KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The Western Michigan hockey team and head coach Andy Murray have announced the freshmen class for the upcoming 2020-21 season.
 
Alexandros Aslanidis (Morristown, N.J./Navan Grads, CCHL), Trevor Bishop (Rochester Hills, Mich./Victoria Grizzlies, BCHL), Aidan Fulp (Indianapolis, Ind./Dubuque Fighting Saints, USHL), Chad Hillebrand (Park Ridge, Ill./Green Bay Gamblers, USHL), Daniel Hilsendager (Lloydminster, Saskatchewan/Omaha Lancers, USHL), Cédric Fiedler (Zug, Switzerland/Fargo Force, USHL), Ty Glover (London, Ontario/Lincoln Stars, USHL), Luke Grainger (Montreal, Quebec/Hawkesbury Hawks, CCHL), Hugh Larkin (Livonia, Mich./Austin Bruins, NAHL) and Jarred White (Edmonton, Alberta/Sherwood Park Crusaders, AJHL) will join the program. The class is made up of six forwards, three defensemen and one goalie. Five played in the United States Hockey League, two in the Central Canada Hockey League, and one from each of the British Columbia Hockey League, North American Hockey League and Alberta Junior Hockey League. Six of the 10 student-athletes served as captains for their teams.
 
#35 Alexandros Aslanidis | G | 6'5, 205 lbs | Morristown, N.J./Navan Grads, CCHL
Aslanidis comes to Western Michigan after his first full season in the CCHL. He posted a .913 save percentage in 28 games played while finishing the season with a record of 14-12-1. He also spent a brief time in the NAHL and with the US National Development Program.
 
Coach Murray on Aslanidis -- "Alex is a big goalie with great athletic ability. He stopped a lot of shots last year with Navan and our goalie coach Tom Askey really likes his upside."
 
#22 Trevor Bishop | F | 6'0, 185 lbs | Right Shot | Rochester Hills, Mich./Victoria Grizzlies, BCHL
After a long career with the Oakland Jr. Grizzlies in the Detroit area, Bishop went off to the BCHL and played two seasons with Victoria. He appeared in 64 career games in the BCHL and posted eight points on three goals and five assists.
 
Coach Murray on Bishop -- "Trevor spent five years with the Oakland Grizzlies youth program. He has an upside that injuries restricted in junior hockey. He's a tremendous young man. We feel his best hockey is ahead of him and that he will surprise people in college. He possesses speed that reminds us of Lawton Courtnall."
 
 #24 Aidan Fulp | D | 6'3, 210 lbs | Right Shot | Indianapolis, Ind./Dubuque Fighting Saints, USHL
Fulp comes to WMU after three full seasons in the USHL with Dubuque. As a shutdown defenseman he played in 148 career games in the league and tallied 33 points on four goals and 29 assists. Fulp captained the team in 2019-20 and his leadership extended into the community, as he was awarded the USHL's prestigious Curt Hammer Award. The award is given annually to the player that distinguishes himself both on and off the ice by demonstrating outstanding performance skills, pride and determination. It is given in the memory of the late Curt Hammer, who was a dedicated volunteer and supporter of hockey in the Des Moines community, even while battling cancer.
 
Coach Murray on Fulp – "Aidan is a strong skater with a great defensive stick in the mold of Mattias Samuelsson. With his excellence on the ice and his leadership ability in the league, on his team and in the community he was well deserving of the Curt Hammer Award."
 
#10 Chad Hillebrand | F | 6'4, 200 lbs | Left Shot | Park Ridge, Ill./Green Bay Gamblers, USHL
Hildebrand played one season in the NAHL before moving on to the USHL and recently wrapped up a season in Green Bay. He posted back-to-back 23-point seasons in the USHL, with a career-best 13 goals with the Gamblers in 2019-20.
 
Coach Murray on Hillebrand – "Chad reminds us of Austin Rueschoff. Like Austin, he is tall, lanky and still growing into his body. He skates well and will become more explosive in our program. He has good offensive instincts and was a net-front presence on the power play."
 
#15 Daniel Hilsendager | D | 6'1, 201 lbs | Left Shot | Llyodminster, Saskatchewan/Omaha Lancers, USHL
Hilsendager spent two seasons in the AJHL before moving on to the USHL for two seasons. With the Lloydminster Bobcats he played in 116 games, posting 51 points on 15 goals and 36 assists before heading to the USHL. In the USHL he played half of a season with the Muskegon Lumberjacks before joining the Omaha Lancers. He comes to WMU off the career-best season in the league, totaling 20 points on four goals and 16 assists while serving as assistant captain.
 
Coach Murray on Hilsendager – Daniel is a competitor. He skates well and is an uncomfortable player to play against. Like Cam Lee, he likes to jump up with play offensively and with a good shot, brings us a power play threat once he is comfortable at the college level.
 
#17 Cédric Fiedler | D | 6'3, 204 lbs | Left Shot | Zug, Switzerland/Fargo Force, USHL
Fiedler played much of his junior career in Switzerland with Zug before coming to the United States to play in the USHL with Fargo. With Zug he played at the U-15, U-17 and U-20 "Elit" teams. With the Force he played two season, totaling 94 games with 17 points on four goals and 13 assists. Fielder also played for Switzerland in the 2019 U-18 World Junior Championship, playing in all seven games for the team.
 
Coach Murray on Fiedler – "Cédric comes from a great development program in Zug. A club where I coached early in my career. He had a successful two seasons in Fargo and was recognized for his leadership by being selected an assistant captain this last year. He is a big man that skates well and can move the puck. He likes to play physical and will remind fans of Luke Bafia."
 
#27 Ty Glover | F | 6'3, 200 lbs | Left Shot | London, Ontario/Lincoln Stars, USHL
Glover comes to WMU after one full season in the USHL with Lincoln. He put up 14 points on eight goals and six assists in 47 games. Prior to the USHL he played in the Ontario Junior Hockey League with the Buffalo Jr. Sabres, posting 54 points on 27 goals and 27 assists in 59 games.
 
Coach Murray on Glover -- "Like Cédric and Alex, Ty will be a young player as an '01. Having already played two years of juniors, we feel his game is ready for college hockey. His size and aptitude allows him to play a heavy game, combined with his strong skating stride fits the mold of a power forward. He is a net-front force and has the potential to create havoc for opposing goalies."
 
#9 Luke Grainger | F | 5'10, 180 lbs | Right Shot | Montreal, Quebec/Hawkesbury Hawks, CCHL
Grainger joins the Broncos after two seasons in the CCHL with Hawkesbury. He led the league in scoring his past season after posting 82 points on 34 goals and 48 assists in just 56 games. He leaves the league after averaging 1.04 points per game, tallying 124 in 117 career games.
 
Coach Murray on Grainger - "Luke plays the game with a lot of speed and energy. He has a lot of Hugh McGing in his game. He's a young man known for his character and determination and was an assistant captain in Hawkesbury this past season."
 
#28 Hugh Larkin | F | 6'2, 205 lbs | Right Shot | Livonia, Mich./Austin Bruins, NAHL
Larkin played two seasons in the NAHL with the Boston Bruins and one in the BCHL with the Cowichan Valley Capitals before joining the Brown & Gold. With the Bruins he played in 102 career games posting 41 goals and 43 assists for 84 points. He comes to Kalamazoo on the back of a career-best season, tallying 46 points on 21 goals and 25 assists in 48 games while serving as assistant captain for the Bruins.
 
Coach Murray on Larkin – "Hugh is another incoming freshman that was an assistant captain for his team last season. He is known for his grit and net-front power that led to a lot of big goals for his team. Hugh is always around the puck and is a player that fits our mandate for speed. He hits like Wade Allison and we expect him to be a strong forechecker.
 
#29 Jarred White | F | 5'10, 200 lbs  | Left Shot | Edmonton, Alberta, Sherwood Park Crusaders, AJHL
White comes to Western Michigan after a career-best season in the AJHL, tallying 65 points on 29 goals and 36 assists in 55 games. He racked up 124 total points in his career in the AJHL and also served as an assistant captain during his final season in the league.
 
Coach Murray on White – "Jarred was an assistant captain on one of the top junior teams in Canada with Sherwood Park. He makes things happen, drives hard to the net and creates offense. He also provides a physical presence when needed. Every game we watched he did something to grab our attention and he has a net drive that is similar to Dawson DiPietro."