Eight Muskegon Lumberjacks players sign National Letters of Intent, commit to college hockey programs

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By @MichaelCaples –

Yesterday, the Muskegon Lumberjacks officially announced that eight of their players have signed National Letters of Intent to commit to college hockey programs across the country.

Ryker Killins (Ferris State), Joseph Cecconi (Michigan), Christian Wolanin (North Dakota), Jack Rowe (North Dakota), Matheson Iacopelli (Western Michigan), Griffen Molino (Western Michigan), Mason Jobst (Ohio State) and Tommy Marchin (Brown) all committed to college programs at the start of the national signing period.

Iacopelli, a Brownstown native, and Molino, a Trenton native, will be playing together once again when they head to Kalamazoo next year.

“Being a Michigan native, I grew up watching all of the Michigan hockey teams, and it was a dream come true when Western Michigan offered me last year,” Molino said in a release.  “The atmosphere (at Lawson Ice Arena) is great along with the coaching staff, and the facilities and campus are top-notch, so it was an easy decision for me.”

Meanwhile, Wolanin will be leaving the state for his college experience. The Rochester native said he’s excited to join the storied North Dakota program in the fall of 2015.

“The campus and hockey facilities are unbelievable, and Ralph Engelstad Arena pretty much speaks for itself as being one of the premier college hockey venues in the country,” Wolanin said. “The coaching staff was honest, straightforward, trustworthy, and got off on the right foot with my father and I, and that’s all you can ask for when taking your official visit as a recruit.  In the end, I wanted to contribute and be a part of the storied history that the North Dakota hockey program possesses.”

Marchin, an Algonac native, will be heading east for the Brown program.

“I’ve always wanted to go to an Ivy League school, and that’s why I prided myself in getting good grades during high school to go to an institution like this with the academics that they have to offer,” he said.  “Their hockey program continues to be on the upswing, and the coaching staff is a bunch of great guys that are genuinely interested in me, which I like a lot.”

Cecconi and Killins are two current Michigan residents that won’t be leaving the Mitten state for a while. Killins noted the Bulldogs’ consistent success when commenting on his decision to commit to Ferris State.

“I chose to play for the Bulldogs because of their great coaching staff and the fact that they are steadily becoming one of the premier teams in college hockey year-in and year-out,” he said.

Meanwhile, Cecconi will be joining the Michigan Wolverines.

“I decided to commit to the University of Michigan because I felt that it was the right fit for me, and the coaching staff made me feel right at home when I took my official visit to Ann Arbor,” Cecconi said.  “I loved the campus setting that Ann Arbor had to offer, and the overall atmosphere that surrounds Michigan is one of the best in the entire country.”