Men's Ice Hockey | April 25, 2019
CHICAGO – Incoming Western Michigan hockey recruit Ronnie Attard has been named both the United States Hockey League Player of the Year and the league's Defenseman of the Year, the league announced on Thursday afternoon.
Attard, a native of White Lake, Mich., is currently in the midst of a battle for the Clark Cup Championship. The Tri-City Storm captain has the team in the USHL Semifinals after a record-breaking regular season. Attard set the USHL record for most goals in a regular season by a defenseman with 30, also a Tri-City franchise record. Attard finished the regular season with 65 points, adding 35 assists to set another franchise record for points by a defenseman.
"Ronnie did it the right way," said WMU hockey head coach Andy Murray. "He made sure his game had an opportunity to mature by staying and playing another year in the USHL under some great coaching from Anthony Noreen in Tri-City. His attitude and commitment, being captain of the team and of Team USA World Jr A challenge speaks to his character. We're excited to have him coming in and looking forward to seeing him develop."
The 6-foot-4, 204-pound defenseman also earned First Team All-USHL honors and is the first USHL Player of the Year to come to Western Michigan.He is ranked the 76th best skater in North American by the NHL Central Scouting service, projecting him to go in the NHL Draft this summer.
Attard isn't the only incoming Bronco to be earning USHL accolades. Muskegon Lumberjacks goalie Brandon Bussi was named Third Team All-USHL. Bussi posted a 33-12-3-1 record for the Lumberjacks during the regular season. He had a 2.44 goals against average and a .915 save percentage with seven shutouts. Bussi has led Muskegon into the USHL Semifinals, going 3-1 in the quarterfinals against Dubuque with a 1.56 goals against average and a .929 save percentage.
Bussi now leads the Lumberjacks against the Chicago Steel, while Attard leads the Storm against the Sioux Falls Stamped, possibly setting up a battle of future Broncos in the Clark Cup Championship series.
