U-M Announces Incoming Class for 2018-19 Season
8/10/2018 3:21:00 PM | Ice Hockey
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan ice hockey program announced the addition of 10 student-athletes for the 2018-19 academic year on Friday (Aug. 10).Â
The 10 newcomers, including five Michigan natives, will join 17 returners from the previous season. Included in the incoming class are two goaltenders, six forwards and two defenseman, which will complement the slew of talented returners that Maize and Blue bring back from the 2017-18 Frozen Four squad.
"We are excited about our incoming class," says associate head coach Bill Muckalt. "They are going to improve our depth at all positions and are going to be a big part of Michigan hockey moving forward. They are all good kids and we are excited to have them join our program."
"We have a big incoming class that is going to add depth and some keys pieces to our team in all positions," said assistant coach Brian Wiseman. "They are going to create some competitive depth for us and we are excited to get them on campus."
Forwards
Jimmy Lambert // Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
A 5-foot-11, 168-pound forward ... spent the last three seasons with the Vernon Vipers of the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL) ... in 2017-18 recorded 23 goals and 38 assists for 61 points in 55 regular-season games played ... in 2016-17, he had 19 goals and 29 assists for 48 points in 52 regular-season games ... in 2015-16, recorded 15 goals and 18 assists for 33 points in 49 regular-season games played ... before the Vipers, played for the Saskatoon Contacts in the Saskatchewan Midget AAA Hockey League (SMHL) from 2012 to 2015.
"Jimmy is a right wing that has good offensive ability with great vision on the ice. He is a smooth skater that is very creative on the ice with a lot of offensive awareness."
Nolan Moyle // Briarcliff Manor, N.Y.
A 6-foot-2, 183-pound forward ... spent the last two years playing for the Green Bay Gamblers of the United States Hockey League (USHL) ... In 2016-17, had 15 points, five goals, 10 assists in 59 games played ... in 2017-18, recorded 45 points, 19 goals, 26 assists in 57 games played) ... spent time on Victory Honda U16 in 2015-16, tallying 23 points (nine goals, 14 points) in 32 games.
"Nolan is a power forward who put up real good numbers this past season with Green Bay. He is a strong skater who is really going to solidify our depth on the wing."
Jack Olmstead // Troy, Mich.
A 5-foot-10, 165-pound forward ... last season played with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights of the North American Hockey League (NAHL) ... in 58 games with the Knights, had 53 points with 23 goals, 30 assists ... finished the year with an overall +20 rating ... during the 2017-18 season won NAHL (East) Forward of the Year, MVP, NAHL All-East Division rookie team, NAHL All-East Division team, NAHL all-rookie first team ... before joining Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, played for Little Ceasars U18 in 2016-17 and Oakland Jr. Grizzlies 18U in 2015-16, totaling 43 points (23 goals, 20 assists) in 39 games played between the two teams.
"Jack is a smart and skilled hockey player, who is very competitive on the ice. He had a real strong season last year in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. He is a local kid that's excited to be at Michigan and we are excited to have him here."
Jack Randl // Carpentersville, Ill.
A 5-foot-11, 185-pound forward ... spent the previous two seasons with the Omaha Lancers of the United States Hockey League (USHL) ... in 2017-18 with the Lancers, recorded 32 points (20 goals and 12 assists) in 49 games played and also recorded one goal in four playoff games ... in 2016-17, also with Omaha, recorded nine goals and 10 assists for 19 points in 59 games played ... in 2013-14, played for Chicago Mission Bantam Minor AAA where he recorded 40 points (23 goals, 17 assists) in 20 games played.
"Jack is a complete player who plays all 200 feet of the ice. He plays the game the right way, brings it every night, and can do a lot of things on the ice. He will play in a lot of situations for us and adds flexibility and can play a multiple of roles up front."
Garrett Van Wyhe // Seattle, Wash.
A 6-foot-2, 196-pound forward ... spent the 2017-18 season with the Fargo Force of the United States Hockey League (USHL) ... with the Force, had 23 regular season points (10 goals, 13 assists) and finished the regular season +19 ... tallied six points (three goals, three assists) in 14 games with the Force in the playoffs, en route to winning the Clark Cup Championship ... in 2016-17 played with the Muskegon Lumberjacks of the USHL and had nine goals and 12 assists for 21 points in 57 games ... in 2015-16, played in the NAHL with the Wichita Falls Wildcats where he recorded 30 points (12 goals and 18 assists) in 57 games with a +27 rating ... played with fellow incoming Wolverine Strauss Mann on the Fargo Force.
"Garrett is a consummate team player, heart and soul type of guy. Speed is a key attribute of Garrett's and he will help increase our overall team speed. He is excellent on the penalty kill and is good on draws - which is going to be very effective for us. He also has good defensive awareness with a nice touch around the net."
Defensemen
Nick Blankenburg // Washington, Mich.
A 5-foot-8, 152-pound forward ... spent the 2017-18 season with the Okotoks Oilers of the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL) where he recorded 16 goals and 26 assists for 42 points in 57 regular-season games ... recorded 12 points (six goals, six assists) in 15 playoff games ... named to the AJHL (South) All-Rookie Team in 2017-18 ... before the Oilers, played for Victory Honda U18 in 2016-17, registering 10 goals and 18 assists for 28 points in 32 regular-season games, en route to winning the T1EHL U18 Championship ... played at Romeo High School, recording 75 goals and 72 assists for 147 points in 83 games over a three-year span.
"Nick is a late-bloomer that had a tremendous season last year in Okotoks. He is a real competitor with good offensive instincts and a good puck-moving forward."
Jake Gingell // Gregory, Mich.
A 6-foot-1, 201-pound defenseman ... spent the last two seasons with the Youngstown Phantoms of the USHL where he recorded two goals and 13 assists for 15 points over 112 regular-season games played ... he also had an impressive +30 regular season rating as a member of the Phantoms ... over 16 playoff games, he recorded one goal and four assists as well as a +6 rating ... before joining the Phantoms, he played two full seasons with the Omaha Lancers of the USHL where he had three goals and nine assists with a +10 rating over two years with the ... he had a combined +40 rating in the USHL.
"Jake is real good character kid, who is a hard-nosed, shut down physical defenseman. He is going to be a glue guy for our program and especially with our defensive corps."
Jack Summers // Livonia, Mich.
A 5-foot-11, 181-pound defenseman ... spent the entire 2017-18 season with the Tri-City Storm of the USHL putting up 11 points in 58 games played with one goal and 10 assists ... he split time in 2016-17 between the Springfield Jr. Blues (NAHL) and the Tri-City Storm (USHL) ... with the Blues, he recorded six assists in 21 games played ... after moving to the Storm, he recorded one goal and four assists in 26 games played ... he played alongside fellow incoming Wolverine Nolan Moyle on Victory Honda U16 in 2015-16 where he recorded three goals and 12 assists in 32 regular-season games played ... Summers played under current Michigan associate head coach Bill Muckalt when Muckalt was head coach of the Tri-City Storm.
"Jack skates really well and makes a great outlet passes out of the defensive zone. He is a puck-moving defenseman that is solid in both ends of the ice. He is also a local product that we are excited about his interest in Michigan and happy to be able to get him here on campus."
Goaltenders
Strauss Mann // Greenwich, Conn.
A six-foot, 174-pound goaltender ... spent 2017-18 with the Fargo Force of the USHL where he put up a 1.86 goals against average and a .932 save percentage while playing alongside fellow wolverine commit Garrett Van Wyhe ... during the playoffs with the Fargo Force, he recorded a 2.09 GAA and .932 save percentage ... spent 2015-2017 with the Brunswick School, a United States preparatory high school, where he recorded a combined 1.77 GAA and .940 save percentage over two years and 30 games played ... during the 2016-17 season, he was named to the US High School First Team All-New England Team (West) ... during the 2017-18 season, he won the USHL Clark Cup and was named to the USHL Third All-Star Team.
"Strauss had a tremendous season in Fargo and is coming in with a winning pedigree both in midget and junior hockey. He is a tremendous competitor and battles, with similarities to a young Marty Turco. He knows how to win and loves to compete, and is cool and poised just like Turco was."
Jack Leavy // Birmingham, Mich.
A 6-foot-5, 205-pound goaltender ... He played this last season with Johnstown Tomahawks, Minnesota Wilderness, and Philadelphia Rebels of the North American Hockey League (NAHL) ... With the Tomahawks, played in 24 games and recorded a 2.82 GAA and .914 save percentage ... With the Wilderness, played in one game and recorded a 6.00 GAA and .778 save percentage ... With the Rebels, played in two games and recorded a 1.50 GAA and .933 save percentage ... In 2016-17, played for the Aston Rebels of the NAHL and recorded a GAA of 1.82 and save percentage of .921 in 20 regular-season games ... In the playoffs with Aston, earned a 2.58 GAA with a .865 save percentage in three games played ... Was named to the NAHL All-East Rookie Team in 2016-17.
"Jack is a big solid goaltender who had success in NAHL. He is experienced and will provide us great depth at the position."
Season Tickets
Season tickets for 2018-19 are on-sale now starting as low as $340 per seat. Benefits include: price discount, concession discount, priority access to postseason ticketing, priority points and a season-ticket holder gift. [ Learn More ]
