By Joshua Boyd / USPHLPremier.com
The Wisconsin Rapids Riverkings have had a lot of great seasons in the USPHL Premier, with one of their best coming this year. The Riverkings made their return to the USPHL Nationals for the first time in six years, and defenseman William Chaussé was a huge help every step of the way.
Chaussé has completed his junior career and is excited to be taking the next step, having committed to Westfield State University in Massachusetts.
“I made the decision to commit to Westfield State because of the great program of Finance that they offer, one of the best in Massachusetts,” said Chaussé, an ‘03 from La Prairie, Que. “Also, on the hockey side I really liked what Coach Robert Miele had to offer in his program. The team finished above .500 and won their first game against Plymouth State in three years or so. It is an encouraging and exciting rising program that I want to grow into.”
The Riverkings originally spotted Chaussé during the 2022-23 season playing in his native province of Quebec, and he made an immediate impression.
“I played a Showcase called QJHA in Brossard, Que., and it happened that Coach [Paul Pechmann] was watching and directly offered me a contract,” said Chaussé. “His selling point was ‘don’t go to college right away, come play a year of junior. You have to live that experience once and you’ll be my work horse.’ So I signed!”
Chaussé was a key defenseman for the Riverkings’ successful season that resulted in a USPHL Premier Midwest West (now North) Division regular season championship, which they won by one point. Chaussé put up a 2-25-27 line in 43 regular season games and three assists in seven playoff games, including their Nationals contests. He was second on the team in plus-minus with a +29 and led the team with 21:58 of ice time per game.
“I really enjoyed playing for the Wisconsin Rapids Riverkings, my teammates, coaches, the city and of course my billet family the Fillmores made me feel like home,” said Chaussé. “As a team, finishing first in a stacked Midwest West division was unreal. Also going to the National Championship was a lot of fun even though I still think we should’ve had a longer ride with the quality group we had.
“Being named captain by my teammates and coach in my first and only year playing junior, was a proof of trust the whole team had in me,” added Chaussé. “Coach Paul Pechmann and Coach Hank Nagel helped me develop on the ice with a lot of playing time, and I sure am ready to play in the NCAA.”
That said, he knows there are some fixes he wants to add to his game to not just play in the NCAA, but to excel there.
“I want to work on my speed, explosion and also improve my frame to play more physically!”
The USPHL congratulates William Chaussé, his family, the Wisconsin Rapids Riverkings and Westfield State University for his commitment.
