After finishing an impressive season for Michigan Tech, it didn’t take long until four Husky hockey players lined up their next jobs. On March 28, Hoby Baker Finalist and top-scorer Brian Halonen signed a two-year, two-way entry-level contract with the New Jersey Devils. Halonen is currently playing on the Devils’s AHL affiliate team, the Utica Comets, where he has already scored his first career goal. On the same day Halonen signed a deal with the Devils, Colin Swoyer became a Pittsburgh Penguin. Swoyer signed on for one year and $750,000.
Additionally, Trenton Bliss and Michael Karow signed professional deals of their own. Bliss signed a contract with the Grand Rapids Griffins, who are the AHL affiliate for the Detroit Red Wings, while Karow will head down south to play for the Texas Stars where he has signed an amateur tryout agreement. Furthermore, Justin Misiak and Tommy Parrottino will remain teammates as part of the ECHL based Idaho Steelheads. Misiak, Parrottino, and Karow are all part of the Dallas Stars farm system.
This past Friday and Saturday, the Huskies track and field teams traveled down to East Lansing to take part in the Spartan Invitational. The women’s team dominated the distance events, with multiple top-three finishes. Sam Kurkowski finished second in the 3000 Meter Steeplechase while Michelle Bollini took second in the 5000 Meter Run. But, it was Jesse Jacobusse who finally broke through for the Huskies as she won the 800 Meter Run. The men’s team showed out in the Sprints with Ryan Schwiderson earning a top-three spot in the 200 Meter Dash and Jacob Pilon placing just three spots behind him in sixth place. Schwdierson also placed fifth in the 100 Meter Dash. However, the Huskies were at their best in the 5000 Meter Run where the men’s team took seven of the top nine places. Luke Moore topped the field with a time of 14:41 while his teammates Tucker Ringhand and Nick Niemi closed out the podium. Both Schwiderson and Jacobusse earned GLIAC Track of Athlete of the Week honors for their top-end performances.
On April 3 the women’s tennis team rolled Saginaw Valley State, 6-1, to claim their first team victory of the season. Dominika Bobik never missed a beat in No. 1 singles as she annihilated Sara Neves of SVSU, 6-0, 6-0. Neva Manas was just two points away from doing the same in her match. She defeated Joanna Gao 6-2, 6-0 in No. 3 Singles. Ivona Gorgioski, Marina Fernadez, and Chiara Heinz also won their singles matches to cap off an impressive performance by the Huskies. In doubles, it was the same story. Bobik and Opalewski were perfect, posting a 6-0 score in the No. 1 contest, while Heinz and Neva as well as Fernadez and Gorgioski each won their matches 6-4.
