Jr. Blues Alumni Report: The 2019-20 ECAC Season

Apr 3, 2020

Springfield, Illinois – The 2019-20 season brought many firsts for our alumni, both on the professional and NCAA levels. Our next stop on our journey through the NCAA Division 1 conferences is in the ECAC. Here is today’s Alumni Report!

We begin at Quinnipiac where defenseman TJ Friedmann wrapped up his second NCAA season by playing in 32 games, scoring one goal and one assist. The St. Louis, MO native has now appeared in 63 career games for the Bobcats and has tallied 4 goals and 6 assists so far. Friedmann was named to the 2018-19 ECAC Hockey All-Academic Team as well as being named a AHCA All-American Scholar.

Friedmann is joined at Quinnipiac by freshman goaltender Evan Fear. The Winnetka, IL native saw action in four games this season in which he posted a 0-1-0 record. He made his NCAA debut on November 1st against Arizona State when he relieved starter Keith Petruzelli. Evan’s brother Erich, a senior at Denver, recently wrapped up his NCAA career.  

Over at Union College, sophomore blueliner Fletcher Fineman notched his first NCAA goal and point this season, the only point he registered in 28 appearances. At the conclusion of his second season the Lake Worth, FL native has now appeared in 46 career games. He was named to the 2018-19 ECAC Hockey All-Academic Team. 

Fineman is joined at Union by freshman goaltender Garret Nieto, a native of Yorba Linda, CA, who did not appear in any games this season. The duo will be joined in the future by forward Caden Villegas and goaltender Joe Sharib, who are both committed to Union, a college located in New York. 

Our final spotlight in the ECAC is on Macomb, MI native Daniel DiGrande. The sophomore forward appeared in 18 games this season for RPI, recording three goals and one assist. His first career NCAA goal and point were scored against UMass on December 29th, before registering his first assist against Dartmouth on January 31st. DiGrande was named to the 2018-19 ECAC Hockey All-Academic Team as well. 

As we wait to hear on the 2019-20 ECAC Hockey All-Academic Team, expected to be released this summer, we fondly look back at the season so many of our alumni experienced. Congratulations to all of our alumni for their phenomenal play and attention to excellence in the classroom!