Taffo Saw Terrific Seasons At Both USPHL Elite and USPHL Premier Levels since 2020
By Joshua Boyd / USPHLPremier.com
Marco Taffo has proven himself to be a powerful contributor in both of the USPHL’s Tier III leagues, and now he’s excited to bring that high-percentage game to the NCAA Division III world with Misericordia University.
Misericordia, located in Dallas, Pa., is getting ready for its inaugural season of NCAA hockey in 2024-25, and Taffo – a native of Staten Island, N.Y. – is excited to be getting in on the ground floor of the new program.
“I decided to commit to Misericordia because of the amazing hockey facilities and new program they’re starting up. Another big factor was the amount of academic support that is made available to you as a student,” added Taffo.
He is coming off of a second season with the Hershey Cubs in which he put up 34 points in 41 games. For his two-year Premier career, he finished with a total of 50 points in 76 regular season and playoff games going back to the start of the 2022-23 season.
“My time playing in Hershey was one of the best times of my life. The coaches, staff and people were amazing to me and gave me the best experience I could ever ask for. They helped me become a way more mature person on the ice and off, as well as finishing up the little details of my game to make sure I’m ready for the next level.”
Taffo originally joined the Rockets Hockey Club with their USPHL 16U (now THF 16U) Rockets AA team in 2019-20, and jumped over to the USPHL Elite Rockets Hockey Club the next season. He averaged well over a point per game for his Elite career, scoring 39 points in 31 games his first year, and then 56 points in 41 games the next year – plus another six points in three playoff games. All told, he departed the USPHL Elite with 102 points in 80 combined regular season and playoff games.
“My time in the USPHL Elite was a big jump in my development. I give a lot of credit to my coach Todd Wagenbach on giving me a big role on the team once I signed and he helped me develop in all aspects,” Taffo added. “I was ready to move on to Premier faster than I thought.”
He also knows the NCAA college hockey game will be faster, so a big part of his summer work has to do with endurance and quickness.
“Some parts of my game that I will be working on more before college are my 200-foot game as well as my speed and agility,” Taffo said.
The USPHL congratulates Marco Taffo, his family, the Hershey Cubs and Misericordia University for his commitment.
