Two more Eagles advance to NCAA
Soo Eagles coach-general manager Bruno Bragagnolo has confirmed to HockeyNewsNorth.com that two more of his players have recently secured National Collegiate Athletic Association commitments for the 2014-2015 season.
Scott Cuthrell, a 1993 birth-year forward, and Matthew Montemurro, a 1994 birth-year defencemen, will both be advancing to the Division 3, NCAA ranks.
As a North American Hockey League rookie in 2013-2014, Cuthrell potted 16 goals, 22 assists, 38 points in 53 games in a season that started with the Michigan Warriors and ended with the Eagles. Cuthrell is headed to Nichols College in Dudley, Massachussets.
Montemurro, who played in 99 games over two NAHL seasons with the Odessa Jackalopes, Kenai River Brown Bears, Coulee Region Chill and the Soo, is off to Lawrence University in Appleton, Wisconsin.
Bragagnolo noted that both Cuthrell and Montemurro are “well-prepared” for their advancement to the Division 3, NCAA level.
“They are good hockey players who are going to schools that are among the best D3 programs in the country,” said Bragagnolo.
Bragagnolo takes pride in the number of players the Eagles have advanced to the NCAA ranks in the four years that he has been involved with the Soo franchise — two at the NAHL level and two before that in the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League.
“These latest commits brings the number of Eagle player advancements to the NCAA to almost 40 in the last four years,” Bragagnolo noted.
“As an organization we are extremely proud of all our players who have played for us and have moved up to the next level. Almost all of our 20-year olds who have played for us over the last four years are playing college hockey somewhere.
“The NAHL in particular is a great place to develop and be seen by schools all across the United States. Players who graduate from the NAHL and move up the college ranks all do very well proving the strength and development level of the league is very strong,” Bragagnolo added.
Of note, Montemurro will join his former Eagles teammate and fellow defenceman Brad Mueller at Lawrence.
great news for those guys. i know the eagles have a lake superior state D-1 committed player in Will Gauthier, and lssu just committed to forward chase gamelin (eagle tender). Both players come from the sault high blue devils hockey team where they played the past 3 years.