FERRIS STATE HOCKEY WELCOMES TALENTED RECRUITING CLASS

2002-03 CCHA Champions Add Six More To Eight-Member Freshmen Group

The Ferris State University men’s ice hockey program, which captured its first-ever Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) Regular-Season Championship this season, has received commitments from six individuals this spring to attend and compete in ice hockey at FSU, starting with the 2003-04 campaign. The announcement was made by 11th-year head coach Bob Daniels.

The six-member group will join forwards Mark Bomersback (Rochester, Alberta), the 2002-03 RBC Financial Group Canadian Junior “A” Hockey League Player of the Year, and Matt Rutkowski (Sterling Heights). The pair both inked with the Bulldogs during November’s early-signing period.

Ferris State Head Coach Bob Daniels Has Landed Another Talented Recruiting Class Which Features Five Forwards and Three Defensemen.(Mark Hicks/Westside Photo)

Comprising this spring’s freshmen group are forwards Zac Pearson (White Lake), Matt Verdone (Summerstown, Ontario) and Eric Vesely (Woodstock, Ill.) along with defensemen Giovanni Flamminio (Prince Albert, Saskatchewan), Jim Jensen (Maplewood, Minn.) and Joe Van Culin (Monticello, Minn.).

“We’re extremely excited about this group of young men,” said Daniels. “This is another recruiting class based upon speed and skill that fits with our recruiting theme over the last five seasons. I believe this group of recruits reflects positively on the success we experienced this season and as a result, we’re starting to get a great jump on next year’s recruiting class.”

A 6-0, 185-pound defenseman, Flamminio competed this season for the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League’s (SJHL) Kindersley (Saskatchewan) Klippers. In 59 games, Flamminio racked up 62 points on 17 goals and 45 assists. He finished third best among the SJHL’s top scoring defensemen while his season’s assist total was 15th highest in the league. Flamminio, who ranked fourth in team scoring this campaign, helped the Klippers claim the SJHL Championship title in the 2001-02 season.

“Gio is talented offensively and has the ability to play solid defense,” Daniels said. “He distributes the puck well and possesses the offensive capabilities to run a power play.”

Jensen, a 6-0, 185-pound defenseman, comes to the Bulldogs from the Waterloo (Iowa) BlackHawks of the United States Hockey League (USHL). He totaled 14 points (15th in team scoring) with one goal and 13 assists in 41 contests for the 2002-03 campaign. Following his first season with Waterloo (2001-02), Jensen served as captain of the North American Selects, which won the bronze medal in Finland. He was also chosen to the all-tournament team in Finland.

“Jim is a tough, aggressive type who brings a physical presence to the team,” stated Daniels. “He should quickly adapt to the collegiate game and will also benefit us in the locker room because of his enthusiasm and intensity. Jim is also an excellent, powerful skater.”

Pearson, a 5-11, 180-pound forward, skated for the USHL’s Cedar Rapids (Iowa) RoughRiders this past campaign. He placed fourth among the squad’s top points leaders with 35 on 15 goals and 20 assists in 59 outings as the RoughRiders placed second in the USHL’s East Division while making their third straight league playoff appearance.

“Zac is fundamentally all-around player with a solid skill package,” said Daniels. “He skates well and his offensive instincts are good.”

Van Culin, a 5-10, 185-pound forward, garnered second-team All-America West Hockey League (AWHL) honors this past season as a member of the Wichita Falls (Texas) Rustlers. He tallied 13 goals, which was third best goal total in the AWHL, and added 22 assists for 35 total points to rank fifth among the league’s defensemen in points production. Van Culin was also presented with the team’s United Regional Health Care System Community Service Award for his commitment to community involvement.

“Joe is a team-oriented type individual which no program can ever have enough of,” Daniels said. “He brings a strong combination of good skating ability with solid puck-handling skills.”

Verdone, a 6-0, 190-pounder, continues a list of recruits from the Central Junior A Hockey League’s (CJHL) Cornwall (Ontario) Colts to join the Ferris State program as fellow Cornwall alumni Jeff Legue and Tim Vokey are current Bulldog skaters. Verdone is coming off a productive season in which the forward ranked second in both team and league scoring as a result of accumulating 110 points on 39 goals and 71 assists in 55 games. He played an integral role in helping the Colts register a 31-13-11 overall record, which included a second-place finish in the CJHL’s Robinson Division.

“Matt is a hard-nosed two-way player,” stated Daniels. “He very strong on his skates and should be physically ready to step into the lineup this fall.”

Rounding out the group is Vesely, a 5-11, 185-pound forward, who skated for the now defunct Topeka (Kan.) ScareCrows of the USHL in 2002-03. This season, Vesely produced 29 points with 12 goals and 17 assists in 60 contests as the ScareCrows finished second place in the USHL’s West Division with a 36-17-7 overall mark.

“Eric provides us with depth at the forward position and will vie for ice time,” said Daniels. “He displays good skills on the ice and upgrades our team speed.”

Ferris State produced its best season ever in the program’s 25-year NCAA Division I history in the 2002-03 campaign with a school-record 31-10-1 overall, which included a first-place 22-5-1 CCHA mark and its initial CCHA Regular-Season Championship title. FSU also advanced to the NCAA Championship Tournament’s West Regional title game in its first-ever NCAA Tourney appearance.

2002-03 Ferris State Hockey Recruits

Name, Position Hometown

Mark Bomersback, Forward Rochester, Alberta
5-10, 180 lbs., Shoots: Left, Date of Birth: 7/8/82
2002-03 team: Canmore Eagles, Alberta Junior Hockey League

Giovanni Flamminio, Defenseman Prince Albert, Saskatchewan
6-0, 185 lbs., Shoots: Right, Date of Birth: 2/3/84
2002-03 team: Kindersly Klippers, Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League

Jim Jensen, Defenseman Maplewood, Minn.
6-0, 185 lbs., Shoots: Right, Date of Birth: 7/1/84
2002-03 team: Waterloo BlackHawks, United States Hockey League

Zac Pearson, Forward White Lake, Mich.
5-11, 180 lbs., Shoots: Left, Date of Birth: 2/27/84
2002-03 team: Cedar Rapids RoughRiders, United States Hockey League

Matt Rutkowski, Forward Sterling Heights, Mich.
5-11, 174 lbs., Shoots: Left, Date of Birth: 5/24/82
2002-03 team: Compuware Ambassadors, North American Hockey League

Joe Van Culin, Defenseman Monticello, Minn.
5-10, 185 lbs., Shoots: Left, Date of Birth: 6/6/82
2002-03 team: Wichita Falls Rustlers, America West Hockey League

Matt Verdone, Forward Summerstown, Ontario
6-0, 190 lbs., Shoots: Left, Date of Birth: 2/18/83
2002-03 team: Cornwall Colts, Central Junior A Hockey League

Eric Vesely, Forward Woodstock, Ill.
5-11, 185 lbs., Shoots: Left, Date of Birth: 2/13/82
2002-03 team: Topeka ScareCrows, United States Hockey League