The Razorback Hockey team is pleased to announce that Alexx Vil has formally committed to play at Arkansas. A 5’9″, 165 lb., forward from Arlington, Texas, Vil recently completed his season with the Texas Jr. Brahmas. A versatile player with experience at both the defensive and forward positions, Vil served as his team’s captain during the 15-16 campaign. A two-year veteran with the Brahmas organization, Vil previously suited up for the Dallas Jr. Stars 18U team during the 2013-14 season.
According to Vil, “I chose the University of Arkansas because it has everything I’ve been looking for in a college; an accomplished hockey program, an excellent Health Sciences department, and a vibrant campus.” He added, “[a]fter speaking with trusted coaches from my previous years, I decided that the University of Arkansas was the best fit for me in continuing my development not only as a player but as a person.”
Vil becomes the nineteenth player in a 16-17 recruiting class that has eleven different states represented (Texas, Colorado, Mississippi, Massachusetts, North Carolina, New Jersey, Kansas, Tennessee, Wisconsin, Missouri, and California) and players with experience in eight different junior leagues (NA3HL, 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)
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 Arkansas hockey program recently finished its first season 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 III schedule was recently released and you can view it here. The Division I schedule will be released at the end of this month. All home games are played at The Jones Center for Families in Springdale.