COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Twenty players who participated at the USA Hockey Boys Select 16 Player Development Camp have been chosen for the 2018 U.S. Under-17 Men’s Select Team that will compete Aug. 15-19 at the Five Nations Tournament in Piestany, Slovakia.

The week-long Boys Select 16 Player Development Camp concluded today at the Northtown Center in Amherst, New York, with its annual All-Star Game and Five Nations Tournament roster selection.

The 2018 U.S. Under-17 Men’s Select Team features 12 forwards, including Cross Hanas (Dallas, Texas) who led the Boys Select 16 Player Development Camp with 10 points (2G, 8A), and Tanner Dickinson (Detroit, Mich.) who scored six goals in five games. The six-player defensive unit includes David Ma (Yonkers, N.Y.) who recorded six points (2G, 4A) during camp. Colin Purcell (Shaker Heights, Ohio) and Gavin Fitzpatrick (Norwood, Mass.) were selected as the U.S. Under-17 Men’s Select Team goaltenders.

Mark Dennehy (Andover, Mass.), who is the head coach of the ECHL’s Wheeling Nailers, will serve as head coach for the U.S. Under-17 Men’s Select Team. His assistant coaches will be Roger Grillo (Providence, R.I.), Matthew Curley (Madrid, N.Y.) and Joseph Palmer (Syracuse, N.Y.). Flint Doungchak (Eugene, Ore.) will serve as team leader and Kenny Rausch (Colorado Springs, Colo.) as team manager.

Team USA won its third consecutive Under-17 Five Nations Tournament last year in Ostrava, Czech Republic, posting a perfect 4-0 record. It marked the eighth championship in 10 tries for the U.S., which also claimed top honors in 2016, 2015, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010 and 2008.

For Under-17 Five Nations Tournament coverage from USA Hockey, click here.

NOTES: In addition to the U.S., the 2018 Under-17 Five Nations Tournament will also include teams from Switzerland, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Germany … The 20 players on the Team USA roster represent 12 different states, including Connecticut (1), Maine (1), Massachusetts (1), Michigan (1), Minnesota (5), New Jersey (1), New York (3), North Dakota (1), Ohio (3), Pennsylvania (1), Texas (1) and Wisconsin (1) … The annual USA Hockey Boys Select 16 Player Development Camp provides top young players with elite instruction, as well as the opportunity to compete at the national level against other players in their age group.

2018 U.S. UNDER-17 MEN’S SELECT TEAM

U.S. ROSTER
TEAM STAFF
USA HOCKEY, INC.
NAME
POS
HT (CM)
WT (KG)
DOB
S/C
HOMETOWN
MOST RECENT TEAM
Carson Bantle F 6-3 (190) 180 (82) 1/22/02 L Onalaska, Wis. Shattuck-St.Mary’s 16U (USHS)
Blake Biondi F 6-0 (183) 175 (79) 4/24/02 R Hermantown, Minn. Hermantown High School (USHS)
Michael Cameron F 5-9 (175) 160 (73) 7/24/02 L Berwyn, Pa. Philadelphia Jr. Flyers 16U (AYHL)
Jared Crespo D 5-11 (180) 187 (85) 4/30/02 R Eastampton, N.J. New Jersey Avalanche 16U (AYHL)
Tanner Dickinson F 5-11 (180) 140 (64) 3/5/02 L Perrysburg, Ohio Oakland Jr. Grizzlies 16U (HPHL)
Daniyal Dzhaniyev F 5-3 (160) 125 (57) 9/15/02 L Brooklyn, N.Y. New Jersey Jr. Titans 15U (AYHL)
Mark Estapa F 6-0 (183) 174 (79) 1/13/02 L St. Clair, Mich. Little Caesars 15U
Gavin Fitzpatrick G 6-0 (183) 160 (73) 1/9/02 L Norwood, Mass. Thayer Academy (USHS)
Cross Hanas F 6-0 (183) 162 (73) 1/5/02 L Highland Village, Texas Dallas Stars 16U (T1EHL)
Christian Jimenez D 5-10 (178) 187 (85) 3/15/02 L Yorktown Heights, N.Y. The Taft School (USHS)
Wyatt Kaiser D 5-10 (178) 152 (69) 7/31/02 L Ham Lake, Minn. Andover High (USHS)
David Ma D 5-10 (178) 165 (75) 6/22/02 L Yonkers, N.Y. Shattuck-St.Mary’s 16U (USHS)
Jonston Meiers F 5-9 (175) 165 (75) 7/15/02 L Eagan, Minn. Eagan High (USHS)
Dane Montgomery F 5-9 (175) 165 (75) 1/7/02 R Grand Forks, N.D. Team North Dakota 16U
Colin Purcell G 6-5 (196) 170 (77) 3/26/02 L Shaker Heights, Ohio Cleveland Barons 15U (T1EHL)
Jake Ratzlaff D 6-2 (188) 195 (88) 6/23/02 R Rosemount, Minn. Rosemount High (USHS)
Mackie Samoskevich F 5-10 (178) 170 (77) 11/15/02 R Sandy Hook, Conn. Shattuck-St.Mary’s 16U (USHS)
Ben Schoen F 5-8 (173) 135 (61) 5/18/02 R Maumee, Ohio Little Caesars 15U
Nathan Schweitzer D 5-11 (180) 175 (79) 2/21/02 R Champlin, Minn. Benilde-St.Margaret’s School (USHS)
Jack Williams F 5-11 (180) 165 (75) 3/2/02 R Biddeford, Maine Selects Hockey Academy 15U

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – USA Hockey announced today that Doug Ticas (Rosenberg, Texas) has been named to the newly created position of senior director of information technology for USA Hockey. Ticas will lead all information technology initiatives including systems integration, training, process development, and software applications development, among other duties.

Ticas is a senior IT executive with over 20 years of experience and joins USA Hockey after serving as chief technology officer with CBS Rental and Supply in Houston where he helped drive growth for the company through implementing a consumer-facing e-commerce function and leading software development, infrastructure and application support for the southwestern regional construction equipment rental company.

Prior, Ticas spent three years as vice president of information technology for Distribution International (2012-15) and five years as divisional chief information officer at Vopak North America (2007-12). He has served a number of different corporations in information technology roles since 1987.

Ticas earned a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Houston (Victoria, Texas), Bachelor of Science degree in information technology from the University of Phoenix (Houston) and an Associate degree in electrical engineering from Union College (Cranford, N.J.).

He will begin his duties at USA Hockey on Monday (July 16).

PLYMOUTH, Mich. – Dan Hinote (Elk River, Minn.) has been named an associate coach for USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program it was announced today by USA Hockey.

Hinote, who played 14 years of professional hockey in the NHL, AHL and SHL, will serve on the U.S. National Under-18 Team staff during the 2018-19 season.

Hinote played 503 games in the NHL and won a Stanley Cup championship with the Colorado Avalanche in 2001. He retired from professional hockey in 2010 and spent four seasons (2010-14) as an assistant coach with the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Prior to joining the NTDP, Hinote was serving as a part-time scout for the Blue Jackets.

Hinote played two seasons of college hockey at the U.S. Military Academy and today remains the only player in program history to be drafted as he was selected by the Colorado Avalanche in 1996.

In addition to Hinote, USA Hockey also announced the hiring of three other staff members who will be based at USA Hockey Arena in Plymouth.

Johnson Hired As Marketing Operations Manager
Bryan Johnson (Meredith, N.H.) has been named manager of marketing operations for USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program and USA Hockey Arena.

Johnson, who has spent the past year as the game presentation and fan experience assistant for the University of Michigan athletic department, will oversee marketing operations related to sponsorship and fan experience, both on-site and in the community, for the NTDP and USA Hockey Arena.

With the University of Michigan, Johnson planned game promotions, theme nights and giveaways to drive revenue. Prior to his full-time position within the department, he spent three years as a game presentation and fan experience intern, where he managed a team of interns to distribute fan giveaways, select in-game contestants and serve as an on-site liaison to performers and entertainers.

Johnson earned his bachelor’s degree in economics and master’s degree in sport management at the University of Michigan.

Nightingale Tabbed As NTDP Intern Assistant Coach
Jared Nightingale (Jackson, Mich.) will serve as an intern assistant coach for USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program in 2018-19.

Nightingale, who spent the 2017-18 season as an assistant coach with the Omaha Lancers after concluding a 13-year professional hockey career in the AHL and ECHL, will be part of the U.S. National Under-17 Team coaching staff.

A 2016 graduate of Michigan State University, Nightingale played 156 games over four seasons for the Spartans (2002-06).

Switaj Named Brendan Burke Intern
Gabriella Switaj (Kent, Ohio) has been named the ninth recipient of the Brendan Burke Internship and will be based at USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program at USA Hockey Arena in Plymouth, Michigan.

Her responsibilities will include interfacing with the NTDP, national teams, international events and player development camps. She will also gain exposure to USA Hockey’s acclaimed American Development Model and Coaching Education Program.

Switaj graduated in May from Boston College with a degree in management, marketing and operations where she played four seasons (2014-18) as a goaltender for the BC women’s ice hockey team that advanced to the NCAA Frozen Four in 2015, 2016 and 2017 and was the Hockey East champion in 2016 and 2017.

While in college, she also spent time with the Columbus Blue Jackets as a fan development intern, the United States Olympic Committee as an operations intern, and as a clinic instructor and evaluator for USA Hockey.

Established in April 2010, the Brendan Burke Internship is awarded annually to a recent college graduate who is pursuing a career in hockey operations. The internship was founded in memory of the late Brendan Burke, who served as a student assistant for the Miami University men’s ice hockey team and was tragically killed in a car accident on snowy roads at the age of 21 on Feb. 5, 2010.

NOTES: Previous Brendan Burke Interns include Matt Williams (Rochester Hills, Mich./Western Michigan University) Colin Mayberry (Cranford, N.J./Bryant University), Lyle Gregory (Branford, Conn./Hendrix College), Phil Cohn (Westfield, N.J./Union College), Tom Minton (Pipersville, Pa./St. Joseph’s (Pa.) College), Ryan Breen (North Falmouth, Mass./Providence College), Stephen Greenberg (West Tisbury, Mass./Boston College) and Cole Burkhalter (Knoxville, Tenn./Canisius College).