South Carolina wide receiver Nyck Harbor is using his NIL earnings to give back. The rising junior hosted Nyck Harbor Community Day over the weekend at his alma mater, Archbishop Carroll (Washington, DC).

The former five-star recruit donated $10,000 of his own NIL earnings back to Archbishop Carroll’s athletic department as part of the event. Harbor is the latest college football player to use his NIL dollars to give back.

Advertisement

Harbor was a football and track star during his time in high school, and ran for the Gamecocks during his first year in college. He ran a 10.38-second 100-meter time and a 21.36-second 200-meter time as a sophomore in high school, and had Olympic hopes.

The wide receiver has now fully committed to playing college football, opting to skip indoor and outdoor track season this year. The move allowed him to practice strictly with the football team ahead of the 2025 season.

The 6-foot-5, 235-pound wide receiver posted a career-high 26 catches for 376 yards and three touchdowns as a sophomore during the 2024 season. More importantly, he appeared to make major strides as a receiver during the second half of the season.

He has already started to show up in some way-too-early 2026 NFL draft boards, going as early as the first round in Todd McShay’s mock draft. Harbor has signed a handful of NIL deals throughout his career, working with brands like Beats by Dre, TruSport, EA Sports and Champs Sports. He has an On3 NIL Valuation of $369,000.

Advertisement

“He’s solely focusing on football right now and that was Nyck’s decision,” South Carolina head coach Shane Beamer recently said. “That was something that he talked to us about. We had some conversations around the bowl, after the bowl, within the last couple of weeks, as far as what he wanted to do.

“I think he realized that he did a lot of good things in track last year but missing spring practice — I don’t want to say set him back, but it was more of a challenge to be ready for the season. I think he just wanted to really focus on football, not that track is over, but right now, that’s where his focus is, just football.”

EASTON, Mass. (July 30, 2025) – The Stonehill College men’s ice hockey program is excited to host its second annual Golf Outing on Tuesday, September 23 at Warwick Country Club in Warwick, Rhode Island. All proceeds from the event will benefit the Skyhawks men’s hockey program as it prepares for the upcoming 2025-26 season.

Participants will enjoy a memorable day on the course while engaging with Head Coach David Berard, current student-athletes, and members of the coaching staff. The outing also offers a unique opportunity to gain insight into the program’s development and hear more about the exciting plans for the 2025-26 season.

Schedule of Events:

• Check-In: 11:30 AM
• Shotgun Start: 1:00 PM
• Dinner Reception: 6:00 PM

We invite alumni, families, friends, and supporters to join us for a day of golf, camaraderie, and celebration of Skyhawks hockey.
 

For any questions, please contact head coach David Berard (dberard@stonehill.edu), or Director of the Annual Fund, Lisa Richards (lrichards@stonehill.edu).

For the latest on Stonehill Athletics, follow the Skyhawks via social media on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
 

BEMIDJI – When Jackson Keane inquired with Bemidji State coaches Tom Serratore and Travis Winter about the open assistant position, they told him about their Thanksgiving weekend tradition.

Keane, a former North Dakota forward, spent the previous two years as an assistant coach for the Fargo Force in the United States Hockey League, the last of which he was the director of scouting.

However, when BSU assistant Andrew Magera – another former Force assistant – took a position with Lindenwood, a spot opened up for Keane to join the Beavers.

It means that Keane will be back at Ralph Engelstad Arena on Thanksgiving weekend. This time, he’ll be on the visitor’s bench.

“During this process, Tom mentioned the weekend in November when we play that home-and-home against UND,” Keane said. “I’m super excited, it’s obviously pretty close to home for me. Hopefully, my parents and some friends and family can come out to that one. It’s always cool to go back there, but it’ll be a little more fun now that I get to be competitive with it.”

Keane, 28, is still getting his feet wet as a coach.

After playing four years at UND, scoring five goals and nine assists in 72 games, he played in 49 ECHL games with the Orlando Solar Bears and the Wheeling Nailers. Even then, Keane knew he wanted to get into coaching.

He got his first gig with the Winnipeg Blues in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League in 2022, the same team he played for just four years before attending UND. He played in a pair of seasons with the Sioux City Musketeers in the USHL, then another with the Penticton Vees in the British Columbia Hockey League before enrolling at North Dakota in 2018.

Grand Forks Herald file photo

“I went in a little older (to UND); I was 21,” Keane said. “I think I still had a lot of maturing to do. Going to North Dakota was one of the best things I’ve ever done. I got to meet a lot of my friends. It was also an eye-opener for me.”

Keane came to terms with the length of his playing career while he was in college. When it came to coaching, however, he sought advice from the UND brass.

“As a player, you figure out if you’re going to be playing for a long time or not,” Kean continued. “I didn’t think I’d have a super long (pro) career, and I told Brad Berry and Dane Jackson that someday, maybe down the line, I’d love to coach. It’s because of those guys that got me here. I want to do what they taught and help out in any way I can in Bemidji.”

Keane’s lone season behind the Winnipeg Blues bench was formidable. He joined the organization in November 2022, shortly after his playing career ended.

“I reached out to Alex Mandolidis, who was the coach there at the time,” Keane said. “He kind of let me do what I wanted. He let me run drills and be on the bench, and that was the best thing for me. He just threw me in there, and that was the easiest way to transition to coaching.”

After one season, Keane replaced Magera on Fargo’s coaching staff. He helped lead the Force to a historic run in 2023-24 that resulted in a Clark Cup.

One year later, Keane was named the director of scouting.

“The last two years, especially the first year, the team was on another level,” Keane said. “Seeing the talent and the players that come through, seeing them all have success in college now, too, it was great. It taught me a lot about the other side of coaching, the things you don’t think about as a player. It’s the travel, scouting, meals, practices. I learned so much about the game from the hockey operations side.”

Grand Forks Herald file photo

Throughout his early coaching years, Keane has leaned on veterans. Along with the aforementioned Mandolidis, he picked the brains of Fargo front office personnel Cary Eades, Brett Skinner and Matt Cullen.

He aims to do the same at Bemidji State.

“Moving to college, it’s obviously a different landscape,” Keane said. “Having guys like Wints and Tom, it’s huge for my development, given everything they’ve done. They’ve been successful their whole career. Being able to learn from those guys will help me learn how to do things the right way.”

Since taking the BSU position. Keane has spoken with former Beavers about life in Bemidji, most notably Owen Sillinger. It’s helped him gauge BSU’s recruiting approach.

“Bemidji is about culture, and they’re based on hard work,” Keane said. “Being able to find the players that fit a culture and fit as a person is so important. We’re looking for the best players. The landscape now is so different than in years past.

“Andrew Magera did a really good job, and he helped me out a lot in Fargo. I think we have a similar eye in terms of players. You’re bringing in players that help you win on the ice and fit in your locker room. I can’t wait to start going to Western League games and over to Ontario, and to the USHL to find them. It’s cool to see the direction hockey is going.”

Keane’s hiring marks the fourth consecutive year BSU has replaced an exiting assistant coach. While it’s a role that has a lot of turnover, Keane isn’t thinking about his future prospects in the coaching realm just yet.

“Where I’m at, I’m just trying to take things one year at a time,” Keane said. “I’m trying to stay in the moment as much as I can and be where I am. When I was in Fargo, it was about doing a good job and developing as a coach. … That’s what I want to do at Bemidji. I want to take things one day at a time and learn as much as I can.

“Bemidji is a great spot for me to keep learning and developing, but I want to win, too. I just want to win. I want to be the best that I can be and help Bemidji win.”

GRAND FORKS — Players from the three Canadian major junior hockey leagues are eligible to play college hockey for the first time in decades.

Those players fall under the same recruiting rules as everyone else.

They are eligible to receive offers and commit beginning Aug. 1 entering their junior year of high school.

That date arrives Friday.

The Herald posted its

list of 30 Americans to watch

when the new recruiting cycle opens earlier this week.

This is a list of 20 Canadians to watch.

It is not meant to be a strict 1-20 ranking. It is a mix of the top college-eligible players with a bias toward traditional UND and National Collegiate Hockey Conference recruiting grounds — Western Canada.

1. Landon DuPont, D, Calgary: DuPont is on track to be a generational talent. He earned exceptional status to enter the Western Hockey League a year early — at age 15 — then piled up 60 points for Everett. In the last 15 years, only seven WHL players tallied that many points in their U17 season. DuPont did it in his U16 season — and as a defenseman. There’s no historical precedent for what he’s doing. He’s expected to go No. 1 overall in the 2027 NHL Draft. DuPont’s father, Micki, had a cup of coffee with the Calgary Flames, Pittsburgh Penguins and St. Louis Blues, while playing seven pro seasons in Berlin, Germany.

2. Alexis Joseph, F, Lachenaie, Que.: The 6-foot-4 center went No. 1 overall in the QMJHL Draft to the Saint John Sea Dogs. He’s a big, skilled, dominant, Evgeni Malkin-style player who would be a favorite to go No. 1 in an NHL Draft without DuPont.

3. Kaden McGregor, F, Braeside, Ont.: McGregor joined a list of impressive players who were selected No. 1 overall in the Ontario Hockey League Draft. From 2005-23, 16 of the 19 players who went No. 1 later landed in the top 35 of the NHL Draft, including five No. 1 overall NHL picks — John Tavares (2005), Steven Stamkos (2006), Aaron Ekblad (2011), Connor McDavid (2012) and Matthew Schaefer (2025).

4. Brock Cripps, D, Victoria, B.C.: The 5-foot-10, right-shot defenseman was the No. 2 pick in the WHL Draft behind DuPont. The offensive defenseman made his debut for Prince Albert last season and will play for the Raiders this season. Cripps is an electric threat, who jumps in the play all the time.

5. Jaxon Jacobson, F, Brandon, Man.: Jacobson, a late 2008-born forward, had a season comparable to UND commit Cooper Williams in the Western Hockey League. It might be difficult to lure Jacobson to college hockey, though. His father, Jared, owns the Brandon Wheat Kings, where Jaxon plays.

6. James Scantlebury, F, Montreal, Que.: Scantlebury is a 5-foot-9, dynamic player who signed a tender with the Chicago Steel of the United States Hockey League.

7. Camryn Warren, F, Vaughan, Ont.: The 5-foot-10 forward brings tons of offense. He finished second in the Greater Toronto Hockey League U16 in scoring and was selected No. 6 by North Bay.

8. Zack Arsenault, F, Quebec City: Arsenault is a pure goal-scorer who was selected No. 2 overall in the QMJHL Draft. He scored 24 goals in 23 games in U18 AAA hockey last season — one that was shortened due to injury. He’ll play for Rimouski this season.

9. Brock England, F, Airdrie, Alta.: England, who hails from former UND goalie Aaron Dell’s hometown, is an explosive skater who plays with a competitive streak. England will play for the Seattle Thunderbirds in the WHL.

10. Charlie Murata, F, Toronto: Murata is an elite skater and offensive threat who had an impressive summer. The 6-foot, right-shot forward will play for Flint in the OHL this season.

11. Jaakko Wycisk, F, Tecumseh, Ont.: Wycisk, a right-shot centerman, went No. 2 overall in the OHL Draft to Guelph. His father, Austin, played professionally in Germany for 12 years.

12. Ludovic Perreault, F, Winnipeg: Perreault is a smaller centerman, but he’s dynamic, plays with pace, has a never-ending motor and can score. The Winnipeg product will play for the Victoria Royals in the WHL — the same place where UND incoming freshman stars Cole Reschny and Keaton Verhoeff played. He’ll be teammates with UND commit Eli McKamey.

13. Ossie McIntyre, F, St. Albert, Alta.: McIntyre has high-end skill, smarts and playmaking. He showed well in his limited WHL action last season, tallying four points in 10 games for Spokane, one of the WHL’s elite-drafting franchises.

14. Mirco Dufour, F, Rocky View, Alta.: Dufour is small at 5-foot-6, 158 pounds. But he’s dynamic offensively and figures to jump into a loaded Everett team this season.

15. Kayden Stroeder, F, Saskatoon, Sask.: DuPont was the only U16 player to suit up in more WHL games last season than Stroeder, who played in 16 for the Edmonton Oil Kings. Stroeder showed well, too, tallying eight points. He will return to play alongside UND commits Andrew O’Neill and Ethan MacKenzie in Edmonton.

16. Malik L’Italien, D, Montreal: The 6-foot-2, 187-pound left-handed defenseman is one of the top blue liners in this class. He’s an offensive producer from the back end who will play for Halifax in the QMJHL. He was the No. 3 pick in the QMJHL Draft.

17. Aden Bouchard, D, Airdrie, Alta.: Bouchard showed skill and poise from the back end while playing for Edge School in Calgary last season. He might not have Cripps’ offense, but he’s a little harder to play against. Bouchard went No. 3 overall in the WHL Draft to Tri-City.

18. Ben Harvey, F, Edmonton: Harvey, the No. 4 overall pick of the WHL Draft by Prince Albert, isn’t flashy. But he’s athletic, smart, doesn’t turn pucks over and always makes the right plays.

19. Noah Laus, F, Belle River, Ont.: Laus can play center or wing. He can score and play through contact. The 6-foot, 187-pound forward went No. 7 to the Soo Greyhounds in the OHL Draft.

20. Blake Chorney, F, Nipawin, Sask.: The 5-foot-11, 182-pound forward is a versatile player with strong scoring ability. He was selected No. 10 in the WHL Draft by Vancouver.

Ahead of the World Juniors Championship hockey tournament coming to Minnesota this Christmas, a showcase is being held this week. Four different nations are evaluating their talent.

Minneapolis native Cullen Potter has played on hockey teams in Wisconsin, Texas, Michigan and in college at Arizona State. 

“I’ve been a lot of places. I think that’s one thing in hockey, you kind of go all over the place,” Potter said. “I’ve loved every step of the way.”

It’s a journey that led Potter, an 18-year-old forward, to the NHL Draft in Los Angeles last month. He was picked 32nd overall by the Calgary Flames in the first round.

“You’ve been wanting that to happen your whole life, and for it to finally go, it’s like, you can’t even put it into words how it feels because, you know, you’ve put in so much work to get there,” he said.

When the U.S. won gold at the World Juniors last year, Potter was not on the team. This week goes a long way toward earning a spot this time around. Potter’s motivation is at an all-time high.

“Growing up, watching the World Juniors and stuff your whole life, you kind of want to play in it. You see a lot of those guys playing in the NHL now,” he said. “So being able to possibly have the opportunity to do that as well, and you know, getting the opportunity to play in the tournament would be a dream come true.”

Cullen’s mom, four-time Olympian Jenny Schmidgall-Potter, is one of the most accomplished women’s hockey players of all time. This Christmas, her son has a good shot at journeying back to their home and living out a dream.

“It’s always good to be home,” said Potter. “Having the opportunity to maybe play in front of all my friends from home and you know, my family, too, it would be pretty cool.”