New Commits

According to Chris Heisenberg, Omaha goalie Shane Madolora has committed to RIT (Rochester Institute of Technology) for 2008. Madolora had a successful year with Omaha, but was stuck behind stand out goalie Drew Palmisano. Despite appearing in just 20 games, Madolora posted an 11-4-0 record with 1 shutout. The Salinas, California native spent the previous season in the NAHL.


The lone Indiana Ice player last season who had not chosen a school yet has now done so. Matt Smith will be headed to the University of Nebraska-Omaha. Smith will be a walk-on this season and will follow many other Ice players to Omaha. Matt registered 1 goal and 16 assists in81 games for the Ice. Smith quietly developed into a very reliable defensive defenseman, so I thought he'd easily be able to land a scholarship somewhere.

“I am very excited for Matt,” said Ice President of Hockey Operations Charlie Skjodt. “It was a tough year for him as he was playing his best hockey ever for us and then he suffered a broken hand late in the year. He will bring some good size and toughness to U.N.O. and I look forward to seeing him develop under Coach Kemp and his staff. Everybody at the Ice wishes him the best.”

Matt Smith, a defenseman with Indiana of the USHL, will join UNO for the upcoming season, the Ice announced recently. The arrival of the 6-foot-1, 194-pound Smith -- who is expected to join the Mavs as a walk-on -- will give UNO a ninth defenseman on their 2008-09 roster.

UPDATE: Chris Heisenberg also shows that Waterloo goalie, Joe Howe, has committed to Colorado College for 2009. Howe was a superb goalie last season, but battled illness late in the year. He should be one of the league's top goalies this season.