomers this fall.

Puleo was one of the future Wildcats who were honored at the 2025 USA Gymnastics Arizona State Awards Banquet on June 2. She was named the USA Gymnastics Arizona Level 10 Gymnast of the Year.

Class of 2026 commit Avery Tarico was honored at the same event. She received awards for being the regional all-around champion in Region 1, for qualifying for nationals, for finishing in the top three of an event at nationals, and for making the national team.

Lead graphic courtesy of Arizona Athletics

Saint Paul, MN (June 3, 2025) – Minnesota Frost General Manager Melissa Caruso issued the following comment on the team’s PWHL Expansion Draft Protected Player List (Kendall Coyne Schofield, Lee Stecklein and Taylor Heise).

“It’s been a roller coaster of a week for the Frost. After winning the Walter Cup we transitioned quickly to exit meetings and a lot of tough conversations regarding the deadline that was looming this morning. At the end of the day, we are fortunate to be in a situation where we have so many impact players on this roster. Unfortunately, we are just not able to protect them all. 

Over the last two seasons, a foundation and culture has been established within our organization that we feel these three players, in addition to their skill and ability on the ice, embody, and will continue to uphold as leaders on and off the ice as we move forward into season three. Additionally, they are all proven winners whose experience will be invaluable as we evolve toward the next phase of the Minnesota Frost.”

The PWHL’s Expansion Draft presented by Upper Deck on June 9 will feature Seattle and Vancouver selecting a minimum of seven players each until each has reached a 12-player roster.

The following Frost players are eligible for the team’s fourth protection pick, the league’s exclusive signing window or an expansion draft selection:

Mae Batherson (D), Britta Curl-Salemme (F), Nicole Hensley (G), Klára Hymlárová (F), Sophie Jaques (D), Katy Knoll (F), Denisa Křížová (F), Brooke McQuigge (F), Kelly Pannek (F), Dominique Petrie (F), Claire Thompson (D), Grace Zumwinkle (F)

The following players are eligible for the league’s exclusive signing window only:

Charlotte Akervik (D), Marlène Boissonnault (G), Brooke Bryant (F), Natalie Buchbinder (D), Claire Butorac (F), Michela Cava (F), Mellissa Channell-Watkins (D), Maggie Flaherty (D), Kaitlyn O’Donohoe (F), Maddie Rooney (G), Liz Schepers (F)

ABOUT MINNESOTA FROST

Minnesota Frost is one of six teams in the newly launched Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL), which was founded in 2023. The PWHL began its inaugural season in January 2024 and features the best women’s hockey players in the world. The PWHL has broken multiple attendance records and holds the worldwide record for a women’s hockey game. For the latest news and information on Minnesota Frost, visit minnesota.thepwhl.com or follow the team on Facebook, Instagram, and X. Follow the league on all social media platforms @thepwhlofficial.

Penn State’s unlikely Frozen Four run ended in a heartbreak at the hands of Boston University. 

Despite the agonizing defeat, a new hope became prevalent in State College. Eight skaters made their departures, but not only are the Nittany Lions returning their top four point scorers, the Frozen Four run helped bring in a plethora of new talent to Hockey Valley. 

As Penn State enters the 2025-26 season with championship aspirations, here’s how the team should line up. 

Projected Lines:

First line: Shea Van Olm – Reese Laubach – Aiden Fink

Reasoning: 

Let’s just get the obvious out of the way — Reese Laubach will be centering Aiden Fink. The rising juniors have paired well together throughout the past two seasons and the massive uptick in production from Fink in Year 2 was heavily correlated to how the two play off each other. 

Manning the left wing is the Western Hockey League’s (WHL) leading goalscorer Shea Van Olm. Standing 6-foot-1, the lefty forward is a dominant offensive presence that makes a living standing netfront. 

Van Olm is a near-perfect replacement for the departure of Danny Dzhaniyev, adding not only elite scoring, but also physicality to a line that struggled with it in last season’s Frozen Four run. 

Second line: Matt DiMarsico – Charlie Cerrato – JJ Wiebusch

Reasoning:

Penn State’s second line took the NCAA by storm last year. Despite being deemed as the team’s ‘second line,’ Matt DiMarsico, Charlie Cerrato and JJ Wiebusch were clearly the most productive unit. The trio ranked 2-4 on the club in points and led the team in postseason scoring by a wide margin.

While the production from last season was eye-catching, the line consisted of two freshmen and a sophomore. Another offseason of growth and an extra year to build chemistry could take this unit to new heights, and there is no doubt coach Guy Gadowsky runs it back in 2025. 

Third line: Lev Katzin – Luke Misa – Andrew Kuzma

Reasoning:

While the first two lines consist of familiar faces, the third could be quite the opposite. Two newcomers — Lev Katzin and Luke Misa — headline this unit, with Andrew Kuzma rounding it out at the right wing. 

Both Katzin and Misa play a rather similar game. Although undersized, standing 5-foot-8 and 5-foot-10 respectively, both forwards are dynamic on offense and create a multitude of high-danger scoring chances. The Eliteprospects 2024 NHL draft guide mentions “speed is the name of Misa’s game” and that he’s “dynamite in transition, impacting the puck on every shift.”

Katzin, while dangerous at even strength, does a ton of his damage on the man-advantage. According to Neutral Zone, an in-depth amatuer scouting resource, Katzin “consistently manipulates defenders with body position and edge work, and finds seams with purpose on the power play.” The 18-year-old has a middle-round draft grade and his speed and playmaking will pair well with Misa, making the unit a handful in transition. 

Despite being a true center, slotting into the right wing position should be Kuzma. The rising sophomore underwent heart surgery on Nov. 22, 2024, missing his entire freshman campaign. However, he was seen skating in a red non-contact jersey during practice prior to the Allentown Regionals. The 20-year-old adds some size to this trio and a prominent presence netfront. 

Fourth line: Dane Dowiak – Keaton Peters – Ben Schoen

Rounding out the blue and white’s depth chart, Dane Dowiak, Keaton Peters and Ben Schoen could be a gritty fourth line. With a potential debate between who gets the fourth center position — Schoen, Peters, Kuzma or Nicholas DeGraves — Guy Gadowsky should stick Peters in the middle. 

Penn State was a dominant faceoff team and Peters was a large part of it, winning 54.9% of his draws. As the season waned and everyone was healthy, Guy Gadowsky went with Dowiak on the left wing and Peters in the middle consistently. 

Schoen, despite being a center, is the easy choice to kick out to the right wing due to his natural scoring ability. 

Projected Defense Pairings:

First pairing: Jackson Smith – Nolan Collins

Reasoning:

Sunday afternoon, Penn State received a commitment from Jackson Smith, a top-10 projected 2025 NHL entry draft pick. His elite skating and offensive prowess will be hard to handle, so pairing him with a 6-foot-4, stout right-handed defense in Nolan Collins would make this defense pairing quite hard to score on. 

Second pairing: Cade Christenson – Jarod Crespo

Reasoning:

With Simon Mack departing for the AHL and Jimmy Dowd Jr. finishing his career with the Nittany Lions, both Cade Christenson and Jarod Crespo are out to find a new partner to man the blue line. Pairing arguably Penn State’s best defensive defenseman in Christenson and a veteran in Crespo is an ideal solution for Guy Gadowsky. 

Third pairing: Mac Gadowsky – Casey Aman

Reasoning:

Garnering a commitment from a left-handed defenseman in Smith potentially bumps Mac Gadowsky down to the third defense pairing, as Christenson also shoots with his left hand. Carter Schade, Casey Aman’s 2024-25 defense partner, gets replaced by a top-10 Hobey Baker finalist and one of the best offensive defenseman in the country. 

Partnering Mac Gadowsky with Aman will give some defensive stability to this pairing as Gadowsky is neither physical nor dominant on the defensive side of the puck. 

Projected Goaltenders:

Starting netminder: Kevin Reidler

Backup netminder: Josh Fleming

Third-string netminder: John Seifarth

Reasoning:

Guy Gadowsky got his guy in Kevin Reidler immediately after former Penn State goaltender Arsenii Sergeev inked a contract with the Calgary Flames. Standing 6-foot-6, the Ottawa Senators draftee will man the pipes for the Nittany Lions in 2025 barring injury. 

Josh Fleming and John Seifarth are the obvious backups with Noah Grannan the odd-man out following a tough 2024-25 season.

MORE HOCKEY CONTENT

After a promising 2024-25 campaign, a Nittany Lion is expected an invitation to a professional development camp.

JJ Wiebusch is among many anticipated to receive an invite to the New York Rangers’ development camp this summer, according to a report by New York Post reporter Mollie Walker.

The Wisconsin native ranked third on Penn State in points with 33 in his freshman campaign.

Wiebusch, 21, is ineligible for the 2025 NHL entry draft due to his age. North American born players must be between the ages 18-20 to be eligible.

MORE HOCKEY COVERAGE

STANDISH, Maine – The College Sports Communicators (CSC) announced the recipients of the 2025 Baseball Academic All-District honors on Tuesday afternoon, recognizing the nation’s top student-athletes for their performance both on the field and in the classroom. Two Saint Joseph’s College of Maine baseball players were selected: Senior Logan Dee (Laconia, N.H.) and Junior Luke Doughty (York, Maine.) received the honors.

To qualify for the CSC Academic All-District Team, student-athletes must be at least a sophomore in academic standing and maintain a minimum grade point average of 3.50 or higher. On the field, student-athletes must have competed in 90% of their team’s games or started in at least 66% of the total games played. For pitchers, eligibility requires a minimum of 35 innings pitched or appearances in at least 17 games.

Dee appeared in 11 games and started eight, pitching a total of 49.1 innings. He recorded a 2-1 record with a 4.38 ERA and totaled 42 strikeouts, ranking second on the team in innings pitched and third in strikeouts. Highlights of his season include three strikeouts and one run allowed over 4.0 innings at Bates (Mar. 18), a career-long 8.1 scoreless innings with five strikeouts vs. Saint Joseph (Conn.) (Apr. 4), 6.1 innings of one-run ball with four strikeouts vs. Rivier (Apr. 17), and a career-high nine strikeouts in 7.0 innings at New England College (Apr. 27).

Doughty played in 34 games, starting 32, and finished the season with a .261 batting average. He collected 29 hits, 23 runs, 13 walks, 12 RBIs, and one stolen base, ranking second on the team in walks. Highlights of his season include two hits, a double, a run, and an RBI in the opener vs. Penn State Brandywine (Mar. 9), a career-matching three hits, two runs, and two RBIs vs. Penn State Abington (Mar. 14), another three-hit game at Lasell (Mar. 22), and a strong all-around performance vs. Rivier (Apr. 17) with two hits, two runs, an RBI, a walk, and a stolen base.

The CSC honors reflect the steady contributions of these two student-athletes over the course of the 2025 season. Saint Joseph’s posted a 20-19 overall record, including an 10-7 mark in conference play, under the watch of 33rd-year Head Coach Will Sanborn ’86 this 2025 season.

Read the full CSC Release HERE