Tuesday, January 7, 2014
Olympics to Feature NCAA Players
32 players representing 19 schools poised to compete for gold in Sochi.
Updated: Mathias Lange and Andreas Nodl were added to the Austrian Olympic team Jan. 14
Bowling Green sophomore defenseman Ralfs Freibergs and 11 former college hockey stars have been named to their country’s Olympic rosters, joining 20 NCAA alums who will represent the United States in Sochi, Russia, next month.
Freibergs, a native of Riga, Latvia, will play for Latvia and is the only current NCAA player selected for the Olympics. He has posted 16 points in 24 games for the Falcons this season, leading their defensemen and ranking third on the team in scoring. He will be the first current NCAA player to appear in the men’s Olympic tournament since four players did so in 2002.
Canada has four former college players on its Olympic roster: Duncan Keith (Michigan State), Chris Kunitz (Ferris State), Patrick Sharp (Vermont) and Jonathan Toews (North Dakota).
Michigan alums Carl Hagelin and Brian Lebler will join former Wolverines teammate Max Pacioretty (U.S.) in Sochi. Hagelin will make his first Olympic appearance for Sweden, while Lebler is one of six former NCAA players on Austria. Austria also named Thomas Vanek (Minnesota), Mathias Lange (RPI), Andreas Nodl (St. Cloud State), Thomas Pock (Massachusetts) and Mattias Trattnig (Maine) to its Olympic team.
In all, 19 NCAA programs will have a representative in the men’s Olympic tournament in Sochi.
Former NCAA Players in the 2014 Sochi Olympics
| Country/Player | Pos. | Current Team | NCAA Team |
| Austria | |||
| Mathias Lange | G | Iserlohn (GER) | Rensselaer |
| Brian Lebler | F | EHC Linz (AUT) | Michigan |
| Andreas Nodl | F | Red Bull Salzburg (AUT) | St. Cloud State |
| Thomas Pock | D | KAC Klagenfurt (AUT) | Massachusetts |
| Mattias Trattnig | D | Red Bull Salzburg (AUT) | Maine |
| Thomas Vanek | F | NY Islanders (NHL) | Minnesota |
| Canada | |||
| Duncan Keith | D | Chicago (NHL) | Michigan State |
| Chris Kunitz | F | Pittsburgh (NHL) | Ferris State |
| Patrick Sharp | F | Chicago (NHL) | Vermont |
| Jonathan Toews | F | Chicago (NHL) | North Dakota |
| Latvia | |||
| Ralfs Freibergs | D | Bowling Green | |
| Sweden | |||
| Carl Hagelin | F | NY Rangers (NHL) | Michigan |
| United States | |||
| Jimmy Howard | G | Detroit (NHL) | Maine |
| Ryan Miller | G | Buffalo (NHL) | Michigan State |
| Jonathan Quick | G | Los Angeles (NHL) | Massachusetts |
| Justin Faulk | D | Carolina (NHL) | Minnesota Duluth |
| Paul Martin | D | Pittsburgh (NHL) | Minnesota |
| Ryan McDonagh | D | NY Rangers (NHL) | Wisconsin |
| Brooks Orpik | D | Pittsburgh (NHL) | Boston College |
| Kevin Shattenkirk | D | St. Louis (NHL) | Boston University |
| Ryan Suter | D | Minnesota (NHL) | Wisconsin |
| David Backes | F | St. Louis (NHL) | Minnesota State |
| Ryan Kesler | F | Vancouver (NHL) | Ohio State |
| Phil Kessel | F | Toronto (NHL) | Minnesota |
| T.J. Oshie | F | St. Louis (NHL) | North Dakota |
| Max Pacioretty | F | Montreal (NHL) | Michigan |
| Zach Parise | F | Minnesota (NHL) | North Dakota |
| Joe Pavelski | F | San Jose (NHL) | Wisconsin |
| Paul Stastny | F | Colorado (NHL) | Denver |
| Derek Stepan | F | NY Rangers (NHL) | Wisconsin |
| James van Riemsdyk | F | Toronto (NHL) | New Hampshire |
| Blake Wheeler | F | Winnipeg (NHL) | Minnesota |
Olympians by NCAA School
Boston College: Brooks Orpik (US)
Boston University: Kevin Shattenkirk (US)
Bowling Green: Ralfs Freibergs (LAT)
Denver: Paul Stastny (US)
Ferris State: Chris Kunitz (CAN)
Maine: Jimmy Howard (US), Mattias Trattnig (AUT)
Massachusetts: Thomas Pock (AUT), Jonathan Quick (US)
Michigan: Carl Hagelin (SWE), Brian Lebler (AUT), Max Pacioretty (US)
Michigan State: Duncan Keith (CAN), Ryan Miller (US)
Minnesota: Phil Kessel (US), Paul Martin (US), Thomas Vanek (AUT), Blake Wheeler (US)
Minnesota Duluth: Justin Faulk (US)
Minnesota State: David Backes (US)
New Hampshire: James van Riemsdyk (US)
North Dakota: T.J. Oshie (US), Zach Parise (US), Jonathan Toews (CAN)
Ohio State: Ryan Kesler (US)
Vermont: Patrick Sharp (CAN)
Wisconsin: Ryan McDonagh (US), Joe Pavelski (US), Derek Stepan (US), Ryan Suter (US)