By Alexis Demopoulos
Utah Outliers goaltender Marcus Ouellet is thrilled to announce his NCAA Division III commitment to St. John Fisher University for the 2025-26 season, earned through a lot of hard work and determination this season.
Ouellet, a native of Toronto, ONT, signed with the Utah Outliers this season and is so thankful for everything the organization gave to him. In 33 appearances between the pipes, Ouellet went 18-10-2-3 with a 2.33 GAA. He had 960 total saves and also had five shutouts on the season. Ouellet was a huge asset to the Outliers this season and was named to the Mountain All-Stars team in January.
“The Outliers gave me an opportunity to perform at my best every night,” said Ouellet. “As an age-out this season, it was important for me to get a lot of ice time not only to be scouted but also to develop. The Outliers value off-ice training just as much as on-ice training and we were well taken care of. Talking with head coach Paul Taylor this off-season, he showed me how much he valued me as a player and a leader. He believed in my ability to help and lead his team, which was a big part of why I wanted to be an Outlier.”
St. John Fisher University will be debuting a NCAA Division 3 varsity hockey team for the first time during the 2025-26 season and Ouellet is so excited to be a part of it.
“The ability to be a part of the school’s inaugural season was very intriguing for me,” said Ouellet. “As a goaltender, it is rare to see much ice as a freshman but being in a new program, it gives me the best opportunity to battle and compete for a starting role right away. A brand new rink certainly doesn’t hurt in recruiting either.
“Academically, SJF is very highly regarded and has an excellent film program which is what I will be studying. On my visit, I got the chance to meet with a few professors and they not only spoke highly of the program but spoke with passion about it. That made me want to be a part of it even more.”
Being close to home was a huge selling factor for Ouellet in choosing St. John Fisher as well as its beautiful campus. Playing in Utah this season made it difficult for his family to come watch, so having them about three hours away will be perfect.
“St John Fisher’s biggest selling point aside from hockey has to be their campus,” said Ouellet. “It is almost hard to put into words how nice it is and walking through campus made me want to spend more time there. The academic facilities, athletic facilities and dining hall are all spectacular. Another big selling point was its proximity to where I’m from. Only being three hours from Toronto makes it easy to visit my family and for them to come see me play. Something that hasn’t been very easy in junior hockey.”
Ouellet is ready to make the jump to NCAA hockey and he has learned a lot about himself as a player during his year spent with the Outliers.
“I think I really found my game this season with the Outliers,” said Ouellet. “As a goalie, it is easier to perform consistently when you are playing consistently. I think the most important thing for me going forward is to just continue to fine-tune my technique this summer. Goaltending leaves little room for error, so being perfect is almost a must. My ability to battle and my competitive nature is what gave me the chance to play NCAA hockey and now it’s just about honing my craft to make sure that I’m ready for the jump up to the next level.
The NCDC congratulates Marcus Ouellet, his family, the Utah Outliers and St. John Fisher University for his commitment.
