The SDSU Hockey Club announced its roster for the 2013-14 season today. The Aztecs will carry 22 players on their quest for an ACHA DII title, bringing aboard eight new faces to complement an established core.
Senior defenseman Thomas Lapp leads all returning players in games (95) and points (39), while fellow senior defenseman Brandon Nevarez is the returning leader in career goals (15). The tandem will receive help from returning junior Donnie Keffer and sophomore Alec Christoff, while newcomers Vincent DiMaggio (Fr., Calif.) and John Riley (Jr., Conn.) look to contribute additional size and scoring to the blueline unit.
On offense, the trio of sophomore Travis Sevilla, senior Eric Stelnick and senior Alex Cambas will look to provide the bulk of the team's goal scoring. The three combined for 36 goals during the 2012-13 campaign, with Sevilla scoring a team-high 14 times. Incoming freshman forward Megan Thompson is the first female player in the history of the organization and will be developing her skills with the team over the course of the season.
On offense, the trio of sophomore Travis Sevilla, senior Eric Stelnick and senior Alex Cambas will look to provide the bulk of the team's goal scoring. The three combined for 36 goals during the 2012-13 campaign, with Sevilla scoring a team-high 14 times. Incoming freshman forward Megan Thompson is the first female player in the history of the organization and will be developing her skills with the team over the course of the season.
Returning in net for the Aztecs will be sophomore Connor O'Brien and junior Filip Curkovic. The two figure to compete throughout the year for starting duties. O'Brien, a San Diego native, had a team-best 3.40 GAA and .909 SV% last year in his first season in net, while Curkovic backstopped the team for four wins. Third-string sophomore goaltender and Chula Vista product Darius Newhall will be joined by incoming junior Danny Villada to compete against O'Brien and Curkovic for playing time.
On the bench, newly-appointed head coach Chris Migliore will be counted on to be at his creative best in his first year with the Aztecs. Migliore will evaluate chemistry and shuffle lines by drawing on experience from his professional hockey career, one that spanned the better part of a decade and included stops in the SEHL and CHL. Joining "Coach Miggs" in his first year of duties will be former SDSU defenseman Dustin Holt. The hard-hitting blueliner played 28 games for the Aztecs last season, topping off a three-year career that saw him rack up 28 points in 66 games.
The door also remains open for senior defenseman Kevin Lapp to rejoin the team. Lapp, whose 2012-13 season ended prematurely when he tore his ACL on Dec. 1 during a contest at University of Arizona, still has a full year of playing eligibility per ACHA rules. Lapp has progressed to on-ice activities in the last week and is aiming for a return in the spring. If able to compete, he would bring with him more games (125), goals (16), assists (37), and points (53) in an Aztecs uniform than any active player.
SDSU will open its season on Sept. 13 at home against Long Beach State at 9 p.m. Tickets are free for students and $5 for general admission, and are available in the SDSU Hockey Club online shop or at the door. The game is also the kickoff for SDSU's season-long canned food drive. Fans who bring at least two cans of non-perishable food items will receive free general admission to the Sept. 13 game.
The door also remains open for senior defenseman Kevin Lapp to rejoin the team. Lapp, whose 2012-13 season ended prematurely when he tore his ACL on Dec. 1 during a contest at University of Arizona, still has a full year of playing eligibility per ACHA rules. Lapp has progressed to on-ice activities in the last week and is aiming for a return in the spring. If able to compete, he would bring with him more games (125), goals (16), assists (37), and points (53) in an Aztecs uniform than any active player.
SDSU will open its season on Sept. 13 at home against Long Beach State at 9 p.m. Tickets are free for students and $5 for general admission, and are available in the SDSU Hockey Club online shop or at the door. The game is also the kickoff for SDSU's season-long canned food drive. Fans who bring at least two cans of non-perishable food items will receive free general admission to the Sept. 13 game.