DU's Recruiting Classes Update

(above) Californian Trevor Moore is averaging over a point a game in the first month of the season

DU's two upcoming Recruiting Class are looking good and several of the players are off to strong starts in the USHL.  Trevor Moore and Connor Chatham lead their respective teams in scoring.

2013 Recruiting Class 
D Matt Van Voorhis (Sioux Falls, USHL) - 8 games, 1 goal, 2 assists
F Tyler Pham (Indiana Ice, USHL) - 8 games, 1 assist
F Brad Hawkinson (Lincoln Stars, USHL) - 6 games, 2 goals
F Landon Smith (Cedar Rapids, USHL) - 7 games, 3 goals, 2 assist
F Connor Chatham (Omaha, USHL) - 8 games, 4 goals, 2 assists
F Ray Pigozzi (Chicago, USHL) - 6 games, 1 goal, 3 assists
D Will Butcher (U.S. Under-18) - 11 games, 2 goals, 4 assists
F Cody DePourcq (Penticton, BCHL) - 14 games, 1 goal, 2 assists
F Trevor Moore (Tri-Cities, USHL) 7 games, 3 goals, 5 assists

2014 Recruiting Class 
F Jared Fiegl (U.S. Under-17) 10 games, 2 goals, 3 assists
D Gage Ausmus (U.S. Under-18) 11 games, 2 assists
F Dylan Gambrell (Dubuque, USHL) 6 games, 1 goal, 1 assist
F Garrett Gamez (Tri-Cities, USHL) 7 games, 2 goals, 2 assists

DU Recruit Drafted In 1st Round Of USHL Draft

DU recruit Garrett Gamez [6'0" 170 lbs.] a right winger from Los Angeles was selected in the first round of the USHL Draft today with the 8th overall selection by the Tri-Cities Storm.  Gamez will attend the University of Denver in 2014.  

Gamez turned down an opportunity to play in the USHL this past season, so that he could continue developing in California.

“We are thrilled to get Garrett,” said Storm GM/Head Coach Josh Hauge. “He was a player we tried to add around Christmas this past season, but he was a loyal kid to the team he was playing with (Jr. Kings U16).  We are excited that we are getting a character individual to come in and be a solid contributor right away.”

Next season he'll be Tri-Cities teammates with fellow Californian and DU recruit Trevor Moore.

Another 2014 recruit Dylan Gambrell [5’10, 154 lbs.] was selected with the 11th overall pick in the first round of the USHL Futures Draft by the Dubuque Fighting Saints earlier this month. Gambrell is from Seattle but spent this past season playing AAA hockey in Denver for the Colorado Thunderbirds.

DU recruit Connor Chatham was selected in the 3rd round by Omaha Lancers, but its not known if he will play for the USNDT Under 18 Team next season.

2013 Recruiting Class
F Matt Van Voorhis (Sioux Falls, USHL)
F Tyler Pham (Indiana Ice, USHL)
F Brad Hawkinson (Lincoln Stars, USHL)
F Landon Smith (Cedar Rapids, USHL)
F Connor Chatham (U.S. Under-17)
F Ray Pigozzi (Chicago, USHL)
D Will Butcher (U.S. Under-17)
F Cody DePourcq (Penticton, BCHL)
F Trevor Moore (Tri-Cities, USHL)

2014 Recruiting Class
F Jared Fiegl (Colorado Rampage, U-16)
D Gage Ausmus (U.S. Under-17)
F Dylan Gambrell (Colorado Thunderbirds, AAA)
F Garrett Gamez (Tri-Cities, USHL)

News & Notes From Around PioNation

DU recruit Cody DePourcq scored his third goal in the last two games as the BCHL Penticton Vees won their 32nd game in a row.

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Congrats to DU recruits Connor Chatham, Will Butcher & Gage Ausmus who helped the USA Under-17 Team win the 2012 Vlad Dzurilla Under-18 Tournament in Slovakia over the weekend. With the victory, Team USA finished the tournament with a perfect 3-0-0 record and clinched the tournament title for the third straight year. 

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Over the weekend, the DU men's basketball team rolled to a 38-14 halftime lead against Florida International.  The Pioneers won 77-63 in a cakewalk.

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Beau Bennett, Daniel Olszewski, Shawn Ostrow & Paul Phillips were named WCHA Scholar Athletes for 2011-12. Congrats to those players who are getting it done in the classroom as well as on the ice.  Clearly the Ostrow brothers are smarter than the Shore boyz, as Kyle was a three-time WCHA Scholar Athlete as well.

DU Recruit Scores Two Goals In Slovakia

From: USA Hockey

University of Denver recruit Connor Chatham scored two goals and recorded an assist, as the U.S. National Under-17 Team defeated Switzerland, 6-1, in the 2012 Vlad Dzurilla Under-18 Tournament opener on Thursday at the Piestany Ice Arena.

Chatham netted back-to-back goals, one with the man advanatge, 52 seconds apart in the third period to ice the game for Team USA. The U.S. National Under-17 Team continues tournament play against Germany on Friday at 5:30 AM MST.

Three DU Recruits Selected For Under 17-Worlds

(above) Click to enlarge

Three University of Denver recruits were selected to play for Team USA in the 2012 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge from Dec. 28, 2011-Jan. 4, 2012, in Windsor, Ontario.

Connor Chatham, Gage Ausmus and Will Butcher have committed to attend the University of Denver.

2012 Recruiting Class
F Tyler Pham (Indiana Ice, USHL)
D Dakota Mermis (Green Bay, USHL)
D Matt Van Voorhis (Sioux Falls, USHL)
F Garrett Allen (Des Moines, USHL)
D Nolan Zajac (Omaha, USHL)
F Quentin Shore (U.S. Under-18)
F Grant Arnold (Green Bay, USHL)

2013 Recruiting Class
F Brad Hawkinson (Lincoln Stars, USHL)
F Landon Smith (Cedar Rapids, USHL)
F Connor Chatham (U.S. Under-17)
F Ray Pigozzi (Des Moines, USHL)
D Will Butcher (U.S. Under-17)

2014 Recruiting Class
F Jared Fiegl (Colorado Rampage, U-16)
D Gage Ausmus (U.S. Under-17)
F Trevor Moore (Tri-Cities, USHL)  

USHL Round-Up Of DU Recruits

Ray Pigozzi

With two weekends of USHL play under their belts, several University of Denver recruits have jumped off to quick statistical starts in league play. The Pioneers have a record number of recruits (14) playing in the USHL this season.

Congrats to former DU assistant coach Derek Lalonde who went 3-0-0 in his first week as a head coach of the Green Bay Gamblers.  Green Bay is one of only two teams that is still undefeated and untied.

The list below highlights recruits who have scored at least one goal or recorded an assist.

• 2013 recruit Ray Pigozzi (Foward  5'11 174 lbs. Evanston, IL) already has four assists in his first three games for the Des Moines Buccaneers.

• 2013 Recruit Will Butcher (Defenseman 5'11 190 lbs. Sun Prarie, WI) has a goal and two assists for the USNDT-Under 17 team. Teammate Connor Chatham (Forward 6'2 195 lbs. St. Louis, MO) has three assists in four games. Finally blueliner Gage Ausmus (6'1 200 lbs. East Grand Forks, MN) has one assist.

• In Sioux Falls, defenseman Matt Van Voorhis (Defenseman 5'7 165 lbs. Edina, MN) has one assist in two games

• Defenseman Dakota Mermis (Defenseman 5'10 165 lbs. Alton, IL) has one goal in three games for Green Bay.

2012 Recruiting Class
F Tyler Pham (Indiana Ice, USHL)
D Dakota Mermis (Green Bay, USHL)
D Matt Van Voorhis (Sioux Falls, USHL)
F Garrett Allen (Unknown)
D Nolan Zajac (Cedar Rapids, USHL)
F Quentin Shore (U.S. Under-18)
F Connor Honey (Green Bay, USHL)
F Grant Arnold (Green Bay, USHL)

2013 Recruiting Class
F Brad Hawkinson (Lincoln Stars, USHL)
F Landon Smith (Cedar Rapids, USHL)
F Connor Chatham (U.S. Under-17)
F Ray Pigozzi (Des Moines, USHL)
D Will Butcher (U.S. Under-17)

2014 Recruiting Class
F Jared Fiegl (Colorado Rampage, U-16)
D Gage Ausmus (U.S. Under-17)
F Trevor Moore (Tri-Cities, USHL)

DU Invades Sioux Country To Recruit Gage Ausmus

Gage Ausmus

East Grand Forks may be in Minnesota, but its only a short drive across the Red River to the campus of the University of North Dakota.  So it was a pleasant surprise to read in the Grand Forks Herald that the University of Denver had received a 2013 commitment from recruit Gage Ausmus [6'1 200 lbs.].

Ausmus will spend the next two seasons playing for the U.S. National Development Program in Ann Arbor, Michigan.  Just last week DU received another commitment from Connor Chatham who will be a teammate of Ausmus for the next two seasons in Ann Arbor.

Ausmus is described as a shutdown defenseman who can handle the puck, makes outlet passes and gets the puck out of the zone

So how did the Pioneers land this elite defensive prospect?  One clue may be former University of Denver captain Judd Stauss [1998-01] who is from East Grand Forks, MN and volunteered his time with Ausmus' bantam team in recent seasons.

According to the Herald, Ausmus selected DU for several reasons. “I’m very excited. I love the town [Denver] and I’ve always kind of wanted to get away from East Grand Forks and try something new, and that’s what I’m doing.”

Ausmus selected DU after visiting UND, Minnesota-Duluth and Minnesota.

2011 Recruiting Class
D Scott Mayfield (Youngstown, USHL)
F Zac Larraza (U.S. Under-18)
D Joey LaLeggia (Penticton Vees, BCHL)
F Larkin Jacobson (Janesville Jets, NAHL)
D-F Wade Bennett (Wichita Falls, NAHL)
F Matt Tabrum (Omaha, USHL)
D Josiah Didier (Cedar Rapids, USHL)
F Daniel Doremus (Sioux Falls, USHL)
G Juho Olkinuora (Sioux Falls, USHL)
F Ty Loney (Youngstown, USHL)

2012 Recruiting Class
F Tyler Pham (Indiana Ice, USHL)
D Dakota Mermis (U.S. Under-18)
D Matt Van Voorhis (Sioux Falls, USHL)
F Garrett Allen (Unknown)
D Nolan Zajac (Cedar Rapids, USHL)

2013 Recruiting Class
F Brad Hawkinson (Lincoln Stars, USHL)
F Landon Smith (Cedar Rapids, USHL)
F Connor Chatham (U.S. Under-17)
D Gage Ausmus (U.S. Under-17)

2014 Recruiting Class
F Jared Fiegl (Colorado Rampage, U-16)

Connor Chatham Commits To University Of Denver

Already wearing DU swag

According to Chris Hiesenberg's Website, Connor Chatham (6'2 185 lbs) has given a verbal commitment to the University of Denver.  Chatham is from Shiloh, Illinois and is yet another product of the St. Louis Blues AAA program.  He is described as a big, strong power forward.

Chatham will play the next two seasons for the U.S. National Development Program in Ann Arbor, Michigan. In May he was drafted in the 5th Round of the OHL Draft by the Plymouth Whalers, but it appears that he will now take the college route.

NHL Central Scouting provided the following analysis.

“Chatham is a big bodied right winger who has missed a majority of this season with a shoulder injury, surgery and subsequent rehabilitation. Chatham possesses a very good and attractive collection of physical tools. He has legitimate size, he is an above average skater and he possesses a real good stick, especially his ability to finish. He has a very smooth and effective stride, and when he is moving his feet he shows some real high end speed and quickness. He uses his speed to skate up and down his wing, working himself into the open ice while supporting the play.”

Other St. Louis area players that have played at DU in recent seasons include Paul Stastny, Chris Butler, David Makowski & Jarrod Mermis.  Scott Mayfield will be a Freshman this season and Jarrod's younger brother Dakota Mermis will arrive in 2012.

2011 Recruiting Class
D Scott Mayfield (Youngstown, USHL)
F Zac Larraza (U.S. Under-18)
D Joey LaLeggia (Penticton Vees, BCHL)
F Larkin Jacobson (Janesville Jets, NAHL)
D-F Wade Bennett (Wichita Falls, NAHL)
F Matt Tabrum (Omaha, USHL)
D Josiah Didier (Cedar Rapids, USHL)
F Daniel Doremus (Sioux Falls, USHL)
G Juho Olkinuora (Sioux Falls, USHL)
F Ty Loney (Youngstown, USHL)

2012 Recruiting Class
F Tyler Pham (Indiana Ice, USHL)
D Dakota Mermis (U.S. Under-18)
D Matt Van Voorhis (Sioux Falls, USHL)
F Garrett Allen (Unknown)
D Nolan Zajac (Cedar Rapids, USHL)

2013 Recruiting Class
F Brad Hawkinson (Colorado Thunderbirds U-18)
F Landon Smith (Colorado Thunderbirds U-18)
F Connor Chatham (U.S. Under-17)

2014 Recruiting Class
F Jared Fiegl (Colorado Rampage, U-16)