Ducks Put Education First

All eligible players are playing College Hockey

For a second year in a row, under Head coach Bill Zaniboni, all eligible Dells Ducks players are playing College Hockey. This rate is phenomenal, 100% rate, and no other Junior Team has achieved this rarity. Head Coach Bill Zaniboni has players committed from schools to the far west, State of Washington to the Far East of the USA, Massachusetts and all over the Midwest.

Last season (2012-13) the Dells Ducks saw 12 players move on to College. One player is playing NCAA D1 at the University of Wisconsin and one of the Top College Hockey teams in the USA. From President John Schwarz, “ I am still in shock by the way Coach Zaniboni came into the Dells in his first year and put our 3rd and 4th liners into NCAA or ACHA programs and they all are very happy at there Colleges they chose. A typical team might have 2 or 3 but 12 !!!

This past season (2013-14) Coach Zaniboni worked his usual magic and 11 players moved onto to play College Hockey or the NAHL. Rob Meadows and Colin Cross are playing at Framingham State Univ. NCAA DIII, in Massachusetts. Layne Martin is going to Morrisville State Univ. and playing NCAA DIII in New York. Joey Bower is playing NCAA DIII in Minnesota at St. Marys Univ. This is the same place as Nick Albergo is going too. Nick was one of the leaders of 2012-13 team that missed Nationals in overtime in a Best of 3 Series in the MNJHL. Colin Perley is going to Eastern Washington Univ. to play in the BCIHL league that has Canadian Universities and USA schools as part of the conference. Clayton Ludlum is playing NCAA DIII at Aurora University and Brett Gates is playing at St. Johns Univ. NCAA DIII.  Scott Vogelgesang is playing at Slippery Rock University ACHA DI and Johnny Schwarz decided to play ACHA Hockey at Lewis University. Lewis has an upcoming Hockey Team and Academics that are second to none.

For example, Johnny, because of his academics and athleticism has enough grants that he will be paying near zero at a $37,000 a year school because of Coach Bill Zaniboni and the Dells Ducks. Not only do Ducks players move on to College Hockey at a 100% rate but the monetary awards they receive far outweigh the cost of playing for the Ducks. President Schwarz says, “In the case of Johnny, he paid close to $6,800 to play for the Ducks but he is saving around $140,000 in College, receiving a top end Education and is playing hockey. The Dells Ducks pride themselves on the return on investment you get playing for the Ducks. Schwarz commented, “It was definitely fun going 2-1 at Nationals last year in Connecticut after winning the MNJHL Minnesota Division but nothing compares to seeing kids get a first rate education with financial awards and they get to play hockey to boot. This is the legacy the Ducks will leave in the Hockey World. The amount of hours Coach Zaniboni will put into any player (not just Ducks players) is second to none and whether you’re a Duck or a player from other teams that wants to go to College, Coach will always help !! This is what Junior Hockey is all about not wins and losses”