Men's hockey signs seven
November 23, 2009 | Men's Hockey
Nov. 23, 2009
MADISON, Wis. - Head men's hockey coach Mike Eaves has announced the signing of seven student-athletes to national letters of intent during the early signing period. The group includes forwards Tyler Barnes (Eagan, Minn.), Jefferson Dahl (Eau Claire, Wis.), Sean Little (Fond du Lac, Wis.), Michael Mersch (Park Ridge, Ill.) and Mark Zengerle (Rochester, N.Y.), as well as defensemen Chase Drake (Mosinee, Wis.) and Frankie Simonelli (Bensenville, Ill.).
Barnes, a 6-0 and 165-pound forward, currently leads the USHL's Waterloo Black Hawks in scoring with eight goals and 18 points in 12 games played. In 2008-09, Barnes scored nine times and collected 26 points in 55 games. Following his career at Burnsville High School in 2007-08, the Eagan, Minn., native skated in one game with Waterloo at the end of the 2007-08 season, posting a goal and an assist in his lone appearance. A top-10 finalist for 2008 Minnesota Mr. Hockey award, Barnes posted 23 goals and 50 points in 24 games played his senior season. He was named second-team Associated Press All-State and honorable mention Pioneer Press All-State. He also tallied 29 goals and 54 points in 31 games for Burnsville as a junior.
Eaves on Barnes, "Tyler comes in as a very high-skilled forward. It's his second year in the USHL and we think that the added year of experience will have him well prepared to play in college."
Drake, a 6-1 and 170-pound defenseman, skates for Sioux City of the USHL. He has one goal in 14 games this season after posting two assists in 45 games during the 2008-09 campaign for the Musketeers. A 2008 Wisconsin Hockey Coaches Association First-Team All-State defenseman, Drake captained Mosinee High School to the state tournament. He finished the season with 12 goals and 31 points in 24 games played. In 2006-07, the Mosinee, Wis., native scored 11 times and collected 34 points in 22 games. He was also a member of Team Wisconsin in the Minnesota Elite League.
Eaves on Drake, "We hope Chase will be a steady force for us back on the blue line. He's very calm. He doesn't get rattled. We expect him to be trustworthy defenseman for us."
Dahl, a 5-9 and 175-pound forward, plays for the USHL's Youngstown franchise after playing last year for Green Bay. This year, through 10 games, the Eau Claire, Wis., native boasts four goals and eight points. During the 2008-09 season with the Gamblers, Dahl scored 15 times and collected 26 points in 55 games played in helping his squad to the regular-season league championship. The 2008 Wisconsin Hockey Coaches Association Player of the Year and a First-Team All-State selection as a captain of his state-champion Eau Claire Memorial High School team. He finished the season with 36 goals and 76 points in 26 games. In 25 games in 2006-07, Dahl scored 28 goals and 66 points for Memorial.
Eaves on Dahl, "Jefferson will be a very complete hockey player. He has the ability to play with the puck and has the intelligence to play smartly when he doesn't have it."
Little, a 5-11 and 185-pound forward, will join the Badgers from the Green Bay Gamblers of the USHL. The younger brother of current UW defenseman Ryan Little, Sean has one goal and three points in 13 games so far this year. Last year with the Gamblers as a teammate of Dahl, Little scored twice and produced seven points and 99 penalty minutes in 40 games. The regular-season champion Gamblers posted a 39-17-4 mark for the year. A former member of the Madison Capitols Under-18 team, Little put up 10 goals and 22 p oints in 22 games during the 2007-08 season. He also played the 2008 U.S. Under-18 Select Team that played in the 2008 Memorial of Ivan Hlinka Tournament, posting one assist in four games.
Eaves on Little, "Sean Little will be an energetic physical force for us. If you want to make a comparison, we see him as someone like Ben Grotting - great on the forecheck and great energy from his physical play."
Mersch, a 6-1 and 195-pound forward, calls the U.S. National Team Development Program's under-18 team his home. He has three assists through 15 games, including one assist in two games in the USHL thus far in the 2009-10 season. He shared the team lead on the under-17 team last year with 27 goals and ranked fourth on the squad with 46 points in 65 games played. He also paced his team with seven game-winning goals and tied for second with five power-play tallies. Before joining the development program, Mersch posted 35 goals and 75 points playing for Team Illinois. He competed as a member of the U.S. Under-17 Select Team at the 2008 Under-17 Five Nations Tournament in Prievidza, Slovakia where his four points in four games ranked second on the team. His late father Michael played NCAA Division I hockey for Illinois-Chicago.
Eaves on Mersch, "Michael is a good-sized forward who has a great shot. He has a propensity to put the puck in the net and is hard to move and control in front of the net."
Simonelli, a 5-10 and 187-pound defenseman, currently skates with the U.S. National Team Development Program's Under-18 Team. Through 20 games played in 2009-10, the Bensenville, Ill., native has collected two goals and three points. In USHL action, Simonelli has one goal and one assist in four games played. During the 2008-09 season playing for the U.S. under-17 team, he sat second on the team with 31 points while leading the defensemen with 22 assists. He played with Team Illinois prior to joining the development program and helped the team to the 2007-08 state and regional title, while placing second at USA Hockey's Tier I Under-18 National Championship. He had nine goals and 35 points in 82 games that season.
Eaves on Simonelli, "Frankie is a complete defenseman. He can play on your power play and from what we've seen, you can also put him on the ice when you're up a goal."
Zengerle, a 5-11 and 178-pound forward, skates for the Salmon Arm Silverbacks of the British Columbia Hockey League. The Rochester, N.Y., native currently paces all BCHL scorers with 62 points in 28 games on 17 goals and 45 assists. He also has five power-play goals, one short-handed tally and two game-winning scores to his credit this season. During the 2008-09 campaign, Zengerle posted 31 goals and 93 Spoints in 54 games played to rank second in the BCHL in scoring.
Eaves on Zengerle, "Mark is a very skilled forward. He's had a lot of success in junior hockey and we expect him to come in and contribute offensively right away. He sees the ice really well."
| Name | Pos. | Ht. | Wt. | Age | Hometown | Current Team |
| Tyler Barnes | F | 6-0 | 165 | 19 | Eagan, Minn. | Waterloo (USHL) |
| Jefferson Dahl | F | 5-9 | 175 | 20 | Eau Claire, Wis. | Youngstown (USHL) |
| Chase Drake | D | 6-1 | 170 | 19 | Mosinee, Wis. | Sioux City (USHL) |
| Sean Little | F | 5-11 | 185 | 18 | Fond du Lac, Wis. | Green Bay (USHL) |
| Michael Mersch | F | 6-1 | 195 | 17 | Park Ridge, Ill. | U.S. NTDP |
| Frankie Simonelli | D | 5-10 | 189 | 17 | Bensenville, Ill. | U.S. NTDP |
| Mark Zengerle | F | 5-11 | 178 | 20 | Rochester, N.Y. | Salmon Arm (BCHL) |
