FERRIS STATE HOCKEY BRINGING IN ANOTHER TALENTED RECRUIT

Brendan Connolly Becomes Eighth Member Of Bulldogs' Incoming Class

Forward Brendan Connolly (Canmore, Alberta) is the newest addition to the Ferris State University men’s ice hockey program after committing to attend and play hockey for the Bulldogs starting with the 2005-06 campaign. The announcement was made by 14th-year head coach Bob Daniels.

The 5-8, 165-pound Connolly will join Ferris after spending the last two seasons (2003-04 and 2004-05) with the Brooks (Alberta) Bandits of the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL). The left-handed shot registered a team-leading 84 points with 31 goals and 53 assists in 58 contests this season as the Bandits compiled a 36-26-2 overall record for 74 points in the AJHL’s South Division. The mark represented the program’s best ever and was good for second place in the South Division. Brooks, coached by 2005 AJHL Coach of the Year Kevin Higo, also made its first AJHL Playoff appearance in five years and was eliminated in the tourney's semifinal round by 2005 AJHL Champions the Camrose (Alberta) Kodiaks.

With the addition of Brendan Connolly, Ferris State head coach Bob Daniels will have at least eight new players on the 2005-06 Bulldogs' roster.

Connolly, whose 84 points total this season was fourth highest among the AJHL scoring leaders, tallied 10 power play goals to go with one short-handed marker and three game-winning lamplighters in the 2004-05 season. He also accumulated a team-high 210 minutes in penalties. A 2004-05 AJHL All-Star Game participant, Connolly was presented with an award as the Bandits’ top scorer and was one of six recipients for the the team’s Source For Sports Winners Award.

“We’re excited in being able to add a player of Brendan's caliber this late in the recruiting season,” said Daniels, the school’s all-time winningest coach. “He’s a quick, skilled player that really plays on the edge. We hope he can provide some offense this upcoming season.”

With Connolly in the fold, the Bulldogs now have eight new faces on the 2005-06 squad with goaltender Mitch O’Keefe (Almont, Ontario), forwards Cory Couturier (Traverse City), Justin Lewandowski (Naperville, Ill.), Dan Riedel (Rochester Hills), and J.T. Dahlinger (Windsor, Ontario) along with defensemen Chris Zarb (Waterford) and Evan Case (Grosse Pointe Woods).

Ferris State notched a 13-22-4 overall record in the 2004-05 season with a 7-17-4 Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) mark.

Name, Position Hometown

Brendan Connolly, Forward Canmore, Alberta
5-8, 165 lbs., Shoots: Left, Date of Birth: 9/15/85
2004-05 team: Brooks Bandits, Alberta Junior Hockey League