.png&width=24&type=webp)
.png&width=24&type=webp)
Princeton University Athletics
Men's Hockey Announces Class of 2016
May 22, 2012 | Men's Ice Hockey
"We are looking forward to the 2012-13 season and the new student-athletes to make immediate contributions to our program," Prier said. "I'm very excited about the talent of this class, the Class of 2016. This will be an exciting group of young men to watch during its four years at Princeton University."
"Greg [Gardner] and Scott [Garrow] have been working very hard in the recruiting efforts to bring the best and brightest into our program. We are also benefiting from our predecessors, Guy Gadowsky and staff, with their efforts in the introduction of Princeton University to much of this class."
Mike Ambrosia, 5-10/
180, Forward, Chatham, N.J./Youngstown Phantoms (USHL)
Ambrosia has spent the last two seasons with the Youngstown
Phantoms of the USHL. As team captain he guided the team to its most successful
season in Youngstown history with a franchise record of 32 wins and the first
playoff appearance and series win. Ambrosia led the Phantoms in scoring with 65
points in 60 games. He ranked second in the league in short-handed points,
sixth in power-play points and eighth in points overall. The Phantoms reached
the second round of the Clark Cup playoffs this past season. He was named the
team's Rookie of the Year the previous season. A 2010 graduate of Delbarton,
Ambrosia scored 32 goals and 41 assists his senior year. Delbarton won the
state championship three times, in 2008, '09 and '10. Ambrosia's father David
played college hockey at Cornell, while his mother was on the Cornell women's
lacrosse team.
Jonathan Liau, 5-9/175, Forward,
Burbank, Calif./Youngstown Phantoms (USHL)
Liau has
played the last three years in the USHL. He finished his junior hockey career
with the Youngstown Phantoms, playing aside Ambrosia. He began the year with
the Omaha Lancers where he had 15 points in 34 games. Liau played 19 games with
the Phantoms, including six in the playoffs, finishing with five points. In
2010-11 he joined the Lancers and scored 19 points in 59 games while also
competing in three playoff games. A 2011 graduate of St. Paul's school, the
alma mater of Hobey Baker, Liau was named all-Independent School League (ISL)
in 2010. The Pelicans were the 2008 ISL runner-up. While at St. Paul's, Liau
also played lacrosse.
Kevin Liss, 6-0/200, Defender,
Pittsburgh/Youngstown Phantoms (USHL)
Liss is the third Youngstown Phantom joining the Tigers this
season. He spent the last two seasons with Youngstown. This past season, Liss
competed in 35 games and had five points and capped his USHL career with eight
points in 75 games, while being name the 2010-11 USHL Scholar-Athlete of the
Year. In 2009-10 he played 53 games for Wichita Falls (NAHL) and tallied nine
assists. Prior to Wichita Falls, Liss played two seasons with the Pittsburgh
Hornets U-18 AAA team. With the Hornets, Liss had 17 points in 65 games and was
team captain in 2008-09 when he was named the Defensive Player of the Year. In
all, Liss was captain four of five years with the Hornets organization and
played in three national championships. Liss competed in the 2009 USA Hockey
Tier 1 National Championships. Liss graduated from Upper St. Clair High School
in 2011.
Kyle Rankin, 6-1/195,
Forward, Kanata, Ont./Sioux Falls Stampede (USHL)
Rankin has made a couple junior hockey stops along his way
to Princeton. Most recently he was a member of the Sioux Falls Stampede (USHL)
and led the team in scoring with 16 goals and 18 assists for 34 points. Prior
to the Stampede, Rankin spent two seasons with the Kanata Stallions (CCHL). In
2010-11 as an assistant captain he led the Stallions in scoring with 73 points
on 22 goals and 51 assists, and finished 10th in the league in scoring as a
17-year-old. Rankin added eight more points during Kanata's six playoff games.
The year prior, Rankin was fourth on the team in scoring with 42 points. Before
joining the Kanata organization, Rankin played for the Ottawa Senators Minor
Midget AAA. Rankin graduated from All Saints Catholic High School in 2011, and
also played lacrosse.
Michael Zajac,
6-3/210, Forward, Eagan, Minn./Eagan High
Zajac played four years of high school hockey at Eagan High
School in Minnesota. He graduated Eagan as the school's all-time leader in
scoring in points, goals and assists. In his career, he scored 106 goals and
109 assists for 215 points. A three-time team MVP, Zajac was the Wildcats'
leading scorer in 2010 and 2011 and was captain his junior and senior years.
Zajac was named all-conference three times, was twice named all-state honorable
mention, and as a senior was named second-team all-metro and was a finalist for
the Mr. Hockey award. Eagan won the Section 3AA championship in 2011 and 2012,
won the South Suburban League in 2012 and played in two state tournaments,
placing third in 2011.