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UNH Recruits; Woulda, Coulda, Shoulda

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  • UNH Recruits; Woulda, Coulda, Shoulda

    Following along in other UNH threads, the attrition of top-level recruits, I thought I'd get some fun started here. Lets gather the intel we think we have on what we've observed over the past decade with declined admission, defection and missed opportunity, etc...., knowing full well that "facts" will be overwhelmed by speculation and heresay. Ahhh, crap, so what...

    For the record, my personal take is that for all we say and write about the kids who intended to be in Durham, and didn't make it, the most significant influence is the admissions department. You can't tell me that UNH justifiably has a higher standard than BC, Providence, UConn, St. Cloud, Union, Denver, etc. From the outside looking in, I'd say: "Really? Get over yourself, UNH...!" Now, I get it that this is just knee jerk Monday morning quarterbacking on my part -- lets call it therapeutic venting, but still, smoke and fire, right?

    As an educated guess, Coach Umile and his staff, and all the other coaching staffs at UNH are likely waging the same battle. Frankly, as others have said, it's on the AD to straighten things out if they are wonky, which they have the "appearance" of having been for some time now. Don't doubt for a minute the truckload of politics wound up in this thing.

    So, without further ado or diatribe, below is the unedited text of an email I wrote to a buddy in 2012, so the references are a bit off, but you get the gist. Let's get a bigger inventory accounted for as I think the followers here can legitimately point to the recruiting issues as a cause of the present state of affairs...


    The present performance (or lack thereof) is an impact not so much what UNH gets, but whats been lost lately by de-commits. Many of these kids were Grade-A players that either
    1 – didn't cut it in Admissions,
    2 - changed their mind,
    3 – were (perhaps) misled by the coaching staff.

    My theory (the overside ice surface issue aside), is that it’s really in the admissions department, to-wit:


    Chris Bourque (F) – de-commits May 2009.
    Drafted by Washington.
    Would have been a Jr. this year.
    Currently playing in Russia.
    Umile played like a fiddle by Daddy Bourque.

    Joey LeLeggia (D) – de-commits Sept 2010.
    Currently a Freshman at Denver.
    WCHA Rookie of the year (28 points) (Would have been 4th in scoring at UNH)
    1st Team All-Conference – (Not “rookie” all-conference, but all-conference all-conference.)

    Cam Reid (F) – de-commits Aug 2009
    Drafted by Nashville.
    Told by admissions in August 2009 his HS classes do not qualify – turn the car around!
    Would have been a Sophomore this year.
    Admitted to St. Cloud State
    39 pts. as a Freshman; 15 pts. this year, but only 22 games.
    Has left St. Cloud to play for Portland Winterhawks (WHL).
    Umile probably called this one right…

    Matt White (F) – de-commits ?? 2010
    Committed March 2, 2009.
    USHL Player of the Year – 2009-10
    Currently a Sophomore at Nebraska-Omaha.
    2011/12 – Leading scorer (40 pts), Asst. Captain.

    Mike Vecchione (F) – de-commits Dec. 2011.
    Originally 2012-13 recruit.
    The top HS player in Mass at end on 2009-10 season.
    UNH asks him to take a second year in USHL; matriculate 2013-14 instead of 2012-13.
    “That wasn’t the deal”, according to Vecchione.
    2011/12 – 21 pts. in 40 games for Tri-City Storm of USHL.

    Go nuts!
    Last edited by bakchk20; 01-23-2016, 10:03 AM.
    Shrink-The-Rink, Win a Title

  • #2
    Re: UNH Recruits; Woulda, Coulda, Shoulda

    Bump... C'mon UNH-types, no takers? I'm surprised...
    Shrink-The-Rink, Win a Title

    Comment


    • #3
      Originally posted by bakchk20 View Post
      Bump... C'mon UNH-types, no takers? I'm surprised...
      Well you've kind of pointed out the obvious haven't you? And I'm so new to this saga that I don't have the insight but seems to me this issue isn't unique to UNH although boy losing JM last minute was really baffling. How does a kid get to be just about able to pull the jersey on and blam! Seems to me you have to be on top of this stuff from day one and without dragging the student athlete in its just surprising. Believe me I am so glad that he's having a decent season at UConn as it's obvious he is a solid player...but I would've rather seen him on our ice. Anyhoo...water over the dam right? Still..

      Can't speak for the veterans here on this board (and I doubt they would want me to either�� ) but I think we are a bit weary of these stories of players we desperately need getting lost in the shuffle. That being said I am sure there is a lot more to the process than we speculate about...I'd like to think/hope so anyway. Stuff happens...but even to this newbie fan I believe that UNH hockey deserves better. I have faith in our two able assistant coaches...show us whatcha got fellas. Onward 'Cats!!!
      Last edited by HockeyRef; 01-23-2016, 11:09 AM.
      Here we go 'Cats!!

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: UNH Recruits; Woulda, Coulda, Shoulda

        OK, I'll bite. Admissions has definitely upped the game. It is part of a plan that is working for the U as a whole. The 2 year language requirement is big. Some recruits may have been caught in the switches, but we should be beyond that now. It likely means that we compete for talent more with Ivys, small liberal arts colleges than state schools. That is a tougher sell.
        I will not be out cheered in my own building.

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: UNH Recruits; Woulda, Coulda, Shoulda

          Bomber, I'm not going to cut and past your last comment however, a word of advice. If you want to make a cogent, sensible argument, learn something about sentence structure.

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: UNH Recruits; Woulda, Coulda, Shoulda

            Originally posted by HockeyRef View Post
            Well you've kind of pointed out the obvious haven't you? And I'm so new to this saga that I don't have the insight but seems to me this issue isn't unique to UNH although boy losing JM last minute was really baffling.
            It is unique to UNH. Other schools might lose players to MJ or recruit over certain prospects, but NOBODY gets in their own way like UNH. UNH has CONSISTENTLY lost players because they don't pay attention to their own admissions standards AND defer their best recruits to bring in more replacement level fillers. They are the only staff that has made this mistake again and again and again...

            Its more than just deferring Vecchione & Laleggia or asking Reid & White to take an extra year to meet the SURPRISING foreign language requirement. These players know they're now being asked to wait an extra year to get to a school that won't play them in a top role until their junior year. That's three years of development gone. Bye...
            Live Free or Die!!
            Miami University '03

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: UNH Recruits; Woulda, Coulda, Shoulda

              Originally posted by Dan View Post
              It is unique to UNH. Other schools might lose players to MJ or recruit over certain prospects, but NOBODY gets in their own way like UNH. UNH has CONSISTENTLY lost players because they don't pay attention to their own admissions standards AND defer their best recruits to bring in more replacement level fillers. They are the only staff that has made this mistake again and again and again...

              Its more than just deferring Vecchione & Laleggia or asking Reid & White to take an extra year to meet the SURPRISING foreign language requirement. These players know they're now being asked to wait an extra year to get to a school that won't play them in a top role until their junior year. That's three years of development gone. Bye...
              Thanks for the education Dan...I know we lost some great players and that is absolutely unfortunate. (beyond unfortunate) History is bound to repeat itself unless lessons are learned. Sigh...And one other thing...isn't the onus on the players as well as the coaching staff to ensure that these players get their requirements done? Seems to me the ball gets dropped in a lot of different ways. Obviously it has been a pattern of sorts at the U...
              Here we go 'Cats!!

              Comment


              • #8
                Originally posted by Greg Ambrose View Post
                Bomber, I'm not going to cut and past your last comment however, a word of advice. If you want to make a cogent, sensible argument, learn something about sentence structure.
                I know! Sometimes I read what I wrote after and realize it is awfully embarrassing. I write these as I think, from my smartphone so I can't see what I just wrote. And I don't proofread.

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: UNH Recruits; Woulda, Coulda, Shoulda

                  David Kolamatis

                  Went major junior as well, iirc, would have been the same recruiting class as Bourque.

                  Johnny Gaudreau

                  As the story goes, when Gaudreau decommitted from NU, he was interested in UNH (close friends with Jamie Hill). Admissions allegedly refuses to even look at his application.
                  113-162-27 .419

                  252-113-40 .672

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: UNH Recruits; Woulda, Coulda, Shoulda

                    Originally posted by freak View Post
                    David Kolamatis

                    Went major junior as well, iirc, would have been the same recruiting class as Bourque.
                    Yes, another "surprise" to the UNH coaching staff.

                    7/10/06

                    UNH Recruit Kolomatis Signs with Owen Sound


                    Defenseman David Kolomatis, a UNH recruit for the fall of 2007, gave up his NCAA eligibility today by signing a contract with the Owen Sound Attack (OHL).

                    Soon after committing to UNH last November, Kolomatis, voted by his teammates an alternate captain at the start of the season, injured his shoulder and then leg. Reports indicate that the young defenseman was told by Under-17 coach Ron Rolston that they couldn’t get him an appointment for an MRI for eight weeks (hardly a way to make a kid feel like a part of the team). Kolomatis felt cast aside, a situation which just grew in intensity as the defenseman’s injuries kept him out for the rest of the season.

                    While sitting in Ann Arbor injured and unable to play, Owen Sound, holder of his OHL draft rights, swooped in, offered a package, and made the 17-year-old feel at least feel wanted. Helping matters along for the Attack was the fact that Kolomatis is friends with Owen Sound defenseman Bobby Sanguinetti from back in New Jersey.

                    A particularly nasty late-season incident in which Kolomatis had equipment stolen from his locker in Ann Arbor was the straw that broke the camel’s back as far as the defenseman's returning to the NTDP was concerned.

                    When the UNH staff got wind of their recruit’s unhappiness in Ann Arbor and his interest in possibly bolting for the OHL, they went back to work and recruited Kolomatis all over again.
                    The Souza record:
                    15-16 10th place
                    16-17 10th place
                    17-18 11th place
                    18-19 8th place
                    19-20 9th place
                    20-21 10th place
                    21-22 9th place
                    22-23 10th place

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Originally posted by freak View Post
                      Johnny Gaudreau

                      As the story goes, when Gaudreau decommitted from NU, he was interested in UNH (close friends with Jamie Hill). Admissions allegedly refuses to even look at his application.
                      IIRC, Admissions would have needed to review Johnny Hockey's application the summer (July or August?) before his arrival on campus, so I am not surprised that they balked on that.

                      But, just curious, would a kid with 2-3 years of Latin, without a modern language, get into UNH now?

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Originally posted by freak View Post
                        David Kolamatis

                        Went major junior as well, iirc, would have been the same recruiting class as Bourque.

                        Johnny Gaudreau

                        As the story goes, when Gaudreau decommitted from NU, he was interested in UNH (close friends with Jamie Hill). Admissions allegedly refuses to even look at his application.
                        Also close to Ciocco's family. That was the connection the almost assured UNH was going to get him, but admissions thought it too late to look at his application and the rest is history.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Originally posted by Snively65 View Post
                          IIRC, Admissions would have needed to review Johnny Hockey's application the summer (July or August?) before his arrival on campus, so I am not surprised that they balked on that.

                          But, just curious, would a kid with 2-3 years of Latin, without a modern language, get into UNH now?
                          I'm pretty sure they accepted another player either a day or week before but wouldn't make an exception for him. Of course they didn't know he'd be what he became but they knew he was Good! DU, MS should have been in Huddlestons grill demanding he put some pressure on. Remember the program was the school profit center, it would've been good business.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Originally posted by bomberhockey View Post
                            I'm pretty sure they accepted another player either a day or week before but wouldn't make an exception for him. Of course they didn't know he'd be what he became but they knew he was Good! DU, MS should have been in Huddlestons grill demanding he put some pressure on. Remember the program was the school profit center, it would've been good business.
                            Oh, I agree entirely, need to have someone in that admissions office to get anything to happen.

                            By recent proclamation, MS = Associate Coach Souza, BS35+3 = AD.

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Re: UNH Recruits; Woulda, Coulda, Shoulda

                              Originally posted by Snively65 View Post
                              By recent proclamation, MS = Associate Coach Souza, BS35+3 = AD.
                              **** straight. Good to see some of you folks taking notes.
                              Sworn Enemy of the Perpetually Offended
                              Montreal Expos Forever ...

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