Colgate Adds Two to Class of 2012

HAMILTON, NY -- The Colgate University men's hockey team has added two more student-athletes to its Class of 2012, head coach Don Vaughan announced on Thursday, June 19. Goaltender Bryan Bessette (Melrose, N.Y.) and forward Mark Nasca (Chagrin Falls, Ohio) are the seventh and eighth additions to the Raiders for next season.

Bessette, who stands at 6-foot-1 and 195 pounds, was the starting goaltender for the Hawkesbury Hawks of the Central Junior Hockey League in Ontario last season. In 44 games, he compiled a 24-15-1 record to go with a 3.46 goals against average and .893 save percentage, as well as two assists. During the playoffs, Bessette backstopped the Hawks into the CJHL semifinals, where they lost to eventual league champion Pembroke in five games during the best-of-seven series. Bessette recorded a 5-4-0-1 record, 3.41 goals against average, and .891 save percentage over 11 playoff games. Hawkesbury is the same team that produced newly-named Colgate captain Nick St. Pierre (St. Etienne, Que.), along with five other former Raiders.

"Bryan is a large goaltender with great flexibility," said Colgate assistant coach Andrew Dickson. "His game awareness allows him to compete and be in good position for every shot."

Nasca is a 5-foot-8, 165-pound winger who played the 2007-08 season with the Kemptville 73's of the CJHL. He skated in 57 games, and contributed 14 points on six goals and eight assists, including one shorthanded goal, along with 59 penalty minutes. Before joining Kemptville, Nasca played for the Laconia Leafs of the Atlantic Junior Hockey League. Nasca graduated from Gilmour Academy in Gates Mills, Ohio, in 2006.  

 "Mark is a high-energy player with a tremendous work ethic," Dickson said. "What Mark gives up in size he makes up for with passion and effort. He's an excellent skater who will hound the puck and be tough to play against."

Bessette and Nasca will join incoming freshmen Alex Evin (Castlegar, B.C.), Matt Firman (Fayetteville, N.Y.), Corbin McPherson (Folsom, Calif.), Nicholas Prockow (Montreal, Que.), and Austin Smith (Dallas, Texas), as well as transfer student Adam Corrin (Winnipeg, Man.), who will be a junior, on the Raider roster next season.