By Joshua Boyd / USPHLPremier.com
Joey Demiglio has truly enjoyed his time in upstate New York. The native of Niles, Ill., has made the decision to remain in the Empire State for four more years, as he recently committed to the State University of New York at Fredonia.
The two-year Jr. Comets defenseman has played in 57 regular season USPHL Premier games and put up 43 points during that time.
“I first started talking to SUNY-Fredonia in mid-December, and the school’s coaches liked that I am a two-way defenseman that can help generate offense,” said Demiglio. “The thing that interested me about the SUNY-Fredonia hockey team is the camaraderie and closeness of the group. It is a tight-knit group. On the academic side, a lot of Fredonia alumni are in successful positions in their lives. I know with hard work and dedication, I can be put in a good position to start my post college life.”
Demiglio, whose +29 rating is second overall on the Jr. Comets this year, is excited to start his life in Fredonia after having seen the campus and he has taken an interest in following a business track there.
“I have gotten a chance to visit the campus and it felt great. It’s small and everything is on campus, including the rink, which is huge,” he added.
Demiglio joined the Jr. Comets in 2022-23 out of the NA3HL and has certainly enjoyed his time, being able to develop under strong coaching with the outstanding guidance of team administrators.
“I have nothing but gratitude and appreciation for the Jr. Comets organization as well as my Coaches Nick Pagliacci and Lou Educate, and our president Jason Shaya. They are very professional in the way they handle things and they welcomed me with open arms last season after a difficult situation in Milwaukee,” said Demiglio. “Utica feels like home and they showed me loyalty, which goes a long way in my book. They gave me a home and I can’t thank them enough for helping me get to where I am and making me the person I am today.”
Through his time in the USPHL, Demiglio has been able to test himself against some of strongest teams in the league. This year, the Jr. Comets are in their first season as part of the New England Division, putting them into regular games against the defending Premier National Champion Northern Cyclones. Through it all, Utica has been able to shine and remains atop the New England Division standings entering the final month of the regular season here in February.
“The USPHL is a great league to play in. The strength of the competition has helped me develop my game to a higher level from where I was before I came to the league,” Demiglio added.
With about a month remaining of regular season games plus the postseason, Demiglio will use all that time to lead his team as far as possible – including the goal of playing as a home team at this year’s 2024 USPHL Nationals, held at the Utica University Nexus Center, the Jr. Comets’ home ice. He’ll also continue to work on his game with an eye on his college hockey future, with hopes of being a lineup regular from Game 1 with the Fredonia Blue Devils next fall.
“I am going to work on getting in the weight room and overall just getting stronger to compete at the college level,” he said. “I will also work on game recognition to systematically fit in at Fredonia.”
The USPHL congratulates Joey Demiglio, his family, the Utica Jr. Comets and SUNY-Fredonia for his college hockey commitment.
