MIDDLETOWN, CT.- Wesleyan men's hockey had one of their own selected to represent Team USA in the 31
st annual Winter World University Games, as
Emmet Powell '23 claimed the honor Wednesday. For the first time in the Winter World University Games' history, Team USA will be made up of 23 D-III players from across the country. The games will begin on January 11
th and run through the 22
nd with the gold medal game being nationally televised on ESPN.
There are 12 countries competing in the tournament that have been split up into two pools. Team USA was placed in Pool B which will consist of the countries: Great Britain, Korea, Slovakia, Kazakhstan, and Hungary. Powell and his teammates will play each of these teams in a round robin format at Cheel Rink on the campus of Clarkson University, with the top two teams advancing to the medal round on January 21
st and 22
nd which will be played at the Olympic Center in Lake Placid, New York.
Powell has been an integral part of a Wesleyan University team that has started the season 5-2 heading into conference play. The senior defenseman has led one of the strongest defenses in the country, helping hold opponents to just 1.86 goals per game which ranks 7
th best in all of D-III. He has also been an important piece of the 24
th best penalty killing unit in the country, holding opponents to just a 14.3% conversion rate. Powell has been much more than just a defensive stopper for the Cardinals however, as he is 2
nd on the team with five assists while also netting two goals of his own. He also owns a +/- of +8 which ranks first on the team and has blocked six shots on the season.
The Wesleyan men's hockey team will return to action on Friday January 6
th, where they will clash with NESCAC foe Middlebury in their first game back in nearly a month.
