KALAMAZOO, Mich. -- Western Michigan begins the 2024-25 season with an exhibition against the U.S. National Under-18 Team on Saturday night at Lawson Arena. The Broncos downed the USNTDP, 9-4, last season in Plymouth. 

BUMP IT UP
Alex Bump returns for his sophomore season in the Brown and Gold after an impressive rookie season. In 38 games, the Prior Lake, Minn. native was able to produce 36 points on 14 goals and 22 assists. His 14 goals were the most by a WMU freshman since Mark Letestu in 2006-07. 

He was selected to the NCHC All-Rookie Team and was a finalist for the league's Rookie of the Year award. He enters the 2024-25 season as the Broncos' top returning scorer and is one of the top returning scorers in the NCHC. 

DEFENSEMAN DEJA VU? 
Brian Kramer joins the program after spending the last three seasons at AIC. He totaled 22 points on 10 goals and 12 assists last season, which led to him being named the Atlantic Defenseman of the Year. He was also a First Team All-Conference selection. 

Similarly, former WMU defenseman Zak Galambos joined the program after three years at AIC. He joined the Broncos after winning Atlantic Defenseman of the Year in 2021-22. He went on to produce 50 points on 20 goals and 30 assists in two years with the Brown and Gold. 

Among active defensemen, Kramer leads the nation in career goals (19) and game-winning goals (5). Additionally, he is among the top 10 in the nation in points (68), assists (49) and games played (128). 

TRANSFER TRANSFORMATIONS
Under Western Michigan's current coaching staff, the Broncos have taken 10 transfers, with all of them going on to produce multiple career highs in the Brown and Gold. 

Among those 10 are Carter Berger, Sam Colangelo, Matteo Costantini, Zak Galambos and Cameron Rowe.  Berger, Colangelo and Galambos each signed professional contracts in the offseason, while Costantini and Rowe return after producing career numbers in 2023-24. 

RETURN OF ROWE
After posting great numbers during his first two seasons in the Brown and Gold, Cameron Rowe returns for his final year with Western Michigan in 2024-25. Rowe started every game in 2023-24, collecting a 21-16-1 record to go along with a 2.47 goals against average, .903 save percentage and two shutouts.

He is up to seventh on WMU's all-time wins list, currently sitting at 43. He needs just three wins to move into the program's top five. Nationally, Rowe is second in victories among active Division 1 goaltenders. Over his career, Rowe has collected 54 victories. He sits just one win behind Wisconsin's Tommy Scarfone for the active NCAA lead. 

FANTASTIC FORTY
Western Michigan has been one of the top offensive teams in the nation over the last three years, and that shows in the stat sheet. The Broncos have had at least one player reach 40 points each of the last three seasons, including three players hitting the 40-point mark in both 2022-23 and 2023-24. 

In 2021-22, Drew Worrad paced the team with 45 points on nine goals and 36 assists. Ethen Frank just missed the mark, finishing the year with 39 points. However, he did lead the nation in goals with 26. 

In 2022-23, the trio of Ryan McAllister, Jason Polin and Max Sasson all hit 40 points. McAllister led the way with 49, while Polin and Sasson had 47 and 42, respectively. Polin also led the nation in goals with 30 on the season. 

Last season, WMU continued its offensive fireworks having three more players tally 40 or more points. Luke Grainger paced the team with 48, while Dylan Wendt chipped in 44 and Sam Colangelo collected 43. 

TRANSFER PORTAL POTENTIAL
The Broncos brought in six transfers from some of the top schools around the country for the 2024-25 season. 

The transfers include Robby Drazner (Miami), Brian Kramer (AIC), Tristan Lemyre (Denver), Jack Mesic (Ferris State), Grant Slukynsky (Northern Michigan) and Liam Valente (Providence). 

Kramer is the reigning Atlantic Hockey Defenseman of the Year and a multiple time All-Atlantic Hockey selection, while Lemyre played a big role in winning the national championship with Denver last season. 

Drazner is a two-time winner of Miami's Unsung Hero Award, while Mesic was one of the top scoring defensemen for Ferris State last season. At forward, Slukynsky led NMU freshmen in games played and faceoff wins and Valente has 20 points in his career thus far. 

HISTORY MAKERS
The Broncos made history in 2023-24 by making the NCAA Tournament for the third consecutive season, which had never been done in program history. 

Western Michigan is now tied for the longest active tournament streak in the NCHC and tied for the fourth longest streak in the NCAA. Prior to this stretch, the only other multi-year tournament streak in program history was 2011 and 2012. 

SCOUTING THE USNTDP
The USNTDP is off to a 3-3 start, notching 22 goals while allowing the same amount. These two teams met last season to open 2023-24 play, with the Broncos earning a 9-4 win in Plymouth. 

LJ Mooney and Landon Hafele have led the way through six games, with each having six points. Mooney has one goal and five assists, while Hafele has posted four goals and two assists. Asher Barnett has been the top defenseman thus far, tallying four points on one goal and three assists. 

In net, Joey Slavick and Harrison Boettiger have each played in three games. Slavick is 1-0-0 with a 1.80 goals against average and .917 save percentage. Boettiger has a 1-1-0 record with a 3.78 GAA and .881 save percentage. 

CONSISTENCY IS KEY
Since early in the 2021-22 season Western Michigan has been consistently among the top teams in the nation, and the polls reflect that. WMU has made three straight NCAA Tournaments and currently sits at No. 15 in the nation. 

The Broncos have been ranked in the top-20 since Oct. 11, 2021.