The Ohio club hockey team has finished preparations for the upcoming season and the squad has made some adjustments with the new roster additions.
“Everything’s good, we’re trying to get better every day,” Ohio coach Dan Morris said. “We have 14 new players, so we’ve been trying to get them up to speed.”
Five new additions bring depth to the blue line this season. These key defensive additions have coach Morris optimistic about what’s to come this year.
“We have incoming junior Paul Sergi transferring from Canada — a bigger player with offensive skills,” Morris said. “Sophomore Tyler Benson coming from the University of Central Oklahoma is 6 foot 3 (inches), so a bigger player, and good with the puck. We have three returning players and two transfer students, so we’re pretty happy with what we have on defense.”
Two of the newest members to the team, defenseman James Hubbard and goalie Matt Michno, are also two of the oldest, aged 24 and 22, respectively.
Despite the fact that this season is the first that each will play for Ohio, both players have had an easy time connecting with their younger teammates and, according to Michno, both “have a certain calmness about them,” a subtle trait that should help to strengthen the defensive end even further. Michno says that he looks forward to what the season has in store for him and the team.
“James and I have enjoyed the ‘old men’ titles,” Michno said. “We’re both playing here for the first time so we’re experiencing it all together. I’m ecstatic to get this season going and chase a national title with these boys.”
On the offensive end, the Bobcats will have to find the answers to fill the hole left by Michael Schultz, who led the team in scoring during the 2011-2012 campaign. Morris believes that the strengths the team has in other areas will compensate for the loss.
“It’s hard to find somebody to replace him. The good thing is that we have two forwards on our top two lines returning, and we’re bringing back our two starting goalies, which is always a positive,” Morris said.
The Bobcats start the season this weekend with a two-match series against the John Carroll Blue Streaks, the first of which will begin 7:30 p.m. Friday in Bird Arena.
jd202409@ohiou.edu
