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UCHC Announces 2022-23 Men’s Players to Watch List

The United Collegiate Hockey Conference announced its Players to Watch for the 2022-23 season. A total of 33 men’s players from the league’s 11 institutions were selected. The list serves as an annual preseason honor roll of players expected to make an impact on their teams, and on the conference picture as the season gets underway this weekend.
 
Alvernia University
  • Peter Falivena, Sr., F, Welland, Ontario
  • Brendan McBride, Fr., D, Sundre, Alberta
  • Sawyer Senio, Fr., F, Red Deer, Alberta
Team Notes: Alvernia makes its NCAA Division III debut this season after playing as a club program under head coach Andrew Burke. The Golden Wolves begin its inaugural season at home with a pair of games versus Rivier University on Oct. 28-29. Alvernia begins league play a week later at Neumann. The Golden Wolves roster consists of 32 players, including 15 first-year student-athletes.
 
Arcadia University
  • Dylan Florit, So., F, Hermosa Beach, CA – Florit was Arcadia’s leading scorer last season with nine goals and 17 points last season and was named the team’s Offensive Player of the Year.
  • James Spaargaren, Fr., F, Escondido, CA – Spaargaren led Arcadia in assists and was named the team’s Most Valuable Player last season.
  • Justin Song, So., D, Farmington Hills, MI – Song made an immediate impact on the Arcadia blue-line, tallying 10 points.
Team Notes: Arcadia begins its second season as a Division III program with 22 returning players for head coach Vincent Pietrangelo. Donnie Feldman was named team captain.
 
Chatham University
  • Zack Conner, So., D, Hendersonville, TN – Conner emerged as a standout defenseman last season, earning UCHC All-Rookie Team honors. He tallied seven goals and 14 points in just 16 games.
  • Ricardo Gonzalez, Sr., G, Davison, MI – Gonzalez is Chatham’s all-time leader in goaltending wins and saves. He finished 10-9-2 last season with a 3.14 goals against average and .906 save percentage.
  • Andrew Warhoftig, Sr., F, Frisco, TX – Warhoftig tied for the team lead in scoring with 21 points on nine goals and 12 assists last season.
Team Notes: The Cougars enter the season fourth in the 2022-23 UCHC Preseason Coaches Poll after winning a first round game and advancing to the UCHC Semifinals a season ago. Chatham returns 24 plyers and brings in a strong group of newcomers. Head Coach Michael Gershon led Team USA to a Gold Medal at the 2022 Maccabiah Games in Israel. 
 
King’s College
  • Tyler Blanchard, So., F, San Jose, CA – Blanchard finished second on the team in scoring with eight goals and a team-best 13 assists last season.
  • Jack Cooper, So., F, Santa Cruz, CA – Cooper was named to the UCHC All-Rookie Team last season after leading the team with 13 goals and 23 points. He had seven power-play goals.
  • Kent Lee, So., F, Misawa, Japan – Lee was a two-time UCHC Rookie of the Week last season and tallied 17 points in 21 games.
Team Notes: King’s returns six of its top seven scorers from last season, all of whom were first-year players. Sophomores Jack Cooper, Tyler Blanchard, Aaron Frenkel and Kent Lee combined for 79 points a season ago and will be counted on to play an even greater role in 2022-23.
 
Lebanon Valley College
  • Darion Benchich, Jr., F, York PA – Benchich tallied six goals and 15 points in 22 games last season.
  • Blake Tosto, Jr., F, Bloomfield Hills MI – Tosto led the Dutchmen in scoring last season with 12 goals and 23 points last season. He added five power-play goals.
  • Brad Viola, SR, F, Massapequa, NY – Viola recorded 10 points last season.
Team Notes: Lebanon Valley advanced to the UCHC Quarterfinals last season and open the season against SUNY Cortland and SUNY Morrisville on Oct. 28-29. Sophomore Ty Franchi was named to the UCHC All-Rookie Team after stepping in during the second half of the season and posting a 2.96 goals against average and a .919 save percentage.
 
Manhattanville College
  • Mason Emoff, Sr., F, Collingwood, Ontario – Emoff tallied career-high totals of 18 points on four goals and 14 assists last season.
  • Artem Mateichenko, So., F, Kharkov, Ukraine – Mateichenko earned UCHC All-Rookie Team honors last season after recording 23 points on four goals and 19 assists. He was a two-time UCHC Rookie of the Week.
  • Tyler Roy, Sr., G, Brighton, MI – Roy Posted a 7-6-2 record in net last season. He made 30-plus saves in nine games last year. He stopped 26 shots in Manhattanville’s UCHC Quarterfinal win over Stevenson.
Team Notes: The Valiants return 17 players from last season’s team that advanced to the UCHC Semifinals. Manhattanville will be one of the most experienced teams with 11 seniors and one graduate student.
 
Nazareth College
  • Nick Charron, Sr., F, Spencerport, NY – Charron is Nazareth’s leading scoring among its returners, having tallied nine goals and 20 points last season.
  • Matt Sayles, So., G, Milton, GA – Sayles stepped in and became Nazareth’s starting goaltender in his first season, winning nine games to go along with a .892 save percentage.
  • Ryan Turse, So., F, Long Valley, NJ – Turse enjoyed a strong rookie season in 2021-22, recording 19 points on four goals and 15 assists.
Team Notes: The Golden Flyers advanced to the UCHC Quarterfinals in 2021-22 and were picked to finish sixth in the 2022-23 UCHC Preseason Poll. The Golden Flyers return 22 players from last season’s team, including goaltender Matt Sayles, who stepped into the starting role as a freshman.
 
Neumann University
  • Luke Croucher, So., F, Ancaster, Ontario – Croucher tallied 22 points on 13 goals and nine assists in his debut last season for the Knights.
  • Joey Mancuso, Jr., F, Pottstown, PA – Mancuso is a transfer from SUNY Plattsburgh, where he tallied 28 points on 13 goals and 15 assists during the 2021-22 season.
  • Brady Mistler, Jr., F, Lake Stevens, WA – Mistler tallied 20 points on eight goals and 12 assists last season.
Team Notes: Neumann returns 19 players from last season after advancing to the UCHC Quarterfinals. The Knights were NCAA Division III National Champions during the 2008-09 season.
 
Stevenson University
  • Ryan Kenny, Jr., G, Sparta, NJ – Kenny was named the UCHC Goaltender of the Year in 2021-22 after finishing 18-6-1 with a 2.39 goals against average and a .925 save percentage. He has a 43-14-4 record in goal during his first three seasons.
  • Austin Master, Sr., F, Broomall, PA – Master enters the 2022-23 season ranked seventh in Stevenson men’s hockey history with 22 goals and 57 points. He tallied 14 points in just 11 games last season.
  • Frank Vitucci, Jr., F, Yardley, PA – Vitucci tied for the UCHC lead with four game-winning goals last season. He also led Stevenson with 12 goals in 2021-22.
Team Notes: The Mustangs return 23 players from last season’s team that finished 18-7-1. The Mustangs are picked to finish second in the 2022-23 UCHC Preseason Poll and receiving votes in the USCHO.com Division III National Preseason Poll. Overall, Stevenson is 48-18-4 since the start of the 2019-20 season.
 
Utica University
  • Justin Allen, Gr., D., Hilton, NY – Allen was an AHCA First Team All-American in 2021-22. He was the 2022 UCHC Defensive Player of the Year and dished out a program record 32 assists last year en route to a 40-point season.
  • Regen Cavanagh, Gr. F, Chesapeake, VA – Cavanagh was an AHCA First Team All-American in 2021-22. He led the UCHC and tied Utica’s single-season program record with 46 points, including a team-high 20 goals.
  • Dante Zapata, Sr. F, Huntington Beach, CA – Zapata was named the 2021-22 UCHC Player of the Year and earned AHCA First Team All-American accolades. He tallied 43 points on 16 goals and 27 assists, while scoring eight power-play goals.
Team Notes: Utica, picked to finish first in the 2022-23 UCHC Preseason Coaches poll, has won six consecutive league Regular Season Championships between ECAC West and UCHC. Fellow All-Americans Buster Larsson and Jayson Dobay return, in addition to Allen, Cavanagh and Zapata. Utica, who finished 25-2-1 in 2021-22, had the best power play in the nation, and was also tops in scoring defense. In addition, Utica finished third in penalty killing, and second in scoring offense. Utica returns 19 players and opens the season ranked third in the USCHO.com Division III National Poll.

Wilkes University
  • Phil Erickson, Gr., F, Eau Claire, WI – Erickson tallied 26 points on 14 goals and 12 assists last season. He enters 2022-23 with 38 career goals and is second all-time in UCHC history with six shorthanded goals.
  • Scott Mueller, Gr., D, Mount Julien, TN – Mueller played in all 26 games last season and tallied seven points. He has a career plus-20 rating in 74 games.
  • Michael Paterson-Jones, Sr., G, Baldwinsville, NY – Paterson-Jones finished 11-2-0 last season between the pipes for Wilkes. He is the program’s all-time leader with 1,212 career saves and 33 wins.
Team Notes: The Colonels return 17 players from the 2021-22 team that finished 20-5-1, advanced to the UCHC Championship game and ranked 10th in the final USCHO.com Division III National Poll. Wilkes opens the 2022-23 season ranked 11th in the USCHO.com Preseason Poll. Wilkes will look to replace All-Americans Donald Flynn, Tyler Barrow and Nick Fea, who graduated last spring as three of the top four scorers in UCHC history with 148, 132 and 120 points, respectively.
 
The 2022-23 regular season kicks off the weekend of Oct. 28-30. UCHC conference play starts on Nov. 4-5. The top eight teams advance to the 2023 UCHC Championship Tournament, which takes place with quarterfinal play on Feb. 22, semifinals on Feb. 25 and the league championship March 4. The UCHC Champion earns an automatic berth into the 2023 NCAA Division III Men’s Ice Hockey Championship.
 
ABOUT THE UNITED COLLEGIATE HOCKEY CONFERENCE
The United Collegiate Hockey Conference is a collaborative effort between eleven institutions to provide a competitive environment and structure for NCAA Division III men's and women's ice hockey in the Eastern United States. Our membership encompasses a wide geographic area spanning from Central and Western New York to the greater Pittsburgh and Baltimore areas. In its sixth season, the UCHC will incorporate the efforts of ice hockey student-athletes from Arcadia University, Alvernia University, Chatham University, King's College, Lebanon Valley College, Manhattanville College, Nazareth College, Neumann University, Stevenson University, Utica College, and Wilkes University into their strong, but evolving membership that strives for on-ice excellence while also preparing student athletes for their off-ice futures. For more on the UCHC, visit the league's homepage at http://www.TheUCHC.com, or follow the league on Twitter at http://www.Twitter.com/UCHCHockey.