All too often we hear about players chasing the NCAA scholarship only to see it not happen for them. It is a very long and hard road to NCAA Hockey. It is a path offered to very few.
Every once in a while we read or hear about players transferring schools and sitting out a year. Sometimes too we read about the D-1 player who goes back to junior hockey, or transfers to a D-3 program to get more playing time. Everyone’s path is unique to themselves. No two players will ever travel the same path in the same way or at the same time.
Andrew Savage was a player I watched as a Midget playing for the Detroit Falcons five years ago. I thought he was pretty good, possibly a D-3 player after junior hockey. A big bodied kid who had some skill and played a physical game that I thought could transition, with some development time, to an NCAA program.
A year later I looked for him on junior rosters and he never showed up. Turned out that he went right to Bowling Green University and rostered on the ACHA D-2 team. Nothing wrong with that choice at all. Getting your education at such a great University, and getting your life together at a young age is never a bad idea.
Savage played on the ACHA team for the past 4 years, served as the President during the 2014-2015 season, and was the captain during the 2014-2015 and 2015-2016 seasons. Not a bad ACHA career.
Today though must have been very special for Andrew Savage.
After Bowling Green University had a roster spot open up, it is now being reported that Andrew Savage is being added to the NCAA D-1 team.
Not a bad way to finish your senior year in college. While its unlikely Savage would be receiving any scholarship money, does it really matter? A top flight education at Bowling Green, and a trip to the NCAA D-1 level.
Anything can happen, and every players path is different.
Joseph Kolodziej – Publisher
