Men's Ice Hockey | August 18, 2017
KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The Western Michigan hockey team and head coach Andy Murray have announced the freshmen class for the upcoming 2017-18 season.
The Broncos bring in Austin Cain (Ottawa, Ontario/Whitby Fury, OJHL), Carson Vance (Tempe, Ariz./Sioux City Musketeers, USHL), Brett Van Os (St. Albert, Alberta/Calgary Canucks, AJHL), Lukas Samuelsson (Voorhees, N.J./Toronto Predators, GMHL), Josh Passolt (Hayward, Wis./Sioux Falls Stampede, USHL), Austin Rueschhoff (Wentzville, Mo./Dubuque Fighting Saints, USHL), Paul Washe (Clarkston, Mich./Fargo Force, USHL), Ethen Frank (Papillion, Neb./Lincoln Stars, USHL) and Cam Orchard (Middleville, Mich./Des Moines Buccaneers, USHL) will all suit up in the Brown and Gold.
The nine-member class consists of seven forwards, a defenseman and a goalie. It also brings six Americans and three Canadians.
#1 Austin Cain | Whitby Fury, OJHL | Goalie | 6'3, 185 lbs
Cain played three season in the Ontario Junior Hockey League, racking up 29 wins. During the 2016-17 season he went 22-8-0 with a 2.66 goals against average and a .916 save percentage. He played a career-high 1,894 minutes during that season.
Coach Murray on Cain – "Austin has continued to develop over his junior career. He possesses good size, has an enthusiastic attitude and will provide competition in net."
#7 Carson Vance | Sioux City Musketeers, USHL | Defenseman | Left Shot | 5'11, 180 lbs
Vance played in 193 career games in the United States Hockey League through four seasons. He racked up 69 total points on 13 goals and 56 assists. He is coming off of his best season after helping Sioux City to the USHL Championship series. He totaled 32 points on 27 assists and five goals. Vance finished the season +25 on the season and was +38 in his career.
Coach Murray on Vance – "Carson has played four seasons of Junior A hockey. He was a leading defenseman in Sioux City's run for a title and is an elite skater that can jump into play on the offensive zone. He's also an excellent puck mover."
#18 Brett Van Os | Calgary Canucks, AJHL | Forward | Left Shot | 6'2, 205 lbs
Van Os heads to WMU after three seasons in the Alberta Junior Hockey League. In 195 career games he racked up 42 goals and 76 assists for 118 points. During the 2016-17 season he was tied for the team lead with 55 points on 15 goals and a team-best 40 assists in the regular season. Van Os saw his production increase with every season, starting with 18 points in his first full season and 36 in his second season before his breakout year.
Coach Murray on Van Os – "Brett is a big-bodied power forward who can play a heavy game. He has deceptive speed and likes to take it to the net."
#19 Lukas Samuelsson | Toronto Predators, GMHL | Forward | Right Shot | 6'0, 175 lbs
Samuelsson comes from a hockey family. His father Kjell played 936 games, including playoffs, in the NHL mostly with the Philadelphia Flyers and now works for them in player development. Lukas scored 36 points in his first season in the Greater Metro Hockey League, tallying 24 goals and 12 assists.
Coach Murray on Samuelsson – "Lukas is a strong skater and has a solid 200-foot game. He is someone who will mature into an effective college hockey player for us."
#21 Josh Passolt | Sioux Falls Stampede, USHL | Forward | Left Shot | 6'0, 180 lbs
Passolt played two seasons in the USHL, both with Sioux Falls. Last season he captained the Stampede and also led them in scoring with 40 points on a team-best 22 goals and 20 assists. Through two seasons he combined to play in 121 games, scoring 33 goals and 31 assists for 64 points.
Coach Murray on Passolt – "Josh is a versatile forward that can play center or on the week. He has great speed, is very tenacious and will remind fans a lot of Trevor Elias."
#22 Austin Rueschhoff | Dubuque Fighting Saints, USHL | Forward | Right Shot | 6'7, 228 lbs
Rueschhoff comes to WMU after his first full season in the USHL with Dubuque. Last season he netted 21 goals and 11 assists for 32 points Prior to that he played two seasons in the NAHL, scoring a combined total of 27 goals and 17 assists.
Coach Murray on Rueschhoff – "Austin has very good hands and he's a big-body presence that can make a play. From Christmas-on last season he was one of the better players in the USHL. He went the Toronto Maple Leafs development camp this summer and had a great camp."
#23 Paul Washe | Fargo Force, USHL | Forward | Left Shot | 6'1, 190 lbs
Washe played two full seasons in the USHL, playing for the Tri-City Storm and the Force. Last seasons he split time between the two and scored 14 goals and 12 assists during the regular season, heling Fargo to the USHL Playoffs. Washe was a member of the USA Jr. A Challenge team where he played in five games and recorded an assist. He was also named the MVP of the USHL Prospects Game.
Coach Murray on Washe – "Paul is a big-bodied centerman. He plays with a good balance between offensive ability and physicality."
#26 Ethen Frank | Lincoln Stars, USHL | Forward | Right Shot | 5'10, 174 lbs
Frank comes to Western Michigan after two full seasons in the USHL with the Lincoln Stars. He appeared in 106 career games, scoring 28 goals and 34 assists for 62 points. Frank saw his production increase dramatically during his second season with the Stars. Last season he totaled 41 points on 18 goals and 23 assists. He also played with Washe as a part of the World Junior A Challenge, scoring two goals for USA in five games.
Coach Murray on Frank – "Ethan is a powerful skater with a great shot. He was a leader in Lincoln and with Team USA at the World Junior A Challenge."
#27 Cam Orchard | Des Moines Buccaneers, USHL | Forward | Right Shot | 6'1, 188 lbs
Orchard played two full seasons in the USHL. He appeared in 109 total games and racked up 34 points on 16 goals and 18 assists. Last season he saw him breakout with the Des Moines Buccaneers and scored 23 points on 13 goals and 10 assists.
Coach Murray on Orchard – "Cam is a product of the Fox Motors midget program in Grand Rapids that is coached by Travis Richards. He's a big-bodied centerman and is great off the draws. He also has a tenacious work ethic."
