Princeton Welcomes Seven in Class of 2015
PRINCETON -- Princeton first-year men's hockey coach Bob Prier has announced the team's incoming class of seven players that will join the Tigers for the 2011-12 season as the program's Class of 2015.
"We are extremely excited with the recruiting class of 2015," says Prier. "Guy and his staff have done a fabulous job of filling the void left by the outstanding class of 2011. We look forward to immediate contributions from the incoming student-athletes to continue our charge of success and excellence with the Princeton Hockey program. This class brings with it many accolades and a tremendous amount of Junior hockey playing experience, which will facilitate their transition to college hockey."
28 - Aaron Ave
Defense • 5-9 • 170 • Shoots Left
Chandler, Ariz. • Omaha Lancers (USHL)
Aaron Ave comes to Princeton after two seasons with the Omaha
Lancers in the USHL. Ave played in 63 games on the Lancer blueline
last season and scored four goals and added 15 assists for 19
points. He had 29 career points in 115 games of junior hockey. Ave
received the Ted Baer Most Improved Player Award following his
first season in Omaha. A four-year letterwinner in high school
lacrosse, Ave earned an academic letter in all four years of high
school. Ave's grandfather Edwin Bourke played college hockey at
Colgate.
30 - Ryan Benitez
Goalie • 5-11 • 175 • Catches Left
Denver, Colo. • Waywayseecappo Wolverines (MJHL)
Ryan Benitez's path to Princeton includes several junior hockey
stops. A Denver native, Benitez played two seasons in the Eastern
Junior Hockey League before stops in three Canadian junior leagues
during the 2010-11 season. In those three stops, Benitez amassed a
record of 17-15 with a 3.34 goals-against average and a .889 save
percentage. Benitez spent most of the season at Waywayseeseecappo
and won an MJHL Defensive Player of the Week award. He was won the
team's top goaltender and scholastic player awards. Benitez also
played varsity baseball in high school.
7 - Tucker Brockett
Forward • 5-8 • 165 • Shoots Right
Shaker Heights, Ohio • Chicago Steel (USHL)
Tucker Brockett joins the Tigers following two seasons of junior
hockey in the USHL. Brockett finished up his junior career this
past season with the Chicago Steel and had seven goals and eight
assists in 44 games with the team while serving as an assistant
captain. Brockett also made stops in Lincoln and Tri-City of the
USHL and has 45 career USHL points in 108 games. A three-year
letterwinner lacrosse, Brockett was a part of two state
championship-winning teams and was named all-state in 2009.
Brockett's older brother Charles plays on the hockey team at
Yale.
11 - Aaron Kesselman
Forward • 5-11 • 190 • Shoots Left
Mays Landing, N.J. • New Hampshire Jr. Monarchs
(EJHL)
New Jersey native Aaron Kesselman joins the Tigers after spending
three seasons with the New Hampshire Junior Monarchs of the EJHL.
Kesselman averaged more than a point per game last season with the
Monarchs as he scored 20 goals and added 27 assists in 39 games. In
his three seasons of junior hockey, Kesselman collected 96 points
in 112 games. Kesselman helped the Monarchs to a 2009 Tier III
National Championship and the 2011 EJHL Championship. He was also
named the Most Valuable Player of the 2011 EJHL All-Star game.
Kesselman also rowed in high school, and his older sister Megan '11
rowed at Princeton, graduating earlier this month.
4 - Tom Kroshus
Defense • 6-1 • 190 • Shoots Left
Calgary, Alberta • Westside Warriors (BCHL)
Tom Kroshus will join the Tiger blueline following two seasons of
junior hockey in Canada. Kroshus most recently played for the
Westside Warriors of the BCHL and spent the previous season with
the AJHL's Camrose Kodiaks. Kroshus scored 13 goals and added 23
assists for 36 points last season and had 14 points the previous
season in Camrose. Kroshus' older sister Emily '04 was a three-time
All-America runner at Princeton. His older brother Eric plays
hockey at Harvard.
15 - Tyler Maugeri
Forward • 6-0 • 180 • Shoots Right
Malibu, Calif. • Fargo Force (USHL)
Tyler Maugeri will return to the East Coast when he joins
Princeton next season. A New Jersey native, Maugeri moved to
California with his family when he was 15 and spent a season in
Fargo of the USHL before he returns east this fall. Maugeri had 12
goals and 13 assists for 25 points last season in the USHL and
played for the LA Junior Kings previously. Maugeri served as a
captain and was the team' Most Valuable Player for the Kings in
2009-10, his last year of midget hockey.
20 - Kevin Mills
Defense • 6-10 • 195 • Shoots Right
Calgary, Alberta • Salmon Arm Silverbacks (BCHL)
Kevin Mills will bolster the Tiger
defense this coming season following three full seasons of Canadian
junior hockey. Mills played two seasons in his hometown for the
Calgary Canucks before splitting the 2010-11 season between Calgary
and Salmon Arm. This past season, Mills totaled a goal and 26
assists for 27 points in 54 games in his two stops. In his three
seasons of junior hockey, Mills collected 10 goals and 58 assists
in 128 games played. He served as a team captain with the Calgary
Canucks in the first part of last season before his mid-season
trade to Salmon Arm.
