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I've been reading about all of the good MN high school players who haven't been offered anything by D1 programs and am wondering how many of these kids will show up playing D3. I'm guessing most of them will play Junior A somewhere for a few years and possibly get a scholarship but you never know. I had the opportunity to watch a MIAC team play a few weekends back and was amazed at how talented they were on their top end. This is a very good level of hockey and if I had to do it all over again, I would have looked at D3 as an option, . Any thoughts?

There's a letter to the Editor in Sports Illustrated this week from a player at a small-time football program that extolled the virtues of playing in college for the love of the game. His coach or someone contrasted it to playing "joyless" football under immense pressure at a D1 football factory. In Minnesota, I'm sure most St. John's alums don't regret not playing for the Gophers. (Or actually "not playing for the Gophers" as most would probably have been reserves.)

I might be off base, but it is my impression that MIAC hockey has improved markedly over the past 20 years. In the late Eighties the public schools like River Falls, Mankato, and Bemidji were very good while programs like Hamline and Bethel weren't.

The conference with St. Norbert's of Green Bay is pretty solid. Better than the MIAC, right? I think it has Eau Claire, Stout, Stevens Point, and St. Scholastica as well as Lake Forest.

I watched St. John's play St. Thomas this last Saturday and it was awesome hockey.

This would be a great choice if a player is looking to play serious hockey and isn't a D-1 player...or just wants to move on to school without playing juniors.

D3 is an outstanding place to play college hockey. Many of the top teams could compete with lower level D1 teams. Times have changed, and D3 schools have and will continue to attract D1 talent. You'll see some of the top talent in the country play at smaller schools. More ice time, lower key atmosphere, whatever the reason, there is definitely D1 talent playing at smaller schools. Makes for great hockey across the country.

Yes, the NCHA is better than the MIAC, with St Norbert, Rivers Falls, Stout, St Scholastica, Superior and Eau Claire. The MIAC has St Thomas and then Gustavus is pretty good.

D3 is a great alternative. It's disappointing though, from the education standpoint, that even for D3 you have to spend year(s) in juniors before playing as a rule of thumb. Many MIAC schools that's not the case, but most NCHA schools it is.

Do D3 and D1 schools ever play each other in exhibition or anything? Based on their stats and what I've heard from those who've played against them in the past, St Norbert could play with decent D1 teams.

Do many D3 players go pro?

I still wonder why Jared Hummel (class of 05) ended up at Hamline and not SCSU where he intended after playing for the Stampede.

HShockeywatcher wrote:Yes, the NCHA is better than the MIAC, with St Norbert, Rivers Falls, Stout, St Scholastica, Superior and Eau Claire. The MIAC has St Thomas and then Gustavus is pretty good.

D3 is a great alternative. It's disappointing though, from the education standpoint, that even for D3 you have to spend year(s) in juniors before playing as a rule of thumb. Many MIAC schools that's not the case, but most NCHA schools it is.

Do D3 and D1 schools ever play each other in exhibition or anything? Based on their stats and what I've heard from those who've played against them in the past, St Norbert could play with decent D1 teams.

Do many D3 players go pro?

D1's and D3's never play each other that I know of. As for D3 players going pro, its not uncommon for them to play a few years in the smaller pro leagues like the UHL or the ECHL.

No doubt though with more Canadians coming down here for school and us here in MN putting out so many players D3 is very good hockey.

SiouxRecruit wrote:I still wonder why Jared Hummel (class of 05) ended up at Hamline and not SCSU where he intended after playing for the Stampede.

I believe that the new coach had something to do with him not attending SCSU. He was recruited under the old coach and when the new coach came him, Hummel would not have fit into the system very well with his size.

i would bet that it had more to do with his skating and hockey sense/poise then just alone his size

gopherhockey99 wrote:i would bet that it had more to do with his skating and hockey sense/poise then just alone his size

I would bet it doesn"t.....

HShockeywatcher wrote: Do many D3 players go pro?

Does anyone remember who the Wild's first signee was?

halla wrote:

HShockeywatcher wrote: Do many D3 players go pro?

Does anyone remember who the Wild's first signee was?

Your question might have had more relevance IF he had also played, rather than just signed with the Wild, although he did have a minor league career.

Would love to see a D3 team full of MN kids come up here to Alaska and beat the Seawolves. That would shut up some people in AK about who has the better hockey talent. As if that is even needed to begin with.

While it's true that most former D-3 players end up playing in the CHL, WHL, or ECHL, there have been a few recent D-3 graduates from Norwich who moved on and are now playing in the AHL. As the competition continues to get better I can see this happening more and more often.

rapidsrapids wrote:Would love to see a D3 team full of MN kids come up here to Alaska and beat the Seawolves. That would shut up some people in AK about who has the better hockey talent. As if that is even needed to begin with.

1982 Augsburg College did just that, swept UAA and UAF with all MN kids. U of MN asst. coach John Hill was on the UAA squad.

Ancient history, Bader. What have you done for me lately? UAA would smoke Auggie Tech now....

AY

halla wrote:

HShockeywatcher wrote: Do many D3 players go pro?

Does anyone remember who the Wild's first signee was?

Steve Aronson
I think he was at St Thomas?

kappers and Adam davis from lakeville are both d-1 talent but chose st thomas and are now tearing it up

kappers and Adam davis from lakeville are both d-1 talent but chose st thomas and are now tearing it up

Not taking anything away from them, but I know kappers hasnt scored a goal in the 11/15 games he has played in. He does have 6 assists though. He played a year at Sante Fe in the NAHL and wasn't offered much in the D1 area.

On another note, UST's goalie Chestnut is a transfer from D1 Holy Cross (team that beat the gophers in NCAA's) and he is doing very well.

So I would say yes, D3 is a very good way to go also.

BIAFP wrote:

rapidsrapids wrote:Would love to see a D3 team full of MN kids come up here to Alaska and beat the Seawolves. That would shut up some people in AK about who has the better hockey talent. As if that is even needed to begin with.

1982 Augsburg College did just that, swept UAA and UAF with all MN kids. U of MN asst. coach John Hill was on the UAA squad.

That is awsome unfortunatly I do not think there are any MIAC teams with just Minnesota kids on it anymore, they are starting to attract kids from all over the nation and Canada as well.

DannyCalifornia wrote:

halla wrote:

HShockeywatcher wrote: Do many D3 players go pro?

Does anyone remember who the Wild's first signee was?

Steve Aronson
I think he was at St Thomas?

Yeah, he played at St. Thomas and came from Minnetonka. It's true he never did play for the Wild, but he was in their system for a while. Not too bad for a guy from the MIAC. I don't know of anybody from the MIAC to make it to the NHL -- but there probably has been somebody to make it for a few shifts.

Here's some DIII info from followthepuck.com that should be interesting for all.




MIAC (Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference):

Minnesota Players (206)

Augsburg Auggies (17)
Bethel Royals (20)
Concordia College Cobbers (14)
Gustavus Gusties (27)
Hamline Pipers (28)
St. John's Johnnies (25)
St. Mary's Cardinals (20)
St. Olaf Oles (26)
St. Thomas Tommies (29)

Adams, David (Shattuck-St. Mary's Prep) - Soph - D - St. Olaf
Adams, Eric (Litchfield HS) - Junior - F - Bethel
Aho, Jon (Breck HS) - Freshman - D - St. Olaf
Alexander, Todd (Robbinsdale Armstrong HS) - Junior - D - St. Thomas
Andres, Matthew (Benilde-St. Margaret's) - Soph - F - Gustavus
Andrew, Kent (Lakeville) - Junior - G - Augsburg
Antony, Tyler (Buffalo) - Soph - F - Augsburg
Arnason, Alex (Totino-Grace HS) - Soph - F - St. Thomas
Babich, Carl (Eveleth-Gilbert HS) - Soph - D - Concordia College
Babich, Chris (Eveleth-Gilbert HS) - Soph - D - Concordia College
Balvin, Jeff (Maple Grove HS) - Senior - F - Bethel
Benson, Andy (Maple Grove HS) - Freshman - F- St. Olaf
Berenguer, Chris (Eden Prairie HS) - Freshman - D - Hamline
Bierman, Luke (Chaska HS) - Soph - F - Hamline
Bigham, Eric (Benilde-St. Margaret's) - Soph - F - Gustavus
Birkholz, Andrew (Breck HS) - Soph - F- Hamline
Bonne, Dan (White Bear Lake HS) - Senior - F - Bethel
Bostrom, Kent (Mounds View HS) - Junior - F - Bethel
Boyd, Brandon (Hastings HS) - Freshman - F - Gustavus
Briscoe, Colin (Rochester Century HS) - Freshman - F - Augsburg
Brodersen, Brent (Breck HS) - Freshman - D - St. John's
Bryant, Sean (Sartell-St. Stephen HS) - Junior - F - St. Thomas
Buchholz, Mark (Moorhead) - Senior - D - Concordia College
Buckley, Matt (Park Center HS) - Soph - F - Hamline
Budish, Jeff (Edina HS) - Senior - F - St. Olaf
Callister, Sean (Shattuck-St. Mary's Prep) - Freshman - F - St. Olaf
Campion, Spencer (Benilde-St. Margaret's) - Soph - D - Gustavus
Carlson, Dan (Roseville) - Senior - F - Augsburg
Carlson, Mitch (St. Louis Park HS) - Freshman - D - Gustavus
Carlson, Nick (Rosemount HS) - Soph - D - St. Mary's
Carr, Mike (Mahtomedi HS) - Junior - F - Gustavus
Carroll, Dave (Richfield) - Soph - F - Augsburg
Chamblee, Kellen (Roseville HS) - Junior - F - Augsburg
Chestnut, Tyler (Shattuck-St. Mary's Prep) - Soph - G - St. Thomas
Clafton, Tony (Grand Rapids HS) - Soph - D - St. Mary's
Clukey, Ryan (Moorhead HS) - Soph - C - Concordia College
Coles, Alex (Burnsville HS) - Soph - F - St. Thomas
Connelly, Pat (White Bear Lake HS) - Junior - F - St. John's
Cosgriff, Matt (Breck HS) - Freshman - F - St. Olaf
Cox, Joe (Mounds View HS) - Soph - F - Bethel
Dahl, Eric (St. Cloud) - Soph - F - St. Mary's
Damjanovich, Aaron (Greenway HS) - Soph - G - Bethel
Davis, Adam (Lakeville HS) - Junior - D - St. Thomas
Decker, Dylan (Alexandria HS) - Soph - F - St. John's
Dorr, Sam (Roseville HS) - Senior - D - St. John's
Dynan, Casey (Orono HS) - Junior - F - Gustavus
Dynan, Kyle (Orono HS) - Soph - D - Bethel
Dynan, Patrick (Orono HS) - Soph - F - Gustavus
Dynan, Rory (Orono HS) - Soph - F - Gustavus
Eagles, Pat (Roseville HS) - Senior - F - St. John's
Eastman, Steve (Edina HS) - Senior - D - Bethel
Eberwein, Brycen (Shattuck-St. Mary's Prep) - G - St. Olaf
Eidsmo, Kevin (Chanhassen HS) - Senior - D - St. Mary's
Elledge, Josh (Champlin Park HS) - Freshman - F - Gustavus
Ellertson, Cory (Albert Lea) - Freshman - F - Augsburg
Erickson, Jim (Shattuck-St. Mary's Prep) - Junior - F - Hamline
Faust, Zachary (White Bear Lake HS) - Soph - G - Hamline
Festler, Steve (Little Falls HS) - Junior - F - Hamline
Fifield, Jay (Eden Prairie HS) - Freshman - D - Gustavus
Firl, Devin (Red Wing HS) - Senior - D - St. Mary's
Fogerty, Christian (Forest Lake HS) - Freshman - F - Bethel
Freeman, Tom (Eagan HS) - Senior - F - St. John's
Frischmann, Bryan (Rochester Century HS) - Freshman - D - Augsburg
Fulton, Dustin (Breck HS) - Junior - F - Hamline
Gamst, Blaine (Willow River) - Freshman - F - Concordia College
Gilbert, Karl (Hermantown HS) - Soph - F - St. John's
Gill, Adam (Rochester) - Senior - F - St. Mary's
Giordano, Bryan (Chaska HS) - Freshman - F - St. Olaf
Gomez, Jason (Savage) - Junior - F - St. Olaf
Goos, Shawn (Fergus Falls) - Freshman - C - Concordia College
Green, Justin (Benilde-St. Margaret's HS) - Senior - F - St. Olaf
Gross, David (Pine City HS) - Senior - F - St. Mary's
Gruenke, Garrett (Benilde-St. Margaret's HS) - Senior - D - St. Thomas
Hall, Mat (St. Cloud) - Freshman - F - St. Mary's
Hall, Matt (Park Center HS) - Senior - F - Bethel
Hampson, Ryan (Minnetonka HS) - Junior - D - St. Olaf
Hanna, Justin (Roseville HS) - Junior - D - Hamline
Harren, Gabriel (Warroad HS) - Soph - F - St. John's
Hause, Ben (Cretin-Derham Hall HS) - Freshman - G - St. John's
Hawkins, Tyler (Academy of Holy Angels HS) - Freshman - F - St. Thomas
Hendel, Adam (Red Wing HS) - Junior - G - Augsburg
Henkemeyer, Kyle (Sauk Rapids-Rice HS) - Soph - F - St. John's
Herd, Drake (Breck HS) - Freshman - D - Hamline
Hipp, Jake (Shattuck-St. Mary's Prep) - Junior - F - St. John's
Hochbrunn, Don (Centennial HS) - Junior - D - Bethel
Hoehn, Ryan (Waseca HS) - Senior - F - St. Thomas
Hohendwald, Mike (Hill-Murray HS) - Soph - F - St. Thomas
Holen, Alec (Thief River Falls HS) - Soph - C - Concordia College
Holt, Nikki (Hermantown) - Freshman - D - Augsburg
Hooker, Gerrit (Osseo HS) - Freshman - F - Augsburg
Howells, Brett (Mound) - Junior - F - Gustavus
Hummel, Jared (Academy of Holy Angels HS) - Freshman - D - Hamline
Hylle, Karl (Breck HS) - Soph - D - St. Olaf
Jacques, John (Duluth East HS) - Senior - D - St. Thomas
Jensen, Jim (Osseo HS) - Freshman - F - Augsburg
Jirovec, Wes (St. Thomas Academy HS) - Soph - F - St. Thomas
Johnannes, Jason (Eagan HS) - Junior - F - St. John's
Johnson, Chris (Elk River HS) - Soph - D - Hamline
Johnson, Cory (Moorhead HS) - Soph - C - Concordia College
Johnson, Rob (Duluth East HS) - Freshman - F - St. Thomas
Joos, Lee (Shattuck-St. Mary's Prep) - Soph - F - Hamline
Jorgensen, Aaron (Little Falls HS) - Soph - G - Bethel
Jorgensen, Lukas (Little Falls HS) - Freshman - Bethel
Josefson, Thor (Bemidji HS) - Soph - F - St. Olaf
Kappers, Andrew (Lakeville HS) - Freshman - F - St. Thomas
Kellogg, Nick (Andover HS) - Freshman - G - Gustavus
Kettelkamp, Brent (Breck HS) - Junior - D - Bethel
Kleiman, Tim (Duluth Marshall HS) - Junior - D - St. Thomas
Knutson, Tom (Duluth East HS) - Junior - F - St. Thomas
Koehler, Jake (Elk River HS) - Soph - F - St. John's
Kopelke, Chris (Mounds View HS) - Soph - D - Augsburg
Kovacs, John (White Bear Lake HS) - Junior - D - Bethel
Kranz, Kelly (Bloomington) - Freshman - D - St. Mary's
Kratz, Kevin (Farmington HS) - Soph - F - Concordia College
Krogen, Cory (Marshall HS) - Soph - D - Hamline
Kurr, Kyle (Elk River HS) - Soph - F - Hamline
Kurtz, Ryan (Cretin-Derham Hall HS) - Soph - F - St. Thomas
Lair, Alex (Albert Lea HS) - Soph - D - Gustavus
LaBombard, Matt (Bloomington Jefferson HS) - Soph - F - St. Olaf
LaRock, Erik (Kasson) - Junior - F - St. Mary's
Leopold, Dan (Stillwater HS) - Senior - D - Augsburg
Leathers, James (Black School) - Soph - F - Gustavus
Leier, William (Hill-Murray HS) - Soph - D - Hamline
Letourneau, Matt (Duluth Marshall HS) - Soph - D - St. Thomas
Lofgren, Sean (Moorhead HS) - Soph - F - Concordia College
Long, Joe (Elk River HS) - Junior - D - Hamline
MacMillan, Mike (Buffalo HS) - Senior - F - St. Olaf
Mahoney, Kevin (Duluth Marshall HS) - Soph - F - St. Thomas
Martinson, David (St. Louis Park HS) - Soph - F - Gustavus
Mattson, Kyle (Maple Grove HS) - Freshman - F - Hamline
McLean, Will (Duluth East HS) - Freshman - F - St. Olaf
McClure, Pat (Orono HS) - Freshman - D - St. John's
McCormick, Trevor (Mankato West HS) - Senior - F - Augsburg
McDonald, Matt (Lakeville HS) - Junior - F - St. Olaf
McDonald, Noel (Totino-Grace HS) - Freshman - D - Hamline
McEnaney, Dan (Hill-Murray HS) - Freshman - G - St. Thomas
McEnaney, Joe (Hill-Murray HS) - Soph - F - St. Thomas
Meinz, Nate (St. Cloud Tech HS) - Senior - D - St. John's
Menozzi, Bill (Lakeville HS) - Senior - D - Bethel
Menozzi, Tom (South St. Paul HS) - Freshman - F - Bethel
Meyers, Jonathan (Eden Prairie HS) - Freshman - F - St. Thomas
Moore, Greg (Woodbury HS) - Soph - G - St. Mary's
Morey, Corey (Buffalo HS) - Soph - D - Gustavus
Morrow, Erik (Afton) - Freshman - D - St. Olaf
Mueller, Dylan (Robbinsdale Armstrong HS) - Junior - F - St. Olaf
Murray, Andy (Staples) - Soph - F - Concordia College
Murray, Chris (Blake School) - Soph - F - St. John's
Nelson, Nick (Duluth East HS) - Freshman - F - St. Thomas
Neu, Tyler (Wadena-Deer Creek HS) - Junior - F - Concordia College
Nicholson, Robby (Minnehaha Academy) - Soph - F - Bethel
Nguyen, Lincoln (Owatonna) - Soph - G - St. Mary's
Ollila, Ben (Centennial HS) - Senior - F - Gustavus
Olmscheid, James (St. Cloud Cathedral HS) - Freshman - D - St. John's
Olson, Ben (Hastings HS) - Soph - D - St. Mary's
Ornell, Tim (Centennial HS) - Senior - F - Gustavus
Osmondson, Bryan (Princeton HS) - Soph - F - St. Olaf
Palma, Tony (Centennial HS) - Soph - D - Gustavus
Panchenko, Andrew (Eastview HS) - Senior - F - St. Thomas
Panchenko, A.J. (Eastview HS) - Junior - D - St. Thomas
Pauer, Josh (Spring Park) - Soph - F - Gustavus
Paulson, John (Benilde-St. Margaret's HS) - Senior - D - St. Olaf
Pernula, Jake (Osseo) - Freshman - F - Augsburg
Pernula, Nick (Osseo HS) - Senior - F - St. Thomas
Perry, Dan (Fergus Falls HS) - Senior - F - Concordia College
Peterson, Brad (Bloomington Jefferson HS) - Junior - F - Bethel
Polk, Jesse (Hastings) - Senior - F - St. Mary's
Postell, Dustin (Wadena-Deer Creek HS) - Soph - F - Hamline
Rehm, Clayton (Park Rapids) - Junior - D - St. John's
Reinke, Karl (Duluth) - Junior - F - St. Mary's
Ridley, T.J. (Edina) - Soph - F - Gustavus
Roberts, Andy (Rochester) - Junior - F - St. Mary's
Roberts, Ben (Bloomington Jefferson HS) - Freshman - Augsburg
Rohlfs, Kyle (Fergus Falls) - Senior - F - Gustavus
Ronning, Kyle (Park Center HS) - Junior - F - Bethel
Roth, Tony (White Bear Lake HS) - Freshman - F - Hamline
Ryan, Nate (Eastview HS) - Senior - F - St. Thomas
Scattarelli, Cole (Elk River HS) - Soph - D - Hamline
Schugel, Matt (Roseville HS) - Freshman - D - Gustavus
Shelafoe, Ryan (Forest Lake HS) - Freshman - F - Hamline
Shepherd, Morgan (Brainerd) - Soph - F - St. Mary's
Smith, Dan (Rochester) - Senior - G - St. Mary's
Smith, Jared (Grand Rapids HS) - Freshman - D - St. John's
Smith, Will (Orono HS) - Junior - F - St. Olaf
Solberg, Paul (Osseo HS) - Junior - D - St. Thomas
Stacklie, Joel (Blaine HS) - Junior - F - St. John's
Stalock, Nick (South St. Paul HS) - Junior - F - St. Olaf
Streit, Jeremy (Sauk Rapids-Rice HS) - Soph - F - St. John's
Swan, Jordan (Champlin Park HS) - Senior - F - St. John's
Swartout, Josh (St. Louis Park HS) - Freshman - G - Gustavus
Tavis, Austin (Grand Rapids HS) - Freshman - F - Hamline
Trousdale, Roger (Buffalo HS) - Junior - F - St. Olaf
Umhoefer, Ben (Shattuck-St. Mary's Prep) - Soph - F - St. Olaf
Van Asch, Jimmy (Blaine HS) - Soph - D - Hamline
Van House, Deven (Silver Bay) - Junior - F - St. Mary's
Voss, Cameron (St. Thomas Academy HS) - Junior - G - St. Thomas
Wanvig, Matt (Osseo HS) - Soph - G - Hamline
Wallgren, Mike (Oakdale) - Freshman - F - St. John's
Webber, Tony (Farmington HS) - Soph - F - Concordia College
Welch, Joe (Hastings HS) - Soph - F - Gustavus
Wheeler, Lance (St. Cloud Tech HS) - Junior - D - St. John's
Wheeler, Vince (St. Cloud Tech HS) - Junior - G - St. John's
Wieck, Brad (Roseville HS) - Freshman - F - Gustavus
Windsor, Sam (Plymouth) - Junior - D - St. Olaf
Zilka, Nick (Mound-Westonka HS) - Freshman - F - Hamline
Zilles, Matt (Stillwater HS) - Junior - F - Hamline

Good stuff Booya, thanks

I'm not interested at all. Can I get a refund?

nor are you all that interesting. And no, you can't get a refund. You snuck in to begin with