Bowling Green State University Athletics
Falcon Hockey Freshmen Class Among Nation's Best
September 17, 2004 | Ice Hockey
Sept. 17, 2004
Bowling Green, Ohio -
The Bowling Green State University hockey freshmen class for the 2004-05 season has been ranked among the top 15 in the nation, as published by InsideCollegeHockey.com. Inside College Hockey compiled its 2004 Recruiting Rankings with extensive input from college and junior coaches, as well as professional scouts.
The Falcon freshmen class is ranked 14th, just behind Michigan (13th) and ahead of Miami (15). The top ranked freshmen class in the country is North Dakota.
When broken down by INCH.com, BGSU freshman Michael Hodgson is ranked 10th among rookie defensemen in the nation, while freshman Jonathan Matsumoto is ranked 13th among rookie forwards nationally.
Hodsgon played three seasons with the Sioux City Musketeers of the United States Hockey League. The 5-foot-10, 185-pound native of Surfside, Calif. was named the USHL Defenseman of the Year in 2004 and helped anchor a Sioux City squad that allowed the second-fewest goals in the USHL. Hodgson led the league in scoring by a defenseman with 42 points (9g, 33a) in 58 games played and had a plus-18 rating. The Musketeers finished second in the USHL West Division in 2004.
Matsumoto played one season for the Cumberland Grads of the Central Junior Hockey league where he finished the 2003-04 season with 31-32--63 in 51 games and 26 PIM. The 6-foot, 184-pound native of Orleans, Ontario was named the CJHL Rookie of the Year in 2004 after leading all rookies in the league in scoring with the next closest rookie 15 points behind him. He earned the Cumberland 3-Star Award while the Grads finished second in the CJHL regular season. He was invited to try out for the 2002 Team Ontario Under-17 training camp.
The rest of the Falcon freshmen class includes forwards Jon Erickson, Alex Foster, Ben Geelan, John Mazzei, and Derek Whitmore, along with defenseman Mike Nesdill.
BGSU holds its annual Falcon Face-Off on Saturday, Oct. 9, at 4 p.m. and then hosts Windsor in an exhibition game on Friday, Oct. 15, at 7 p.m.
