Augustana recruit/former Thunderhawk Joey Delgreco named NAHL MVP and Rookie of the Year

Editor's note: This story was updated on at 3:57 p.m. May 11.

Augustana University men's hockey recruit Joey Delgreco, a former Grand Rapids High School star, has been named the North American Hockey League's Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year on Thursday, May 11. Another Augustana recruit has earned top honors for a goalie in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League.

Delgreco, a 19-year-old forward from Grand Rapids, Minn., was third in the NAHL in assists (47), third in points (69), tied for third in power-play assists (20) and was tied for ninth in plus/minus (plus-27) in 58 regular season games. He led NAHL rookies in assists and points. He had 13 more assists than the next rookie in the league.

Delgreco, an All-NAHL First Team pick, led the Oklahoma Warriors to the best record in the league (44-14-1-1, 90 points) during the regular season. Oklahoma has a 2-0 lead over the Shreveport Mudbugs in the best-of-five South Division championship series. The Warriors can wrap up the series with a win at 7:11 p.m. Friday in Shreveport.

NAHL

Combination of reuniting with Grand Rapids teammates, Augustana coach convince forward to commit to Vikings

Joey DelGreco is the third former Grand Rapids player to verbally commit to play for the new NCAA Division I program.

December 02, 2022 03:33 PM

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By  Mick Hatten

Delgreco is tied for fourth in points (7) in the NAHL playoffs in five games. Delgreco was a top 10 finalist for Mr. Hockey in Minnesota as a senior at Grand Rapids High School when he had 25 goals and 68 points in 28 games for the Thunderhawks.

He verbally committed to the Vikings in November.

Augustana recruit Josh Kotai was named the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League Goaltender of the Year.

Kotai, a 20-year-old from Abbotsford, British Columbia, led the league in wins (32), goals-against average (2.39) and save percentage (.935) in 39 regular season games. His three shutouts were tied for third in the league.

In the playoffs, Kotai, who is listed at 6-foot-2 and 175 pounds, went 12-1 with a 1.72 GAA, .945 save percentage and three shutouts in 13 games. He helped the Battlefords North Stars win the league's Canterra Seeds Cup as playoff champion.

In Canada, the playoffs do not end with the league championships. Battlefords will play for the Centennial Cup in Portage, Manitoba. The Centennial Cup is the Junior A national championship in Canada. Battlefords plays the Kam River Fighting Walleye in the opening round Thursday.

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Delgreco is not the lone Augustana recuit to be honored by the NAHL.

Will Howard, a 20-year-old forward from Grand Forks, was also named to the All-South Division First Team. Howard, playing in his third season with the New Mexico Ice Wolves, had a breakthrough season.

Howard tied for third in the NAHL in goals (32) and power-play goals (12), tied for second in game-winning goals (7) and had a team-leading 54 points and was a plus-21 in 60 games. The Ice Wolves finished one point out of the playoffs.

As a rookie in the NAHL in 2020-21, Howard had two goals, four points and was a minus-12 in 31 games. His second season, he had 18 goals and 42 points in 56 games and helped New Mexico reach the Robertson Cup semifinals.

Here is some more perspective on Howard's big season: as a senior for Grand Forks Central High School, he had 12 goals and 32 points in 27 games.

CCHA

Former Grand Forks Central forward Will Howard's stock continues to rise, commits to Augustana

The 20-year-old is in his third season playing for the New Mexico Ice Wolves of the NAHL. His father, Tarek Howard, played defense for the University of North Dakota from 1983-87.

October 11, 2022 04:51 PM

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By  Mick Hatten

Howard committed to Augustana in October.

Another Augustana recruit and former Grand Rapids High School alum, Hunter Bischoff, has helped the Youngstown Phantoms reach the United States Hockey League's Clark Cup Finals.

Bishoff, a 20-year-old forward from Cohasset, Minn., had four goals, 10 points and was a plus-4 in 55 regular season games for Youngstown. He has played in six playoff games for Youngstown, which advanced to the Clark Cup Finals with an overtime win Tuesday.

Bischoff is no stranger to juniors playoff success in the postseason. He helped the Anchorage Wolverines reach the NAHL's Robertson Cup championship game last season.

In June, Bischoff became the first player to verbally commit to play for Augustana, which will play its inaugural season in 2023-24.

Contributed

Augustana recruit Brett Meerman had a big season for the Blackfalds Bulldogs in the Alberta Junior Hockey League.

Meerman, a 21-year-old forward from Blackfalds, Alberta, finished second in the AJHL in assists (64) and points (94), fourth in power-play assists (31), sixth in power-play goals (14) and tied for ninth in goals (30) in 60 regular season games.

CCHA

Alberta forward verbally commits to Augustana, can bring vital intangible to Sioux Falls

Brett Meerman played for the expansion Blackfalds Bulldogs in the Alberta Junior Hockey League last season. He is tied for the league lead in points (17) and leads it in power-play assists (8) through 10 games.

October 12, 2022 03:34 PM

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By  Mick Hatten

Meerman also had six goals and 15 points in 16 playoff games for the Bulldogs, who reached the South Division Finals.

Meerman committed to the Vikings in October.