Colton Hargrove announces NCAA Committment to Western Michigan University



Colton Hargrove sending a slap shot in a recent game. Photo from the Fargo Force Staff

The Fargo Force has announced the 3rd NCAA Commitment from a DFW Based Player this season yesterday when Fargo Force Forward Colton Hargrove announced his commitment to Western Michigan University which competes in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA). Hargrove is in the middle of his 2nd season for the Force in the USHL as he has been a part of the top line which also includes Austin Farley (Minnesota-Duluth) & Bryn Chyzyk (North Dakota).

Hargrove is known for his hard nosed style of play where he brings a physical component and an improving scoring touch over the course of the season since he went scoreless during his first 7 games of the season. However, since the Christmas Break he has registered just over half of his 23 points in 34 total games played this season. He's also is tied for 2nd in assist for the team Willie Corin with 14 assists, in addition to his strong assist totals, he also has registered 9 goals with 67 Penalty Minutes and a Plus/Minus Rating of +3 so far this season.

When it came time for Hargrove to announce his decision, it came down to Western Michigan & Minnesota-Duluth and choose Western Michigan he had high praise for WMU Head Coach Andy Murray. "I made my decision because of the coaching staff at WMU and it's a good school. They are going to have a great team the next few years and I can't wait to play there," Said Hargrove when talking about his decision. "It felt good to get the commitment finally," Said Hargrove. "Now I can stop worrying about that and worry about playing my game."

Western Michigan has gone from being a doormat to an emerging power in the CCHA in recent years. Last year the Broncos reached the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1996 and nearly upset the Denver Pioneers by pushing Denver to Double OT before eventually losing 3-2 which it turned out to be the only Multiple OT Game during the NCAA Tournament last season. They also were able reach the CCHA Conference Championship game for the 1st time since 1986 when they lost to the Miami (OH) University Redhawks 5-2 in the Conference Title Game as well.

The Broncos are in the midst of a very impressive season as the Broncos are in a very intense fight as the gap from the Conference Leading Miami (OH) Redhawks to 5th Place Lake Superior Lakers is just 2 points right now. And will be looking to fight it out for Home Ice Advantage in the Quarterfinals and get the best possible seeding for the CCHA Championship Weekend when it takes place March 16 & 17 at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit. Western Michigan will be a part of the CCHA for the rest of next season and next year.

But starting in the 2013-2014 season, the Broncos will join the newly created National Collegaite Hockey Conference with fellow CCHA Member Miami (OH) University; along with a half a dozen current WCHA Members Colorado College, University of Denver, Minnesota-Duluth, Nebraska-Omaha, North Dakota & St. Cloud State. The Conference recently confirmed that the 1st season will have these 8 teams, however, they has been no word about when or if new teams will be added in the near future.

With the NCAA Commitment now out of the way for Hargrove, his next goal will be to finish the regular season strong and help the Force go deep in the playoffs. Currently, Fargo sits 4th in the Western Conference just 1 point back of 3rd Place Waterloo (42) and 3 points back of 2nd Place Lincoln (44). The battle for 2nd is huge because the top 2 seeds in the USHL Playoffs get a 1st Round Bye and earn guaranteed home ice in the USHL Division Semifinals.

Last year, the Force were able to sweep the Lincoln Stars in the best of 3 first round, but that was before the defending USHL Champion Dubuque Fighting Saints sweep ed them during the West Division Semifinals in 3 games straight. In their short history, the Force have been able to get the USHL Championship Series twice in their 3 years in the USHL History. During their inaugural season in 2008-2009 finished 3rd in the Western Conference during the regular season, then in the playoffs, the Force defeated the Omaha Lancers & Lincoln Stars on route to the Clark Cup Championship Series before losing to Indiana in 4 games.

2010 brought similar results by finishing 2nd in the Regular Season and getting back to the Clark Cup Championship by beating Sioux Falls & Omaha in the Western Conference Playoffs. Then lost in a very tough 5 game series to the Green Bay Gamblers. The 2010 playoffs were even more impressive as they went through 2 huge buzz saws of teams in the Omaha Lancers in the Western Conference Final & the Green Gamblers in the league championship series who ran away with the top seed in their conferences during the 2009-2010 regular season.

Hargrove joins Duggie Lagrone (Des Moines Buccaneers/Colorado College Commitment) & Jacob Fallon (Indiana Ice/Univ. of Vermont Commitment) as the 3rd DFW Based Player to make his NCAA Hockey Commitment this season in which are all are USHL Players. Other DFW Area Players to possibly keep an eye on include Robert Nichols (Wenatchee Wild) who's been among the NAHL's Best Goalies this year which included being named the NAHL Goalie of the Month for January just yesterday for instance. Also, The Woodlands Native Matt Tyson has had a strong season for the Alberta Junior Hockey League's (AJHL) Brooks Bandits who's been a great enforcer for the Bandits this season helping them reach the #1 Seed for the upcoming AJHL Playoffs that start later this month.

Ft. Worth Native commits to the University of Alaska

It's been a busy day for Southwest Prospects here today.

In addition to Colin Jacobs being ranked 10th by Central Scouting, our first Southwest NCAA Commit of the 2010-2011 season was announced today by the Topeka Roadrunners as Ft. Worth Native Michael Hill is announcing that he will attend the University of Alaska.

Hill is having another strong season despite not attending to go to the Waterloo Blackhawks who selected him in the top 5 of the USHL Entry Draft last spring. So far this season, he is in the top 5 in scoring league wide with 29 points (16G 13A) in 18 games played so far.

For his career in the NAHL, this is his 2nd full season in the NAHL where he scored 84 points in 63 games played and has Topeka get to the edge of the South Division Title and a Robertson Cup Spot when the Roadrunners lost to the St. Louis Bandits in 4 games last season.

He will start playing for the Nanooks which suprisly is in the CCHA and not in the WCHA where they in-state rival Alaska-Anchorage is located.

However, he will play out the rest of this season which will include a trip to the NAHL Top Prospects Tournament next month in Boston and with the team hosting the NAHL Robertson Cup Tournament this season, he will have a shot for sure to win the League Championship this season.

Currently the Roadrunners sit in 4th Place in the NAHL South Division with a record of 11-5-2 (24 Points) as the team sits just 1 point behind Amarillo and 4 points back of Wichita Falls as the rest of the South is looking to chase down the Tornado who's on a 14 game winning streak and has a league best 16-2-3.

Currently, the Alaska Nanooks are currently in 4th place in the CCHA with a 7-4-1 record (4-3-1 in Conference) and have traditionally been the stronger of the two college hockey teams in Alaska over the course of their history.

Congrats to Hill on this decision to head to the Last Frontier to play his College Hockey Career and he will be the 6th player from the Southwest to play in the CCHA if you count Ryan Daugherty who's currently with the Omaha Lancers (USHL) who committed to start playing at Northern Michigan next season.

He joins Chris Brown and Jacob Fallon (Michigan Wolverines) as well as CJ Ludwig and Erik Higby (Northern Michigan Wildcats) who also played for the Topeka Roadrunners last season when he won the NAHL Scoring & Player of the Year Title's last season.


Michael Hill Profile

Topeka Roadrunners Website

Alaska Nanooks Hockey Website

From the Topeka Roadrunners Website

In his second season as a Roadrunner, team captain and leading scorer Michael Hill has committed to play his Division 1 College Career at the University of Alaska-Fairbanks beginning in Fall of 2011.

His junior career began in Wichita Falls with the Wildcats in 2008-09, but he played only 12 games before choosing to leave the program. "I just never felt comfortable, never felt like I fit in there," Hill said of his time with the Wildcats. He had a modest two goals and three assists, but had caught the attention of Topeka Roadrunners head scout Tom Kelly, who had kept tabs on Hill as he played the rest of the season with the Dallas Stars Midget Team. The following season he easily made the Roadrunners roster and went on to score 31 goals, most on the team.

This season he was named team captain after spurning the USHL despite being a first round draft pick by the Waterloo Blackhawks. He has responded by producing at a torrid pace, leading the team with 29 points (16 Goals and 13 Assists). Now he has been rewarded with a Division 1 College Deal that he once listed as a short term goal. Getting it secured early in his final season of juniors is a blessing. "It's a huge relief, Hill said after Monday's practice. "Now I can focus on helping this team reach our collective goals."

Being named captain has been an honor, one that Hill regards with due reverence. "Topeka has a strong lineage of the captaincy and I hope live up to the expectations. "Though he doesn't view himself as a loud vocal leader," he says, "I try to treat everyone the same. Being a captain hasn't changed who I'm, how I prepare myself or how I deal with my teammates."

Roadrunners Head Coach/GM Scott Langer says, "Michael's every day work ethic is contagious. Most people see him for his ability to score goals, but he brings so much more to the ice then that." He added, "The Coaching Staff at UAF is well respected and will do a tremendous job in Michael grow as a player."

Hill plans to major in either physical therapy or kinesiology. With his junior resume, he had a few options to consider but choose UAF. "It wasn't easy", Hill said of the decision. "In the end, it was just like when I choose to return to Topeka. They really made me feel wanted and appreciated." He credits his family for providing support throughout the entire process.

"I've had a lot of big choices to make and they have helped me out so much. I'm grateful to have a strong support system at home. "Living life in the Alaskan interior is quite a departure from Ft. Worth, Texas, or Topeka, KS for that matter, but its unfazed. "I've been there before. Yeah, it's pretty cold but i'm not planning to be outside much a whole lot. I'll be there for school and hockey.

After College, Hill envisions a couple of different possible career paths. "I'd love to play hockey professionally, so we'll see what opportunities arise. If not, I will have a degree and a head start on a good career." There is one other facet he may choose to explore. "I might be interested in coaching hockey. We'll see what happens." He's had some really solid role models to inspire him in that direction during his time in Topeka. "Smacks (Scott Langer) and (assistant coach) R.J. (Enga) are the main reasons I came back to Topeka. I trusted them help advance my career and they did everything they said they would." He added, "They're the best coaches I've played for."

Playing for his coaches has been part of what fuels Michael Hill, but playing for his teammates, fans, and family is what he lists as his most rewarding part of playing junior hockey. As he continues with his follow Roadrunners in their quest for the Robertson Cup, the fans in Topeka can enjoy watching another young man entertains them with his skills as he grows before there very eyes.

Hill is the second Roadrunner from this years roster to secure his college commitment, joining Rasmus Tirronen who last month committed to Merrimack University. The Alaska Nanooks play in the CCHA. Hill will join another former Roadrunner, Aaron Gens who will be a senior at UAF next season. Hill and Tirronen are both slated to play in next months top prospect tournament in Warpole, Mass.

Texas Tornado Preseason & Rigatti committs to Robert Morris University

Texas Tornado Pre-Season

The Texas Tornado announced last week that the team will play 3 pre-season games as the team prepares for the 2010-2011 season which starts on September 15 at the NAHL Blaine Showcase up in Minnesota as the Tornado will play their South Division Rival Wichita Falls Wildcats on September 4 (Saturday Before Labor Day).


The next weekend will bring the Oklahoma Sooners Club Team to Frisco for the 2nd straight year. The Oklahoma Sooners have been a very strong team in the American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA) Division 1 over the last few years including several top 10 national rankings in the ACHA.

Oklahoma is not only here to start their season on September 16, but also to promote the team and educate hockey players to let hockey players know of the OU Hockey Team and other teams that play in the ACHA For Junior & High School Players that didn't get a NCAA Scholarship.



Oklahoma's Season starts on September 16 with a home-and-home series against Central Oklahoma University who themselves made the ACHA Division 1 Tournament back in 2009. Other teams that play Club Hockey in the ACHA include the University of Texas, Texas A&M, North Texas and SMU. Most of these teams play at Division 2 while Oklahoma & Central Oklahoma are the only teams at the Division 1 Level right now.


They will a pair of contests against the Sooners on September 10 & 11 which is the weekend before the Blaine Showcase which starts on September 15.


BTW: The Oklahoma University Hockey Team was ranked 9th in the nation last year in the ACHA Division 1 will start their season on September 16 with a home-and-home series against Central Oklahoma University.


Tornado fans that buy Season Tickets for the 2010-2011 season will get these 3 pre-season games to go along with them. So no need to buy tickets for Season Ticket Holders, for everybody else, the ticket prices will range from $10-$17. For more info on Texas Tornado Season Tickets, you can stop by the Texas Tornado Offices or call 972-335-9800 for more details and info.



Texas Tornado Pre-Season Schedule


9/4: VS. Wichita Falls Wildcats 7:30 PM


9/10: VS. Oklahoma University (ACHA DIV 1) 7:30 PM


9/11: VS. Oklahoma University (ACHA DIV 1) 7:30 PM



Oklahoma Sooners Hockey


Oklahoma Sooners Hockey Schedule

American Collegiate Hockey Association




David Ragatti commits to Robert Morris University


Recently, Texas Tornado have announced that forward David Ragatti will be heading to play hockey in his home town of Pittsburgh at Robert Morris University starting in the 2011-2012 season. "To be going back home to play Division 1 College Hockey is a dream come true," who grew up and around Pittsburgh before coming to play for the Tornado back last year where he played in all 58 games scoring 23 points (11G 12A).


The rugged forward is looking to use the 2010-2011 season as prep to get ready to play for Robert Morris as he looks to increase both his physical presence and looks to add a few more points on the board for the 6'0" 185 pound forward.


One place where he was very strong was on the PP where he had 7 of his 23 points came from including 4 power play goals, he also had a game winner back in October where a goal helped the Tornado win an early season contest against the Wichita Falls Wildcats.


Unfortunately in 5 playoff games last year, he didn't produce a single point and had some sub par performances where the Tornado came within 1 win of upsetting the former 3 time NAHL Robertson Cup Champion St. Louis Bandits.


Then in Game 5 of the Division Semifinal Series, the Tornado came within 12 seconds of advancing to the 2nd Round when Jordan Bourgonje scored with an extra attacker with just 12 seconds left in regulation, then in OT, Grant Gettinger scored midway through the OT to win the series and knockout the Texas Tornado.


He's really happy to get this decision out of the way so he can "Focus on becoming a better player and winning a Robertson Cup Championship."

With the way of thinking the Coaching Staff which includes Head Coach Tony Curtale and Assistant Coach Jason Bloomingburg with the quick rise in his development.

"I think Coach Curtale and Coach Bloomingburg really helped me develop into the player I am and the player I hope to become. They focus on your strengths and help you become a more confident, well-rounded player," said Rigatti.


Robert Morris University is an up-and-coming hockey programs as the team will be playing in the 12 Team Atlantic Hockey Conference with teams like Niagara University, both the Army and Air Force Academies as well as U-Conn.


A recent Tornado Alum that went to Robert Morris was Matt Krug recently signed a contract with the AHL's Chicago Wolves as he will look to make a strong impact in the AHL and hopefully have a shot at making the NHL real.



More on Rigatti's Commitment


David Rigatti Profile


Robert Morris University Hockey Team

Tornado Goalie Dan Sullivan commits to the University of Maine

After a rare year without a single NCAA Commitment from the Texas Tornado. They hoping that this off-season and going into the 2010-2011 season can start putting the Texas Tornado back on the map as a place that players can have strong NCAA & Professional Careers after their junior days are over.

First up is Tornado Goalie Dan Sullivan who's ending a great year where he played 51 games during the regular season with a strong .912 SV% and a GAA of just over 3. During the playoffs, he almost played a big part in an upset bid against the St. Louis Bandits in the opening Round of the Playoffs where he put a strong .949 SV% and a solid 1.85 GAA in the 5 playoff games.

He's heading to the University of Maine which is in Hockey East where the Maine Black Bears finished 4th in the regular season before getting to the Hockey East Championship Game before losing to Boston College in the Conference Final. Unfortunately for the Black Bears, not even the trip to the Hockey East Championship wasn't enough to get them into the National Tournament.

Some other players to look for possibly to maybe announce or make major decisions include players like Nick Taurence and Jack Prince who lead the Tornado in scoring. This finishes off a great season where over the weekend, he was also named to the All South Division Team as well.

From Shannon Smith of the Texas Tornado Website: www.tornadohockey.com

The Texas Tornado is proud to announce that goaltender Dan Sullivan has committed to the University of Maine for the 2010-2011 season. Sullivan played in 51 regular season games for the Tornado this past season, posting a 3.08 GAA, making 1575 saves, and put up a .912 SV%. During five playoff games against the St. Louis Bandits he put a 1.65 GAA, 185 saves and an amazing .949 SV%.

"Sully started at a high level this year and because of his work ethic and willingness to learn just better and better. Dan is going to an outstanding program at Maine and I have no doubt that he will be a big success in their future success," said Head Coach Tony Curtale. "I have coached several big time goalies in the past like Ben Bishop, Al Montoya, Dave Mckee, Brandon Crawford-West, Ron Vorgel and Sullivan is right there with the group."

Former Alumni Ben Bishop who attended Maine from 2006-2008 and led the team to two Final Four's appearance before leaving early to play for the St. Louis Blues and the AHL's Peoria Rivermen. Maine has a great history in NCAA Hockey with 11 Frozen Fours, earned 5 Hockey East Championships and 2 National Championships.

Here's a look at other recent Tornado Alum Goalies and where they Playing right now.

Al Montoya, San Antonio Rampage (AHL)

Ben Bishop, Peoria Rivermen (AHL)

David Mckee, Allen Americans (CHL)

Brendon Crawford-West, Miami of Ohio (CCHA)