By Joshua Boyd / USPHLPremier.com
A National Championship, good times with good friends, and plenty of goals and assists marked Jack Quigley’s time with the Rockets Hockey Club. A Captain with the Rockets, Quigley was with the organization for three of the last four seasons, including a USPHL 18U season, he certainly loved his time in Bridgewater – but it’s time to move on to an NCAA hockey career. Quigley recently committed, alongside teammate Daniel Hodowanec, to Arcadia University.
Quigley, who posted 39 goals and 70 points in 82 games, is looking forward to bringing his offense to the next level with the Knights next year. The ‘02 from Elk Grove Village, Ill., began talking with Arcadia in March.
“They liked the fact that I had offensive production, but also played a 200-foot game,” said Quigley, who helped the Rockets win the 2022 USPHL Premier National Championship. “They liked my work ethic and how hard I played. On the hockey side of things, Arcadia was a new team with a lot of promising talent.
“Ultimately it was the mentality and attitude that I found in the coach [Vincent Pietrangelo] almost identical to my own that ended up being the most appealing reason to join their program.”
When he arrives in Glenside, Pa., and the Arcadia campus, he is looking forward to joining their business program on their picturesque campus with tons of green space.
“On the academic side of things, Arcadia has presented an exemplary schooling program which will give me the ability to try out and experience a number of different classes and clubs,” said Quigley. “I was able to visit the campus in late March and it really sealed the deal for me. The historic structures mixing with the newly updated buildings made for a beautifully-set campus. The atmosphere at the campus created a genuine feeling of certainty that would lead me to confidently make my decision. It was the hockey program that initially drew me in, but it wasn’t until I stepped foot on the campus that I was sure of my choice.”
He also had plenty of praise for the club on the hill in Bridgewater, as the Rockets Hockey Club first brought him in 2019-20 as an 18U player and certainly set him on an NCAA-worthy development path.
“Playing for the Rockets my U18 year was crucial to my development. It would introduce me to several of the coaches and individuals I would have the pleasure of working with over the years who would help turn me into the player I am today,” said Quigley. “It helped me learn certain disciplines and mature as a person on and off the ice.
“The Rockets Hockey Club does a fantastic job developing and having players at their club,” he added. “It was an honor to work with and play under the coaching staff, interact with my teammates as well as other teams, and even socialize with the wonderful staff the rink provides.”
Looking specifically at how the Rockets develop their players, Quigley said it is a very detail-oriented system with lots of focus on the off-ice portion of training.
“I think they have an efficient development model, especially at the iMdget level. They coach winning teams and I think that attitude is spread throughout the program,” he said. “The biggest part that helped my game was the off-ice portion. I was able to become stronger and faster with the gyms in the facility. The physical trainer on staff and athletic trainers they bring in helped me throughout the years and were wonderful to get to know.”
Over two years, Quigley got to see what the USPHL Premier had to offer from basically every corner of the footprint, especially in the Rockets’ successful 2022 Nationals run, culminating in the program’s first title at that level.
“I found the USPHL Premier competitive and a high pace league. There are a lot of talented players as well as high-ended individuals that colleges would be smart to take,” said Quigley. “With the direction of the league, it is a great place for younger players to get into juniors as well as understand the standard they need to then go on to pursue NCAA hockey.”
That standard also includes pushing players even beyond the Premier to know how much they’ll need to work to be ready for that elevated college hockey level.
“The parts of my game I am going to work on most are my conditioning and strength,” said Quigley. “I want to have the physical ability to not only keep up at the college level but dominate. As far as on-ice skill development, I would like to improve my shooting and skating ability leading into my freshman season.”
The USPHL congratulates Jack Quigley, his family, the Rockets Hockey Club and Arcadia University for his commitment.
