The Razorback Hockey team is pleased to announce that Zach Piekarski has formally committed to play at Arkansas.  The 6’1″ 185 lb. right-handed defenseman from Frisco, Texas, recently completed his season playing for two teams–McKinney U18AA and Frisco High School.  In 90 combined games between those two teams during the 15-16 season, Piekarski scored 43 goals to go along with 49 assists.

Stats aside, Piekarski’s award-laden season included recognition as Co-MVP on his high school team, selection as captain on his travel team, and high school all-star selection.  His teams finished collectively as high school league champions, state runner-up, and a USA Hockey National quarter-finalist. Piekarski’s previous teams have also won the travel state championship (2009-10) and the high school state championship (2012-13).

Said Piekarski, “the University of Arkansas has one of the best Sports Management programs.  Arkansas allows me to continue my hockey career at a high level without delaying my education.  I look forward to being a Razorback and continuing my hockey career.”

Piekarski becomes the twenty-third player in a 16-17 recruiting class that has ten different states represented (Texas, Mississippi, Massachusetts, North Carolina, New Jersey, Kansas, Tennessee, Wisconsin, Missouri, and California) and players with experience in nine different junior leagues (NA3HL, EHL, NAHL, MnJHL, SJHL, MJAHL, WSHL, GMHL, and USPHL).  He joins the following players:

F-Drew Hill (Dallas Jr. Stars, NA3HL)
F-Chris Stovall (Springfield Express, WSHL)
F-Garrett Jackson (McKinney Northstars)
F-Alex Kueser (Eureka High School)
F-Chris Weatherly (HC Dallas AAA, NAPHL)
F-Ben Koester (Rochester Ice Hawks, NA3HL)
F-Alec Morris (Marian University, NCAA)
F-Niko Ala-Kokko (Dallas Penguins, DJHA)
F-Wesley Moore (Rampart High School, COHS)
F-Christian MacMeeken (Dallas Jr. Stars, DSTHL)
F-Alexx Vil (Texas Jr. Brahmas, DSTHL)
F-Jack Moore (East Coast Wizards, EHL)
F-Anthony Cebell (Plano East)
F-Parker Tillson (The Woodlands)
D-Alex DeGuire (Skipjacks Hockey Club, USPHL)
D-Dominic De la Guardia (Portland Jr. Pirates, USPHL)
D-Jake Jones (Bobcaygeon Storm, GMHL)
D-Blake Sibley (HC Dallas AAA, NAPHL)
D-Brian Danahy (Abington Green Wave, MAHS)
D-Adam Cooke (Texas Jr. Brahmas, DSTHL)
G-Nick Bretzger (Springfield Express, WSHL)
G-Michael Moore (Chicago Cougars, USPHL)

The 15-16 season was the first for the Arkansas hockey program fielding two teams.  The Division I team finished #21–the highest finish in ACHA history for any team in its first DI season after moving from DIII.  The team’s #21 finish also gave Arkansas the best finish of any of the five teams that made the jump to Division I this season.  Meanwhile, Division III’s twenty-eight win season was good for third in the SECHC and tenth in the Pacific Region.

The 2016-17 Division I & III schedules were recently released.  You can view the Division I schedule here and the Division III schedule is available here.  All home games are played at The Jones Center for Families in Springdale.